Somersetshire Farm-Prize Competition, 1875. 559 
. May. In the winter, for the months of December, January, and 
February, food is found by the owner in the straw-yard. Besides 
straw, an allowance of 2 lbs. of cotton and 2 lbs. of linseed-cake 
per day, with a little chaff, is made for each animal ; and about 
10 days before the cows drop their calves, they have a small 
quantity of hay in addition. After calving, which is proxi- 
mated to the 1st of March, each cow is given 15 lbs. of pulped 
mangolds, mixed with one part of hay and one of chaff, which 
consists of two-thirds hay and one-third straw. With this is 
given 2 lbs. of bran, and 2 lbs. of meal or cotton-cake per day till 
they go to grass. The dairy term commences on Candlemas 
Day (February 2nd), and the rent is paid in advance. The grass 
•land is drawn for the dairyman at this date, and given up by 
him in November, when the stock is brought into the yards ; at the 
same time the turn-oft' cows are dried, and commence feeding. 
The heifers do not take their place until they calve the follow- 
ing March, so that the apparent low charge of 12/. 10s. per cow 
is quite counterbalanced. If 14Z. per cow per year were paid, 
the old cows would be drafted at Christmas, and the 3-year-old 
heifers would succeed them in the dairy about the middle of 
February. The dairy cows are useful cross-breds, improved at 
the present time by a pure-bred Shorthorn bull being used. 
The draft cows are taken away the 1st of November, and fed 
in about three months to something approaching 10 score 
per quarter. The dairy cattle are under the management of 
the dairyman the whole of the year, food alone being provided 
by the owner. The dairyman feeds pigs, and is allotted a small 
run for them. 
The cattle bred are the offspring of the dairy cows by a 
pure-bred Shorthorn, and are of a very useful character. When 
the calves are purchased from the dairyman about Midsummer, 
I both steers and heifers remain housed for the summer, and are 
fed with the different successive green crops as they mature, and 
with 2 lbs. of mixed meal, consisting of beans, bran, oats, and 
oil-cake daily. In winter their meal is increased and given 
; them mixed with chaff. They also get turnips, then swedes, 
and pulped mangolds and a little hay till they go out to grass 
I about the 1st of May. Towards October the steers recommence 
I turnips on the pastures and have a small allowance of hay, or, 
if wet, at once go into the boxes, and are put on ^ cwt. of swedes 
with chaff, two-thirds straw and one-third hay, pulped roots, 
I and 3 lbs. of meal, per diem ; to this is added a little hay morning 
I and evening. The meal is increased 1 lb. per month till they 
j are sold, which is about the beginning of April following, when 
1 they are a little over 2 years old, and at which time they generally 
[average from 8 to 9 score per quarter. The heifers are less 
