Polled Aberdeen and Angus Cattle. 379 
increasing the quantity till it reaches seven or eight quarts. 
Small quantities of cake, corn, and turnips are ultimately given 
along with the milk. The better sorts, perhaps intended lor 
showing purposes, are allowed to suckle their dams for longer 
or shorter periods, and when weaned are shut up in loose-boxes 
and treated to all sorts of good things. Mr. Bowie keeps his 
breeding cattle in moderately lean condition. He does not 
think it wise to bull heifers until they are two years old, as too 
early breeding checks their growth. Mr. William Smith, Stone 
O'Morphie, states that he endeavours to have his calves dropped 
in February and March. He rears his calves upon their dams, 
till from six to eight months old, and then puts the young bulls 
into small covered courts, where they are fed on cut grass and 
vetches, and from two to three lbs. of linseed-cake per day, until 
turnips are ready to take the place of vetches and grass. The 
voung bulls are sold for use when eleven or twelve months old. 
Heifers are treated in the same way as bulls, except that they 
get a smaller allowance of cake in winter and none at all in 
summer. He finds that heifers require no extra feeding on 
the fields to put them into good condition. Formerly his heifers 
were bulled in April, when just past two years old ; but now he 
endeavours to have them bulled so that the calves may come in 
December and January, which, by those showing young animals, 
is found to be a great advantage. Cows get no extra food, simply 
turnips and straw. 
Mr. R. C. Auld, Bridgend, states, that while early calving 
gives advantages in the way of strong yearlings, it incurs great 
expense in keeping cows and calves during the winter and 
spring, before the grass season comes round. He says that 
during the period of gestation cows should be kept on good pasture 
when outside, and fed on good food when inside ; and that some 
days before calving it is well to take a small quantity of blood 
from them, as a preventive of milk fever ; and to have them 
closed up by themselves in a calving-box. Just after calving, 
the cows should be kept quiet, well " bedded " with fodder, and 
get a drink of milk-warm water and oatmeal. The calf should 
be carefully watched until it " gets its legs ;" and when the cow 
has been milked, a small quantity of the first milking should be 
given to the calf. He approves of cows being allowed to " lick " 
their calves, and regards the process as useful to the cow herself, 
as a medicinal corrective. He brings up the calves upon their 
dams ; but if the cows are heavy milkers, he milks them dry 
now and again, until the calf is able to do so itself. The first 
fortnight is a most critical time with calves, and Mr. Auld states 
that when he sees any sign of dulness or inactivity in their 
system, he gives them a table-spoonful of treacle dissolved in 
