10 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



Short-Horns for Beef. No breed can probably be found that possesses more desira- 

 ble qualities as a flesh-producing animal for the general market than the Short-Horn, and no 

 breed lias attained a popularity so great and a distribution so wide during the last century, 

 as this. , Some other breeds, such as the Devon, the Highland and Galloway cattle, it is gen 

 erally conceded, produce flesh of somewhat finer grain, and more tender quality, but these are 

 smaller and less profitable for this purpose generally than the Short- Horn, which is particu 

 larly noted for size and weight, early maturity, aptitude to fatten, and fine bone structure, 

 thus furnishing a large proportion of meat of fine quality with a small proportion of waste. We 

 therefore have in the Short-Horn an animal that will produce a large amount of flesh in the 

 most desirable portions, ripen for the shambles early, easy to fatten, and that will produce the 

 largest amount of meat with the least of fat of any breed, unless it be the Hereford, which is 

 considered by many equal to the Short-Horn in this respect. Short-Horns will not, however, 

 prove as profitable where grass is not abundant, as some other breeds ; for while an abundance 

 of good pasturage in the grazing season, and liberal feeding in winter are essential to the suc 

 cessful development of the best qualities of any breed, more especially is this true of the Short- 

 Horn. They will not thrive on limited feed or neglect of any kind. 



The objection is sometimes urged, that the rapidity with which they attain their growth 

 and fatten prevents their meat from ripening sufficiently before appearing as beef in the 

 market, and also that there is a disproportion of fat to the lean meat which is not found in 

 breeds of slower growth and maturity; but we do not consider these objections sufficiently 

 well founded to deserve much attention, and taking all things into consideration, we know of 

 no breed better adapted to beef production for the general market, in localities suited to it, 

 than the Short- Horn, while we know of none that will more quickly transform the native stock 

 by crossing, than this. The Short-Horns and their grades produce some of the very finest beef 

 to be found in the markets of the country. It is greatly superior to that furnished by the 

 native stock, and consequently commands a much higher price. The production of such beef 

 not only proves more profitable to the breeder and grazier, but to the purchaser and consumer, 

 bringing as it does the quickest and most profitable returns to the breeder and grazier for the 

 capital invested and food consumed, and the best returns to the purchaser for the market, as 

 its fine quality causes it to be in great demand, and to command the best prices. 



When well cared for with winter forage and shelter, both native stock and Short-Horn 

 being kept in the same herd, the former at a year and a half will attain the weight of from 

 six hundred to eight hundred pounds, while the latter will average from a thousand to twelve 

 hundred pounds. At two and a half years the native will have reached the weight of a 

 thousand pounds; the Short-Horn from twelve hundred to fourteen hundred pounds. At 

 three and a half years the native may perhaps attain to the weight of twelve hundred pounds, 

 and the Short-Horn to from fifteen hundred to two thousand pounds; the native would be 

 still unripened and consequently not in prime condition for market, while the Short-Horn 

 will have attained full maturity, and bring a much higher price than the native. As a 

 market animal, the native steer is not fully matured at less than four and a half or five years, 

 while, as previously stated, the Short- Horn steer reaches this period at least a year sooner. 

 The latter also matures for the slaughter fully as soon as the Devon and Hereford, and a year 

 sooner than the Galloway. 



Short-Horns as Milkers. There are properly three classes or families of Short- 

 Horns, viz. : those which have been bred for beef production pi incipally, those which 

 combine the qualities of beef production with that of the production of milk, and those 

 which have been bred more particularly with a view to milk production. While some 

 fine milkers may be occasionally seen among the Short-Horns, the majority of breeders of 

 this class of cattle have for some time past almost ignored, or at least greatly neglected the 

 milking qualities in their efforts towards securing the highest possible degree of perfection for 



