144 BEPORT — 1887. 



The cattle here are black-pointed (muzzles, ears, and hoofs) ; some- 

 times the points are red ; sometimes there is no colour about them at all. 

 They are frequently spotted like flea-bitten Arab horses. The six heifer 

 calves born this year are irregular in their markings. Two have black 

 ears, but no spots ; while one has red ears, and the other has white earg. 



All calves with black points are preserved, amounting to about five or 

 six in a year. The herd is low at present — only numbering about twenty 

 altogether, ranging from five years old to calves of this year. 



There has been a large proportion of bull calves during the last year 

 or two. The individual animals are finer at the present time than when 

 Mr. Storer made his report, but they are not as large as they were pre- 

 vious to the rinderpest, which destroyed the whole herd except a few 

 calves. 



By the advice of Mr. Storer a cross was obtained from Somerford, two 

 young bulls being sent thence, one of which had an incipient horn. There 

 was another cross about five years ago with a cow from Yorkshire, which in 

 appearance was like the cows in the Blickling herd — it was out of a white 

 shorthorn by a black Galloway. 



No horns have appeared among its descendants, though one cow 

 always throws black calves (which are never reared), and in some of the 

 others the black points have been more than usually pronounced. 



As soon as the animals are adult, and are taken into the dairy herd, 

 they no longer range in the park, but are fed in meadows. The land is 

 light, and they are given cotton cake all through the summer ; in winter 

 this is supplemented by hay, but no roots are given. In cold weather 

 they are housed at night. 



Woodbashuick — The herd in August last contained: — 1 bull; 12 

 cows, aged from nine to two years ; and about the same number of young 

 animals. 



Ten calves have been born this year, of which three have died. 



There is also a white shorthorn bull, which was used for breeding 

 purposes last year. 



Originally all these cattle had red ears and red muzzles. Latterly, 

 however, from want of fresh blood, it has been impossible to maintain the 

 red points. A red-pointed bull, received in exchange from Somerford 

 (about 1879), proved useless. Mr. Cator was therefore obliged to use a 

 black and white bull sent fi'om Somerford, which had (as was supposed) 

 some black Angus blood in him. The stock by this strain have nearly all 

 had black points, though some few have them of a dark chocolate colour, 

 and a few others are red pointed. 



This bull had a good deal of black on his back, and the calves at first 

 took after him, being in most cases more or less spotted with black. As 

 he got older, however, the calves took after the cows, and in 1883, which 

 was the last year he was used, all the calves came pure white, with black 

 ears and noses. 



The next bull used was a son of the last, and the result was satisfactory 

 as regards markings, although more calves were black- than red-pointed. 



The present bull is a son of this one, and is a splendid animal and 

 beautifully marked. Though a little light behind, as all this breed seem 

 to be, they are very heavy in the withers. 



At different times some three or four different shorthorn bulls have 

 been used, the last occasion being last year (1886). This was done with 

 a view to improving the hindquarters, which are rather light. They are 



