Breeding, Rearing, and Feeding Horses, Cattle, and Sheep. 59 
purposes. I purchase two-year-old stots and queys in the months of March, 
April, and May, at an average price of something over 16?. a head. 
The queys are generally sold from the grass about the 1st of July, wheu 
the better class of the stots are housed on clover grass, tares, and a little oil- 
cake, and rendered fit for the butcher by Christmas ; the others have thus an 
increased extent of pasture at a time when it begins to decay, and are generally 
brought into prime condition for the fat market in the course of the spring, 
when a fresh lot of store cattle have to be bought. The mean length of time 
embraced in the process of feeding-off would not exceed ten months, and the 
mean return would be about 121. per head. Referring to the system of breed- 
ing as many as can be fed, I shall assume that 100 acres of good land are 
capable of maintaining 34 head of cattle, and that of these in fortunate circum- 
stances 9 stots are annually fed-off at the high average of 30?., giving 270?. ; 
from which, however, you have to deduct losses, which are as sure as seed-time 
and harvest, chiefly consisting of cows getting out of season, slipping calves ; 
and again calves dying from diarrhcea, navel-ill, knee-ill, and fifty other ills 
incident to calves, with quarter-ill amongst yearlings ; and cost of a good Short- 
horn bull, would amount to not less than 15 per cent., or something over 40?., 
leaving as the net profit, 230?. I must also assume that the same farm, if 
properly managed and attention given to the sowing of tares or beans, and the 
preparation of a few acres of first grass for house-feeding, a few acres of turnips 
for early use on the system already indicated, is capable of feeding off at least 
24 head of bullocks, which at the moderate calculation of 12?. per head, would 
yield a profit of 288?., while deaths are almost nil. This shows the sum of 
30?. in favour of buying and feeding. I hold that the feeding-system proves 
more nutritious to the farm, and that the early housing affords a considerable 
field-pluck for lambs or young horses, which, with the increased quantity 
and superior quahty of the dung, fully compensates for the extra consumption 
of oil-cake in the process of feeding. 
G. Mitchell. 
45. WooLSTON, Bletchley Station. 
British farmers could breed more horses, cattle, and sheep than they do, only 
by an increased production of corn in their own country as feeding-stuff, &c., 
or by purchase of such food from other countries. 
Hard-worked horses on large arable farms cannot do breeding and working 
together; while lightly worked horses on a mixed arable and grass farm can 
breed at a profit. 
Poor grass and arable land can breed sheep, while it needs good land or roots 
on root-growing land to feed them. 
Until within the last few years the breeding of horses has not been found 
over profitable ; while that of breeding and feeding of cattle and sheep has been 
found not only profitable but certain. 
For many years back many farmers relaxed or discontinued altogether the 
practice of breeding horses, because it bad been found to be unprofitable or of 
little profit. The breeding of cattle and sheep has never been neglected, while 
that of horses has. 
Strong, active, and powerful animals are the best horses. Long-wool or half- 
bred sheep suit this district. The Shorthorn cattle are generally bred, while 
other breeds are fed in this district. 
William Smith. 
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