384 SYSTEM OF MANAGEMENT. 



have plenty of exercise, and all food given in such 

 quantities and at such times as that it may be eaten at 

 once, and no portion of it left to get spoiled. If kept in 

 a loose court or box, the animals should have a clean, dry 

 place to stand upon at feeding time, while the bed should 

 be dry and soft. It is well now and again to wash cattle 

 with warm water and soft-soap, having them thoroughly 

 well 'dried and rubbed afterwards. 



Mr M'Combie of Easter Skene says the calves meant 

 for commercial purposes are put on cake a month before 

 being weaned, after which they are kept on cake all 

 through the winter until next year's grass, w r hich at 

 Easter Skene comes away early. While being fed on the 

 grass they do not get an allowance of cake ; but when 

 they come off the grass as two-year-olds, they are tied up 

 in stalls for a few months, and are finished off with a 

 liberal supply of turnips and straw, to which are added 

 three or four pounds of linseed-cake, bruised grain, and 

 linseed-meal daily. They are sold in the autumn or 

 spring, weighing from 6^ cwts. to 9 cwts. each. 



Mr E. C. Auld, Bridgend, states that while early 

 calving gives advantages in the way of strong yearlings, 

 it incurs great expense in keeping cows and calves during 

 the winter and spring, before the grass season comes 

 round. He says that during the period of gestation cows 

 should be kept on good pasture when outside, and fed on 

 good food when inside ; and that some days before 

 calving it is well to take a small quantity of blood from 

 them, as a preventive of milk fever ; and to have them 

 closed up by themselves in a calving-box. Just after 

 calving, the cows should be kept quiet, well " bedded " 

 with fodder, and get a drink of milk- warm water and oat- 

 meal. The calf should be carefully watched until it " gets 

 its legs ;" and when the cow has been milked, a small 

 quantity of the first milking should be given to the calf. 

 He approves of cows being allowed to " lick " their calves, 



