The Management of a Sliorthorn Herd. 
387 
is removed ; and from 6 to 7 in the evening the cows are 
again milked. When the turnip-crop has failed, some such 
artificial food as the sample already stated, but chosen accord- 
ing to price and circumstances, is substituted for one feed of 
turnips. 
The system for the young cattle in boxes is much the same 
as for the cows, except that the heifers have fewer turnips and 
more artificial food. No linseed-cake is used except for these 
young cattle, and it is given before they have turnips in the 
morning. This prevents danger of swelling, which often is 
troublesome when turnips are given first. In arranging young 
cattle in boxes, care is taken to sort them according to age and 
strength, and when one is unfairly treated by others, a change 
is made until all have an equal chance of food and rest. Young 
cattle receiv'e some such food as the following, varying with 
prices and seasons : — heifers, 10 to 12 months old, daily allow- 
ance about 1 lb. of ground decorticated cotton-cake, 1 lb. of 
ground barley or oats (generally the inferior grain which is too 
light to sell to advantage), 2 lbs. of linseed-cake, ^ lb. of locust 
(charob) beans, \ lb. of bran, and 1^ lb. of oat-hulls ; turnips 
from 50 to 60 lbs., and straw, of which they eat daily about 
5 lbs. or 6 lbs. 
A full supply of good clean drinking-water is of the first im- 
portance where any cotton-cake is given. When cattle have 
plenty of turnips they will not usually drink, except, perhaps, 
when deep milking or some casual drain upon the system causes 
thirst ; but if a supply of water be not within reach of all cattle, 
especially when kept tied up or in boxes, great vigilance on the 
part of the herdsman or manager is necessary, on the ground of 
both humanity and self-interest ; for, even when turnips are 
largely used, they are not always sufficient to meet the demands 
of nature ; and, to say nothing of the cruel sufferings of a 
thirsty animal debarred from access to water, I have reason to 
believe that losses to the owner not seldom occur from failure to 
supply water to turnip-fed cattle. Such animals may often 
refuse water, but should have the chance of getting it in case 
they happen to require it. 
The calving-time may be considered as ranging from the 
beginning of September to the beginning of May, but by far the 
greater number of calves come in February, March, and April : 
they are reared by their dams ; therefore when the cows go out 
to grass in May they are generally suckling young calves. The 
practice with regard to the bull varies in different herds. In 
the large and old-established herd of Mr. A. Cruickshank, at 
Sittyton, when the cow has calved about six or seven weeks she 
is turned out with the bull every day ; and in summer the bull 
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