The Management of a Shorthorn Herd. 
419 
people's taste, it is found they breed regularly, are very healthy, 
and, when beef is required, a few months' feeding makes them 
fit for the butcher. Doubtless, a herd kept in high condition 
will look splendid, as meat will hide numerous faults, but costs 
a fortune, for no use except to please the eye." In conclusion, 
Mr. Gumbleton maintains that the results of his experiment 
have proved " that good blood is of money-value ; that there is 
no occasion to spend a fortune in keeping a herd in showyard 
condition, even to win high showyard honours ; and that in 
Avhatever position a well-bred Shorthorn is placed, she will hold 
a higher place than any ordinary cow." 
Next to Glahatore, in order of distance westward, is Ashfield, 
about a mile from the town of Fermoy, pleasantly situated in the 
Blackwater valley. Mr. Downing's herd, although not what is 
called a show herd, has sent out animals distinguished at the 
leading shows of the three countries. The peculiarity in the 
treatment of his calves is that while the heifer-calves are suckled 
for six or seven months, the bull-calves are reared by the pail. 
The heifer-calves are turned out to their dams twice a-day, or in 
favourable weather allowed to run with them in the pasture. Some 
of the cows being very good milkers, and having much more than 
the calf could take, are milked while the calf sucks, that being, as 
remarked before, the time at which the cow most readily yields 
her milk to the hand. At about a month old, when the calves, 
male and female, begin to taste anything put in the manger, 
they are supplied with a little dry food — cake and finely-crushed 
maize and oats. As they grow older, and the winter season 
comes on, they and the cows all have pulped roots, cut straw 
or hay (sometimes mixed), and crushed oats, with Indian-meal 
or malt-combs. When the soft turnips and swedes are finished 
and mangolds take their place, it is found that malt-combs are 
usefully corrective of the purgative effect of mangolds. The 
cows not suckling their calves are milked twice a-day. In 
winter the yearling heifers stay indoors, but the cows, kept in 
boxes, are turned out every fine day for exercise and to graze. 
During the summer season, of course, they go out to grass. The 
whole herd is in nice even condition ; nothing gross or overfed. 
The bulls have bran and crushed oats, with hay in winter and 
cut green food — vetches and clover and rye-grass — during the 
season. The principal stock-bull (the one at present in service, 
a well-known show bull formerly, but now a hale and an active 
animal of nearly nine years) goes out every day with the cows. 
The Ashfield estate lies between two rivers, yet, except for 
those who are fortunate enough to have their land on one or 
other of the rivers, water is scarce. Mr. Downing has, how- 
ever, the advantage of the solitary spring found between the 
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