Management of Devon Cattle. 
329 
horns upon the farm, but found that they could not compete 
with Devons for that district. His aim is to grow large, heavy- 
fleshed animals. 
The calves are suckled the usual length of time (three or 
four months), a few cows being told off for the dairy, and their 
calves given to “ stale ” cows (cows which have reared calves 
from three to four months and, after the weaning, have still 
sufficient milk for a fresh calf) ; but each of the cows for the 
dairy has her ow T n calf left with her a week or ten days to 
get the “ beastings,” or earliest milk, the call’s natural first 
food, for want of which, and from having the unsuitable milk 
of staie cows before the stomach is prepared for it, calves are 
often lost. The calves suckled by stale cows continue with them 
as long as the milk lasts, and they leave the cows, without giving 
any trouble, as their supply fails. 
Mr. Bailey holds that for laying a good covering of flesh 
upon the bones, as the foundation of plentiful substance in the 
ripened animal, and a thick coat of hair over all to conserve 
the natural warmth, the calf, whether suckled or hand-fed, 
should have its milk “ alive from the cow,” not dead milk. By 
the suckling system he ensures that, and through the most 
natural process ; and as his first object is wealth of beef, and 
the dairy only secondary, he adopts the practice here described. 
He has also strong views upon the economy of feeding generally, 
maintaining — no doubt correctly — the great importance of care 
in letting the animals have hay fresh from the stack, with all 
its tempting aroma. Winded or stale hay has ‘lost part of its 
virtue and much of the tastiness which induces the animal to 
eat it heartily with relish. He does not care for pulping and 
chaff, but with the cake and corn given to his young stock uses 
roots passed through the cutter. The weaned calves from the 
turning out in May have their summer’s run upon grass. For 
the first w’inter the year’s produce is divided into two classes : 
(1) calves born between Michaelmas of the previous year and 
Lady-day; and (2) calves born between Lady-day and Michael- 
mas of the same year. Those in the first class, steers and 
heifers alike, have hay, cut roots (if plentiful) and a little cake ; 
in the second class the same, but with special care, and “ pre- 
ference shares ” in the roots, which, if scarce, are sometimes all 
apportioned among them, to the exclusion of Class 1. Their 
supply of cake is also on a rather more liberal scale in proportion 
to size. Second winter: all, hay once a day (this, when well 
got, is of good quality at Hornshay) ; barley straw ad libitum 
(of poor quality, low feeding value, in the district), and roots ; 
or, to make up for any deficiency in roots, a little cake 
VOL. IV. — T. S. — 14 Z 
