380 
Polled Aberdeen and Angus Cattle. 
warm water. He finds that the calves are fond of this, and that 
it operates beneficially. He states that his late uncle, Mr. 
McCombie of Tillyfour, was always most careful to have his 
calves muzzled during the first fortnight, so as to prevent them 
attempting to eat straw. As soon as they are old enough to be 
able to take them, they should be taught to eat cake and turnips, 
and should be allowed plenty of exercise. Mr. Auld does not 
approve of cows being bulled sooner than six weeks after calving. 
Weaning usually takes place about the end of the grass season, 
and after that has been done, the " cording " of the calves (putting 
setons into their dewlaps) is carefully attended to. Young 
bulls and young heifers, he thinks, should be liberally fed, and 
cows kept in moderate condition. Mr. Anderson, VVellhouse, 
says : " Calves drop from the 1st of December to the 31st ot 
March. Cows with bull-calves meant for sires rear their own 
calves, but I have several cows that rear two calves each. I 
deprive no calf of its mother's milk. For the first fortnight 
calves fed by hand get one imperial pint of warm milk four 
times a day ; after that, milk is given three times a day, and 
the quantity is generally increased to four pints each time, 
till they are six or eight weeks old, when bruised oilcake or 
linseed made into gruel is given once or twice a day, along with 
the milk. A very small quantity of this gruel is given at first, 
so as to avoid scouring. Cut turnips and oat-straw are also 
given at that age. Calves are weaned when from six to nine 
months old. Young bulls get 2 lbs. of oilcake per day after 
they have been weaned, with turnips and straw, and they are 
allowed to go at large in a loose-box. They are sold at from 
twenty to forty guineas and upwards when twelve months old. 
Heifers are not so liberally fed as bulls ; but after weaning they 
get 1 lb. of cake daily, along with grass, turnips, and straw. 
Early heifer-calves might be served in May or June of their 
second year, and if not then, certainly as early as possible the 
following year. Cows are on the fields all summer, with no 
extra food. In winter they get straw and turnips, with about 
2 lbs. per day of oilcake for two or three weeks at calving- 
time." 
Mr. Hannay, of Gavenwood, says : " I give nothing to cows 
beyond a supply of turnips and straw until within six weeks of 
their calving, when they get 3 lbs. of oilcake daily, and this 
allowance is usually continued for a month or so after calving. 
I endeavour to arrange so as to have the calves dropped between 
the end of December and the middle of April, as the early 
calves generally thrive best on the grass, and as calving is less 
dangerous before the cows get the full flow of the grass. I try 
as far as I can never to allow the animals to lose the calf-flesh, 
