Boyd: Crossing Bison and Cattlk 



195 



Of these only fovir were tested and one 

 of the four was found normally fertile. 

 The other three were barren up to 

 36 months, 32 months, and 25 months 

 of age, respectively, but should have had 

 a longer trial. 



Of five three-quarter-buffaloes one 

 only was a bull and this bull, born in 

 March, 1905, was killed by an accident 

 in September, 1908, i.e., at the age of 

 three and one half years. Although 

 given a fair opportunity during the 

 seasons 1907 and 1908 he did not 

 appear to be fertile, but should have 

 been further tested. 



Of one-eighth-buif aloes, the only 

 one tried was thoroughly fertile. 



One five-eighths-buff alo bull was bred 

 in 1905 from the cross of a bison bull 

 upon a one-quarter-buffalo cow. This 

 cross was interesting as being our 

 nearest approach to a repetition of the 

 severe cross of the first stage. It 

 proved that the 25% of bison blood in 

 the cow was suffcient to make the cross 

 perfectly successful; for gestation was 

 normal and the bull is more or less 

 fertile. We had one calf by him in 1911 

 and four in 1912. His pedigree is 

 interesting and I give it here: 



having to their credit nine, ten and 

 twelve calves respectively. 



Of 12 one-quarter-buffalo cows got 

 by using domestic bulls on the fertile 

 hybrids only one was barren, four were 

 irregular breeders, and seven normally 

 prolific. 



Of four three-quarter-buffalo cows 

 got by using a bison bull on the hybrid 

 females only one proved barren, and 

 this one was by a sire which was himself 

 a very poor breeder, for he got no other 

 produce although he had the run of the 

 herd for four months. 



The tables on page 197 are given for 

 comparison with the table for the 

 hybrids given in my former report. 



The average age at which the hybrids 

 produced their first calf was four years. 



Of five one-eighth-buffalo cows, one 

 was beefed at four and one-half years of 

 age without having bred, and four 

 were found normally fertile. 



As to the fertility or infertility of 

 cattalo bulls we have no information at 

 all. Of 73 cattalo births to date, 30 

 were bulls. Six of these are being kept 

 for testing but no testing has been done 

 yet. The first females have just come 



QUI N TO PORTO 



Brindle with white face Born May 23, 1905 



dam Quarto Prettymaid Sire Banff 2nd (a pure Bison) 



g. d. Hybrid Prettymaid by Tecumseh 63518 Am. Hereford Record 



3 d. Prettymaid 19th 55397 Am. Hereford by Bonie (a pure Bison) 



Record by Cherub 4th iim Am. Hereford Record 



It will be seen that he is a mixture of 

 pure buffalo and pure Hereford blood. 

 He is a whole-colored brindle except 

 for the white front to his face; and like 

 the hybrids he is larger and "smoother" 

 in build than an average bison bull; is 

 wider between the front legs and 

 thicker through the quarters; stands 

 straighter on his hocks, and has an 

 immense back. 



We have a yearling bull by "Quinto 

 Porto" out of a registered Hereford 

 cow. 



FERTILITY OF COWS. 



Of 24 hybrid cows, 15 were barren 

 and of the remaining nine onl}- three 

 were regular breeders. These three, all 

 born in 1895, are now 18 years old, and 

 were regular breeders up to last year; 



to the breeding age. Of two born in 

 1907, one gave a calf in 1911 and the 

 other was sent to the butcher December, 

 1912, as being probably barren. Of 

 four born in 1908, only one has given a 

 calf as yet. We have besides a calf 

 from a three-year-old, and one from a 

 two-year-old. This is sufficient to 

 indicate that even if not so much so as 

 the grade buffaloes (hybrids excepted) 

 which were just about normal, the 

 cattalo females will be fairly fertile; 

 and there is little doubt as to finding 

 a sufficiency of fertile bulls. Complete 

 fertility, if it is not found at once, will 

 doubtless come through selection, as 

 will early maturity. 



It docs not seem unreasonable, there- 

 fore, to suggest that the fur of the bison 

 and his great back may be carried by 



