178 Cattle Problems. 



degree that exercise is prevented or reduced ; and which die 

 from complete inaction, their dead substance being then 

 transformed into fat, by disorganization; our remarks on 

 this topic, though brief, cannot be further extended. 



In alluding to the practice of Mr. John D. Gillette, 

 and others of Central Illinois, in fattening cattle in their 

 groves and pasture lots, thus allowing them to indulge in 

 considerable voluntary exercise, it was stated that other 

 successes from similar management had been observed. 

 For instance, Hereford steers have been, and probably 

 still are, frequently fatted and finished off in England on 

 good grass, in open pastures, and without night penning; 

 and the juicy quality of their beef is abundantly well 

 known in the London and other markets of that country. 

 On a more extended scale. Short-horn grades and fine 

 common steers and heifers, in hundreds of herds, and 

 many thousands of instances, fatten rapidly and well on 

 the ample, open Western ranges of rich grass, fully maintain- 

 ing their muscular proportion by adequate daily exercise. 

 And many steers are fatted during winter weather in ample 

 yards, provided with simple sheds, these cattle voluntarily 

 seeking shelter or indulging in gentle activity, as they re- 

 quire. 



In such cases we have noticed that the skin thickens by 

 exposure, thus insuring in it a larger supply of blood and 

 blood heat, and ability to bear the escape of heat from 

 the skin, and to form sufficient blood, and supply sufficient 

 heat, to prevent suffering or injury from cold. And this 

 natural and simple way of developing power of endurance 

 — even on the way to the block — has marked advantages 

 in certainly maintaining nutritive meat quality, as is con- 

 spicuously shown in the success of Mr. Gillette, whose 

 cattle are, it seems, so good in quality as to suit the much 

 cultivated taste of critical English connoiseqrs and con- 

 sumers. 



