56 The Early Fattening of Cattle and Sheep. 
growth or constitution. In the following passage he states his 
conditions, and describes his management : 
"The necessary conditions are: First and foremost, a tendency to early 
maturity, rendered hereditary by cultivation. Secondly, abundance of good 
natural foot! ; our land must be in high condition, the pastures composed of 
nutritious grasses, and the crops we grow of the best possible quality : poor, 
stunted crops will not bring on young animals ; and especially must we have 
plenty of liine and phosphates in the soil for the development of bone and 
muscle. Then the climate must be temperate, although this is of less import- 
ance than the other factors we hare named, because much can be done in 
the way of shelter. Lastly, the judicious use of artiticial food to supplement 
the natural produce. 
" Now let us consider the treatment of calves on a dairy farm ; and the 
management we indicate is such as we have seen carried out with most 
successful results. The calves are dropped in the spring — probably in March, 
on the average — and are removed at birth, and not allowed to suck the cow. 
For a few days their food comprises new milk ; after about ten days or a 
fortnight, warm skim-milk is introduced, with calf meal, boiled linseed, &c, 
and by degrees the new milk is entirely replaced by old milk, and such easily- 
digested nutritious materials as experience shows to answer. When the 
calf is one month old, a little sweet green hay is supplied, with rock salt and 
chalk. As the spring comes on, there are two plans open to us — we may 
either keep them in well-ventilated covered yards, supplying a mixture of 
green and dry food, which has some advantages, especially in the selection 
and preparation of suitable food, and protection from irritation by insects, 
from which serious loss of condition often occurs ; or they may be turned 
out during the day into a home paddock, being brought in at night. In 
either case, they should still have any skim-milk we can spare, in which 
ground linseed cake or linseed meal may be soaked, and a small quantity of 
pulped mangels, with carefully-prepared chaff (principally made from hay 
and a little oat straw) and a little oatmeal, may also be used ; indeed, the 
greater mixture of nourishing material, the better. It is not the quantity of 
food that will be consumed, but the quality, as developing frame and flesh, 
that is important. After May, calves that are to live out may be run in 
small paddocks, divided into lots of six or eight, but it is most important that 
each field should have a shed providing ample shelter for tho lot, where they 
can, to some extent, be protected from insects; and of course a supply of 
fresh and pure water is essential, care as to change of food, and the supply 
of hand meat to supplement the grass when the latter fails, such as tares, 
clover, &c, with a small allowance of linseed cake of the best quality. 
" When from six to eight months old, the calves should be setoned in the 
dew-lap as a preventive to black leg or quarter evil where experience has 
proved liability. The action of the seton is probably as a counter-irritant, 
but anyhow the evidence of its utility is overwhelming. As soon as the 
nights become chilly, say early in October — but exact time differs according 
to locality— the calves should be housed at night, and be accustomed to cat 
pulped roots and chad", through which may he distributed whatever meal is 
supplied. In the daytime they may run out as long as the weather is open, 
hut, as a rule, towards the middle or end of November they are as well in 
yards altogether, with room lor exercise. Winter feeding must be generous ; 
we want to grow the animal as fast as we can, and an allowance of linseed 
cake is desirable, with a moderate quantity of roots and chad". The second 
summer a good pasture supplies all that is necessary. 
" About midsummer— thai is, when from fifteen to sixteen months old— - 
theao heifers are served, in many cases yearling bulls being allowed to run out 
