IN BENHOLM HERD. 379 



day, being treated in this fashion till near calving time, 

 ■when they get a more liberal allowance of turnips. 

 Most of them are late calvers, winter keep being generally 

 scarce. Bullocks are kept in a thriving state, or as well 

 as the keep will permit, until two years old, when they 

 are removed to a different farm and receive better food ; 

 but they are never forced till the last three or four 

 months. They are usually sold at about three years old, 

 when they weigh from 8 to 9 cwt. 



Mr William Smith of. Benholm, Kincardineshire, likes 

 to have calves in February and March. Calves are 

 brought up on their dams, and are taken from them in 

 August and September. Young bulls when taken from 

 their dams are put into small covered courts and fed on 

 grass and tares until turnips are ready. They also 

 receive 2 to 3 lbs. of linseed cake a day. Mr Smith 

 sells his bulls when about one year old. They should be 

 ready for use at eleven to twelve months. Heifers are 

 fed same as bulls, but do not get so much cake, and that 

 only in winter. In summer they go out in the fields 

 with the cows and calves, and do not get any extra 

 feeding uiiless they are to be exhibited, when a little 

 cake is given to put a gloss on them. He does not 

 think they require any cake, etc., to put them into 

 condition — they are so easily fed. Formerly the heifers 

 were served in April, but now, if possible, Mr Smith 

 mates them in March, when about two years old, so that 

 the calves may come in December, when they can be 

 shown in young classes ; but for those who do not intend 

 exhibiting, he thinks it would be advantageous to serve 

 the heifers when they are, say, eighteen to twenty months 

 old. At that age they are not so fat, and have more 

 chance of getting in calf, and are quite strong enough for 

 breeding. Cows, after the calves are taken from them 

 in autumn, go at large in the fields until they are put on 

 turnips and straw, and placed into a small court, loos 3, 



