Derby Prize-Farm Competition, 1881. 
503 
grass the allowance of cake is generally continued, the herbage 
being naturally somewhat rough and coarse. 
Last year 2 lbs. of decorticated cotton-cake and 2 lbs, of rice- 
meal were given (the herbage being worse than usual in con- 
sequence of excessive wet) with good result as far as regards the 
yield of cheese, but the use of meal appeared to have the effect 
of causing more of the cows than usual to prove barren in 
the autumn. 
At the Abbey Farm the milk is nearly all sent to London, 
and a supply is required in the winter months, though twice as 
much is sent off daily in summer as in winter. 
Cows calve in every month of the year, though more calve in 
the spring months than at other times. By means of water- 
power, barley and oat straw are cut into chaff, and roots are 
pulped from the middle of October to the middle or end of 
April. The chopping is done about three times per week. Two 
cwts. of malt-dust is soaked and mixed with each chopping, 
which flavours and renders it palatable. 
All the beasts housed at the Abbey Farm have chop (chaff). 
Those which have recently calved and are giving plenty of milk, 
and those fattening for beef, have 2 or 3 lbs. each daily of rice- 
meal mixed with the chop, and 3 lbs. decorticated cotton-cake, 
with a few additional whole mangolds or swedes, the former being: 
reserved for the milch cows. All the cows have a little long 
hay, the best being reserved for the new milch cows and for 
eating late in the spring. The barren cows from the Nothill 
Farm are kept through the winter and milked at the Abbey 
Farm. Linseed-cake is, as a rule, only given to cows which 
are delicate, to calves, and to bulls, — decorticated cotton-cake 
being found more economical and perfectly safe when given in 
moderation to healthy cattle. In fact, after a large use of it for 
many years, I can state that I have never traced any injurious 
effects to its use. 
From 20 to 30 heifer calves are usually reared annually, and a 
few bull calves for use, or for sale for stock purposes. 
The rest are sold at about a week old. Those by a pedigree 
bull from my own cows at '61. each, and a few selected ones at 
much higher figures. The calves from bought cows of no special 
breeding are sold at what they will fetch, from 20s. to 305. each. 
The total amount received for milk sent to London from the 
Abbey Farm was — 
£ .s. 
In 1880 1000 15 
In 1879 1024 1 
From this, however, must be deducted the carriage, l\d. per 
imp. gal., being from one-sixth to one-eighth of the above sums. 
VOL. XVII. — S. S. 2 M 
