The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-04-11
Agricultural.
Agricultural Meeting.

ment ofNeat Stock
-, Mr. Gleason of Wayland, had paid consid-
cradle attention To the rearing of cattle. In
raising COWS he is very careful to get calf
from an animal which is good mixer. The
bull should also be from good stock. He then
selects a tarrow COW, not too old, and puts tiOO
calves with her in pasture The calves soon
getin the way of feeding, from not having
sufficient milk. He has no difficulty from the
cow not owning the calves. His plan is to
shut up the cow, and put the calves in pen
near TO her, and after n short time she will
generally own them. Ifthat does not accom-
plish the object, he puts dog in the stable
with them. The dog will bark aud the COW
below, and he found that the cow would af-
rewards own the calves. He lets the calves
run with the COW about four months, when he
takes the COW from the pasture, leaving the
calves. A tarrow cow should always be taken
for this purpose, as young COW would be
spoiled. Among his cows, Mr. Gleason nj
ways keeps more or less of the no horn, or
Buffalo breed, and Inc never had poor cow
ofthis variety. Some of the points by which
he Judges ota good mixer are these bright,
full eye; thin neck, shoulders and brisket;
broad hips; small tail; thin skin; small foot
and horn; the udder ola yellow color. A cow
with black teats should be avoided; they are
generally hard nlilIlers She should not have
n round horn; flat horn is preferable.
He thought cows should be pastured as
,ar the barn as possible If they are driven
halfmie or mile to and from the pasture,
it affects the quantity of milk. They should
dtiCays have access TO salt, as they will eat but
very little at time, aud never TOO much. He
was satisfied thata COW wiutered in the stable
would produce more milk than one which has
rIe range ofthe yard. One of his neighbors
X mt q = fiyta in "a cfnhl nj nd
(which time she produced more milk than
when pat in. Even the wnter was given to
her in the stable. Mr. Gleason thought that
when so kept, cows would eat less, but he
was not certain that they would not wear out
f,stcr. His neighbor gives his cattle cut feed,
three times day, with which he mixes three
quarts Of meal per day. Mr. Gleason thought
il "A bad plan to give cattle too much ut time,
asst tended TO make them wastctul and dainty.
In selecting an OK, Mr. Gleason looks for n
large tnll eye, long face, and does not object
to a long neck ifit is stout He should have
broad back, deep broad bris1et, large bones,
rump rather sloping than rising. An OK with
thick hide is generally not so spirited. He
was careful not to buy an OK with crooked
legs, as he had noticed that they were apt to
get lame in holding back Mr. Gleason usu-
ally commences breaking his steers when they
n e two years ofage.
Mr. Gleason spoke of some of the diseases
TO which cattle are liable. Some think that
the horn all is confned to cattle which are
poorly kept. But farmer in his vicinity,
who always keeps his cattle well, had cow
which was attacked with it year after year.
Mr. Gleason thought the disease could be
cured if taken in season, by dropping little
spirits of turpentine upon the part affected,
and also riakinga mixture of pepper, very
sharp vinegar and salt, which should be in
jected into the nostrils by means of a syringe,
the head ofthe animal being held back. The
animal would Immediately commence blow
ing violently, and would blow out Il great
quantity ofmatter. He mentioned the cnse
ola COW which had been treated in this way,
which blew out bladder of greenish matter,
the end ofwhich was about the size of a com
mon sausage. For murrain nc usually bled,
and gave large quantity of salt. He spoke
Ola disease by which he had lost two cows
ttely, the nature ofwhch nobody seemed 10
know, nor yet any remedy. The cow first be-
gan TO kick as though in pain, and then COM
menced gnawing and biting her TAIL and 9TH
er symptoms.
Mr. Gleason thought no cattle better than
the native COW. Great care should be taken
in selecting the stock! bic had seen some
fine mixers of the Ayrshire and Durham
breeds. The milk ofthe latter is rich.
Mr. Sheldon, Wilmington, had paid con.
siderable attention TO the raising of cattle, botl
for slaughter, and for their products He
thought that some benefit had been derived
f ON imported cattle, by mixing with the ma
tive stock. He thought, however, ifas much
care was taken to import, it would be better
A good mixer usually has fat calf, and it it
too apt to he the case that it is given to the
butcher, in preference to leaner one from
poorer cow. At Brighton the native breed
is preferred He thought with Mr. Gleason
that COW having black teats would prove
poor cow-if so marked, she would also be
found to have black eye. A good heifcr
should have hazel eye, slim neck, and oper
ribs, l. e. the last ribs so far apart that two fin
gers could be placed between them. A COW
with wide ribs, he had always found to be c
great mixer. An OK shonld be broad between
the eyes, long from the eye to the nostrils
straight, broad, rather short hoofs; round ribs
straight back, hips falling off about an inch
Nine out often oxen which give out, fail in
the fore feet The legs should be straight
and they should toe straight forward.
As remedy for the horn all, when he
thinks it is coming on, he makes a small square
bag, which he fills with soft soap and salt, anC
binds between the horns. This would run
down TO the nose, and the cattle would lick il
Ifcattle are unwell he adopts the same rem
edy. Oxen sometimes swell up; for this he
administers halfa pound of ground mustard
seed, mixed with hogs fat.
MIR Sheldon thought cows would give more
milk if keptin the barn during the winter
He thought they would receive more benefit
from chopped feed, and that hot water SHOULD
be turned into the trough from which they
drink, so as to warm the water to the temper
allure of brooks in summer. He thought il
very injurious for cows to drink ice water