Cow drinks?

Ask a question about agricultural history or the history of rural economy and society
Post Reply
karenkreft
Posts: 1
Joined: 28 Mar 2022, 18:36

Cow drinks?

Post by karenkreft »

I am a volunteer researcher at Calke Abbey, Derbyshire, a National Trust property. I am, at the moment, looking at a couple of books dating from 1822-1825 which list, daily, all the people coming to Calke, mainly trades people and visiting servants. It also mentions when workers have been given ale for carrying out extra work ( a bit like payment for over time). There are several entries with the following wording which are puzzling me. They read ‘to the Dairyman for cow drinks 2quarts ale.’ Does anyone know what this means? Is the ale for the Dairyman, or are the cows being given it as some kind of supplement?

Tony Pratt
Posts: 10
Joined: 09 Oct 2018, 07:52
Location: Chippenham, Wiltshire
Contact:

Re: Cow drinks?

Post by Tony Pratt »

Hi Karen,

It might be either but I do find references to cattle being given beer in a number of newspapers although all a bit later than your references it would not surpise me to find the ale was for the cattle rather than the dairy people. Having said that, of course, ale and beer were frequently part of the 'wages' for harvest-time 'casual' employees, so could be either!

FYI three examples of newspaper reports including both 'cattle ' and 'beer':

‘Remedies for Diseases of Cattle’, a number of papers over the next three years but earliest seen Monmouthshire Beacon, 23 December 1843, 1
A cordial is easily made by one ounce of carraway seeds, one ounce of aniseeds, a quarter of an ounce of ginger powdered, and two ounces of fenugreek seed. Boil these in a pint and a half of beer for ten minutes, and administer them cold,

It was obviously something that was discussed –
‘Pickings from Punch’, Derbyshire Journal and Advertiser 10 June 1864; ‘Cattle as Beer Drinkers, Cardiff Times, 3 October 1896, 7.
A Pint Question.— They are talking of giving beer to cattle. Let ’em put some spirits into ’em—say gin. Well, say you, What kind of gin'? Why, say I, it's for cattle, try oxy-gin.


‘Beer as Medicine’, Derby Daily Telegraph 29 September 1896 3
On Monday, at the adjourned Licensing Session, Mold, Mr. Bernard Lewis applied behalf of James Evans for the revival of a beer-house license for the place known as Bryn y Baal, Mold. He stated that since the application was first made he had been informed of information regarding the claim of heuse [sic]. It was situated in an agricultural district, and was of great convenience to the farmers to get beer for their cattle in times of sickness. Previously he had been of the opinion that cattle were teetotalers. (Laughter.)— The Chairman: Is this the first time you have heard that cattle take beer ?—Mr. Lewis : Yes, it is.—Two farmers gave evidence in favour of the application.—The Bench, however, refused the license.

Hope your research is going well

regards Tony

oldandpeculiar
Posts: 4
Joined: 09 Sep 2022, 09:02

Re: Cow drinks?

Post by oldandpeculiar »

there is also evidence that milk was called Cow drink in some places so could be the beer was given to the cow man in exchange for some/extra milk. difficult to say without better context

Post Reply