A treatise on the choice, buying and general management of live stock : comprising delineations and descriptions of the principal breeds... : together with an appendix on improvement of the British wool...

Front matter

SOUTHAMPTON UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

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A

Table Of Contents

Page.

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Chap. I. Of Black or Neat Cattle 21 Wild Cattle - " 23

Devonshire Breed — 24

Hereford and Sussex Breeds - 25

Dutch Breed

Lancashire Breed 27

Galloway, or Polled — 28

Highland Breed 29

Alderney, or French Breed ... 2 9> 30

Lowland Breed 30

WelchBreed ’^id.

. Irish Breed — 31

Oxen 33

Comparative View of the Advantages and Disadvantages

of Horses and Oxen 72

Observations on the Teeth of Black Cattle i2, 73

Chap. II. Sheep - — : 74

Class I. Sheep without Horns 73

Dishley, or New Leicester ... ibid.

Lincolnshire _______ ^6

Teeswater ibid.

Cotswold : — 7 ^

Contents

vi

Page.

Dartmoor or Devonshire Natts _ 7g

Chap. III. Swine _i_. .... H8 Marks of a good Hog ibid

Berkshire Breed , _ 119

Chinese „ 120

Gloucester . ibid.

Hampshire ... 121

Highland Breed ibid.

Northampton ibid.

Shropshire ibid.

Rudgwick Breed ibid.

Swing-tailed Breed 122

Large Spotted Woburn .ibid.

General Management of Swine 123 — 126

Tables ofWeights of Cattle 133, 134

Appendix

I. On British Wool, including Hints for the Improvement

of its Quality and Quantity ... 177 — 179

II. Destruction of Vermin 197 212

1. Ant-Hills. . . jpg

2. Mple-Hills jgg

3. Rats and Mice . . 200 203

4. Weasels __ 203

5. Caterpillars . 203—20 7

6. Snails 1 208

' 7- Slugs ibid.

8. The Fly or Black F!y ibid.

10. Badgers .... 2io

11 • Foxes ibid.

III. ON THE CHANGES OF WEATHER, as indicated

by various Phenomena 213

1. By Animals jbid.

2. From the Appearance of the Earth 215

3. From the Atmc sphere 216

4. From the Seasons 217

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A

TREATISE

ON

LIVE STOCK.

Introduction

PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE PURCHASING OE LIVE STOCK.

'Various circumstances have of late years combined to render Live Stock an object of the utmost importance to the farmer ; and, notwithstanding the very great advances made in other branches of Agriculture, none, perhaps, has undergone a greater change, or has received greater improvement than that department, which has for its object, the purchasing, breeding, and rearing of live stock. The attention of the reader will therefore he directed, in the first place, to some general observations on the buying of and the stocking a farm with cattle ; after which the various kinds of live stock will he discussed, and then- relative value and importance pointed out.

Where any considerable improvement is intended to he made or attempted, in the live stock of a farm ; or where a person is just entering upon the agricultural profession ; the first object of consideration must he, the proportion between his stock, and the quantity of feed which will be necessary to support them. He should also take care that

B

TREATISE ON LIVE STOCK.

there be a sufficient degree of shade, warmth, and shelter ; and should further consider the nature, situation, and fertility of the soils that compose his farm, and especially whether they be in a suitable state of drainage, should any of the soils be of a nature to require draining. Equally worthy of notice is the purpose, for which he particularly designs to keep live stock, whether for the pail or dairy, or with r d view of supplying, the markets. Indeed it is indis- P en .sably necessary to observe the greatest possible exactness in this proportion ; because, in the event of his land being over-stocked, his loss will be certain and great ; while, on the other hand, he will be liable to a loss of profit, in case his farm is not stocked with as many cattle as it will bear.

Formerly, a great prejudice prevailed in favour of big-boned large beasts, but it has been ascertained, that this breed is, in point of profit, much inferior to the middlesized kind ; and, by a careful attention to the selection of stock, no inconsiderable progress may be made towards the improvement of the different species. Among the various professional breeders of modern times, few have attained greater celebrity than the late Mr. Bakewell, of Dishley, to whom we are indebted for many new and important improvements in the science of rearing cattle. The principle which he invariably adopted was, to select the best beast, that would weigh most in the valuable joints ; so that, while he gained in point of shape, he also acquired a more hardy breed ; and, especially by attending to the kindliness of their skin, he became possessed of a race which was more easily fed and fattened than any other.

Till within a few years, the invariable practice was tojudge by the eye only, without regarding the other qualities of the animal intended to be purchased ; but, in the present improved age, a more rational mode of forming the

CHOICE OF CATTLE.

judgment is adopted. The sense of touch is now brought in aid of the sight; and by repeated practice, the art of judging of the kindliness to fatten has been brought to such perfection, that any well-informed breeder, who has personal experience, can, on examining lean beasts, tell, almost instantaneously, in what points or parts they will or will not fatten.

In the selection, therefore, of live stock in general, the young farmer will find it necessary attentively to consider the following particulars :

I. EXTERNAL FORM.

3. Beauty or symmetry of shape; in which the form is so compact, that every part of the animal bears an exact consistency, while the carcass should be deep and broad, and the less valuable parts, such as the head, bones, See. ought to be as small as possible*. For working cattle more particularly, Mr. Marshall states the following proportions as being essentially necessary, viz. That the neck be thin and clean, to lighten the fore-end as well as to lessen the collar, and make it sit close and easy on the animal while employed in draught. The carcass should be large, the bosom broad, and chest deep : the ribs standing out from the spine, both to give strength of frame and constitution, and likewise to admit of the intestines being lodged within the ribs. Further, the shoulders ought not only to be light of bone and rounded off at the lower point, that the collar may sit easy, but also broad, to impart strength ; and well covered with flesh, that the animal may draw with greater ease, as well as to furnish a desired point of fattening cattle. The back

* Sir John Sinclair’s “ Hints regarding Cattle,” in the Farmer’s Maga-

TREATISE ON LIVE STOCK.

also ought to be wide and level throughout ; the quarters long, the thighs thin, and narrow at the round bone. The legs ought, below the knee and hock, to be straight, and of a moderate length ; light-boned ; clean from fleshiness, yet having joints and sinews of a moderate size, for the united purposes of strength and activity. In these points all intelligent breeders concur ; but, as beauty of shape too often depends on the caprice of fashion, it is more requisite to regard,

2. Utility of form, or that nice proportion of the parts to which Mr. Bakewell bestowed so much attention, and which has already been noticed.

3. The flesh, or texture of the muscular parts ; a quality which was formerly noticed only by butchers, but the knowledge of which the enlightened farmers or breeders of the present day, have not blushed to acquire from them ; although this quality necessarily Varies according to the age and size of cattle, yet it may be greatly regulated by attention to the- food employed for fattening them. As k knowledge of thisrequisite can only be acquired by practice, it is sufficient to state, that the best sign of good flesh is- that of being marbled, or having the fat and lean finely veined, or intermixed when the animals are killed ; and, while alive, by a firm and mellow feel.

4. In’ rearing live stock of any descriptibn, it should bean invariable rule to breed from small-boned, straightbacked, healthy, clean, kindly-skinned, # round-bodied,

* This term implies a skin wfiich feels mellow, i. e. soft, yet firm to the touch, and which is equally distant from the hard dry skin, peculiar to some, cattle, as it is from the loose and flabby feel of others.

CHOICE OF CATTLE.

and barrel-shaped animals, with clean necks and throats, and little or no dewlap ; carefully rejecting all those which may have heavy legs and roach backs, together with much appearance of offal. And, as some breeds have a tendency to generate great quantities of fat on certain parts of the body, while in others it is moie mixed with the flesh of every part of the animal, this circumstance will claim the attention of the breeder as he advances in business.

5. In the purchasing of cattle, whether in a lean or fat state, the farmer should on no account buy beasts out of richer or better grounds than those into which he intends to turn them ; for in this case, he must inevitably sustain a very material loss, by the cattle not thriving, particularly if they be old. It will, therefore, he advisable to procure them, either from stock feeding in the neighbourhood, or from such breeds as are best adapted to the nature and situation of the soil.

6. Docility of disposition, without being deficient in spirit, is of equal moment ; for, independently of the damage committed by cattle of wild tempers on fences, fields, &c. which 'inconvenience will thus be obviated, it is an indisputable fact, that tame beasts require less food to rear, support , and fatten them ; consequently every attention ought to be paid, early to accustom them to be docile and familiar.

7. Hardiness of constitution, particularly in bleak and exposed districts, is indeed a most important requisite ; and, in every case, it is highly essential to a farmer’s interest to have a breed that is liable neither to disease nor to any hereditary distemper. A dark colour, and in cattle which are kept out all the winter, a rough and curled pile or coat of hair are, in the popular'

estimation, certain indications of hardiness ; but it is obvious to every thinking person, that this quality, though in some respects inherent in particular breeds, depends, in a great measure, upon the method in which cattle are treated.

8. Connected with hardiness of constitution is early maturity, which, however, can only be attained by feeding cattle in such a manner as to keep them constantly in a growing state. By an observance of this principle, it has been found, that beasts and sheep, thus managed, thrive more in three years, than they usually do in five, when they have not sufficient food during the winter, by which, in the common mode of rearing, their growth is checked.

9- A kindly disposition to take fat on the most valuable parts of the carcass, at an early age, and with little food, when compared with the quantity and quality consumed in less fertile situations, by which means the supply will be greater for the consumer. On this account, smaller cattle are recommended by C. G. Grey, Esq. (“ Letters and Papers of the Bath and West of England Society,” vol. x. p. £62), as generally having a more natural disposition to fatten, and as requiring, proportionably to the larger animal, less food to make them fat ; consequently, the greater quantity of meat for consumption can be made per acre. “ In stall-feeding,” the nature, method, and advantages of which will be stated in a subsequent chapter,* he remarks that, “ whatever may be the food, the smaller animal pays most for that food. In dry lands the smaller animal is always sufficiently heavy for treading ; m wet lands less injurious.” And as to milk, he is

* Chap, III. Sect. 2.

CHOICE OE CATTLE.

I 5

decisively of opinion, that the smaller animal produces more goods for the food she consumes than those of a larger size.

10. The hide of cattle is also worthy of notice ; as, by the simple touch, both butclners and graziers are enabled to j udge of their disposition to fatten. Sh John Sinclair has justly remarked,* that, “ when the hide or skin feels soft and sulky, it strongly indicates a tendency in the animal to take on meat ; and it is evident, that a fine and soft skin must be more pliable, and more easily stretched out to receive any extraordinary quantity of flesh than a thick or tough one. At the same time., thick hides are of great importance in various manufactures. Indeed, they are necessary in cold countries, where cattle are much exposed to the inclemency of the seasons ; and, in the best breeds of Highland cattle, the skin is thick, in proportion to their size, without being so tough as to be prejudicial to their capacity of fattening.”

11. Working, or an aptitude for labour ; apoint of infinite importance in a country, whose population is ,so extensive as that of Britain, and where the consumption' of grain by horses has so material an influence on the comforts and existence of the inhabitants. As, however, there is a difference of opinion on this subject, the reader is referred to the fifth section of this chapter, where the question is fully discussed.

12. Whether kine be purchased for the plough, or for the purpose of fattening, in addition to the essentials

* “ Hints regarding Cattle,” p. 157, &e.

TEEATISE ON LIVE STOCK.

already stated, it will be necessary to see that they are young, in perfect health, foil-mouthed, and not broken either m taxi, hair, or pizzle; that the hair stare not, and that they are not hide-bound, otherwise they will not feed kindly. The same remark is applicable to cows intended for the pail, the horns of which should be fair and smooth, the forehead broad and smooth, udders white, yet not fleshy, but thin and loose when empty, to hold the greater quantity of milk, but large when full; provided with large dug-veins to fill it, and with four long, elastic teats, in order that the nfok may be more easily drawn off 1 ,

13. Age.— B esides the rules above stated, there are some particulars with regard to the age of neat or black cattle and sheep, as well as of horses, which will be respectively noticed under the several chapters appropriated to those animals.

II. INTERNAL FORM.

In addition to the preceding hints on the choice of cattle, as derivable from external form, Mie following Strictures on their internal form, by Henry Cline, esq. are highly deserving the reader’s attention* They were addressed (in 1805) to the Board of Agriculture.

The object of Mr. C.’s paper is to ascertain in what instances the crossing of cattle is proper, and in what prejudicial; and also the principles upon which the propriety of it depends.

* "Communications to the Board of Agriculture” for 1805.

CHOICE OF CATTLE,

It has been generally understood that the breed of animals is improved by crossing with the largest males. This opinion, Mr. C. remarks, has done much mischief and would have done more, if it had not been counteracted by the desire of selecting animals of the best forms and proportions, which are rarely to be met with in those o the largest size. The external form of domestic amma s has been much studied, and the proportions well ascertained- but the external form is an indication only of internal structure. The principles of improving it therefore must be founded on the knowledge of the structure and use of the internal parts. Of these,

1. The lungs are of the first importance: it is on their size and soundness that the strength and health of an animal principally depend. The power of converting food into nourishment is in proportion to their size. An animal with large lungs is capable of converting a given quantity of food into more nourishment than one With smaller lungs, and therefore have a greater aptitude to fatten.

2 Chest.— The size and form of the chest indicate the ' ’ size of the lungs, of which the form should approach

to the figure of a cone, having the apex situated between the shoulders, and its base towards the loins : a circular form of chest is preferable to one deep and narrow; for, though the latter may have greater girth, the former will have greater internal space in

proportion.

3 The pelvis.— The pelvis is the cavity formed by ’ the junction of the hip-bones with the rump-bone : this cavity should be large in a female, that she may be enabled to bring forth her young with less diffitreatise on live stock.

cujty. When this cavity is small, the life both of the mother and also of her offspring is endangered.

The size of the pelvis is indicated by the width of the hips, and the space between the thighs : the breadth of the loins is always in proportion to that of the chest and pelvis.

4. He ad. -The head should be small, by which means t le birth is facilitated to the offspring : it also indicates the animal to be of a good breed, and occasions

less weight of unprofitable substance to the consumer.

Horns are useless to domestic animals, and occasion a great weight of bone in the head : the skull of a ram with horns weighed five times as much as that of a ram without horns, each being four years old. A mode of breeding, which would prevent the introduction of horns, would therefore afford a considerable saving. The length of the neck should be proportioned to the height of the animal, that it may collect its food with ease,

£. Muscles.—- The muscles and tendons (which are their appendages) should be large; by which an animal is enabled to travel with greater facility,

6. Bones. The strength of an animal does not depend on the size of the bones, but on that of the muscles ■ many animals with large bones are weak, their muscles

Animals, imperfectly nourished during growth, have then- bones disproportionally. large : if this originated

CHOICE OF CATTLE, from a constitutional defect, they remain weak during life ; large hones may therefore indicate an imperfection in the organs of nutrition.

IMPROVEMENT OF FORM.

The chief point to he attended to, for the improvement of form, according to Mr. Cline’s principles, is the selection of males for breed of a proportionally smaller size than the females, both being of approved forms : the size of the foetus depends on the size of the male ; and therefore, when the female is disproportionately small, her offspring has all the disproportion of a starveling, from want of due nourishment.

Mr. Cline further states, that the larger female has also a greater supply of milk ; and that her offspring is there fore more abundantly provided with nourishment after birth. But this proportion can only he understood in a general sense : for small cows (the Norman breed, for instance) are often known to yield more milk than large . ones. The quantity of milk indeed seems to depend on the particular breed, and on the adequate supply of food.

When the female is large in proportion to the male, the lungs of the offspring will also be greater ; by crossing in this manner, there are produced animals with remarkably large chests, as has often been noticed ; the advantage of large lungs has already been pointed out.

In animals, where activity is required, this practice should not be extended so far as in those , which are intended for the food of man. The size of animals is commonly adapted to the soil which they inhabit ; when the produce is scanty, the breed is small ; the large sheep of

TREATISE ON LIVE STOCK.

Lincolnshire would starve, where the small sheep of Wales find abundant food.

Crossing may be attended with bad effects, even when begun on good principles, if the above rule be not attended to throughout : if large ewes were brought to Wales, and sent to the rams of the country, the offspring would be of improved form; and, if sufficiently fed, of larger size than the native animals : but, the males of this breed would be disproportionately large to the native ewes, and therefore would produce a starveling ill-formed race with them.

The general mistake, in crossing, Mr. Cline thinks, has arisen from an attempt to increase the size of a native race of animals, being a fruitless effort to counteract the laws of nature ; which— from theory, from practice, and from extensive observation— Mr. C. concludes to be decidedly wrong; for, in proportion to this unnatural increase of size, they become worse in form, less hardy and more liable to disease.