JUDGING LIVE STOCK. ? 



revert to the primitive form always objected to by breeders; 

 and it has also been claimed that white animals are more 

 delicate than those of other colors. (This claim is contra- 

 dictory, for it is well known that wild forms are hardiest.) 



The wild white cattle have no economic importance, and 

 are of interest only in so far as they are in a manner con- 

 necting links between primitive and modern forms. 



From the earliest times of which we have any record, the 

 wealth of nations has consisted in large part of cattle. The 

 very origin of the word pecuniary lies in the Latin word pecus, 

 referring to cattle, which were in ancient times used as 

 money. The earlier peoples were pastoral, and simply herded 

 the flocks and herds, and lived on the milk and flesh alone. 

 The increase of population rendered it necessary to seek new 

 pastures, or increase the production on the available land. 

 This was done by breaking the ground and raising forage 

 crops; and the ox was used as a beast of draught, and this 

 soon became the chief mission of cattle in the more densely 

 populated countries. The cows were kept for milk, the 

 steers were worked until they were 7 or 8 years old, and were 

 then fatted off and sold. This was the general policy fol- 

 lowed until the beginning of the 19th century, and in some 

 portions of England the use of oxen, to some extent, on farms 

 was practiced even later. 



The superior adaptability of horses to the various labors 

 of the farm were rapidly becoming recognized even in the 

 latter part of the 18th century, and an increased demand for 

 good beef (due in part to the increase in population, and in 

 part to the general prosperity of the people), gave rise to a 

 tendency to develop steers into beef, instead of using them 

 on the plough. This led men to seek for early maturing ani- 

 mals of beef producing tendencies. 



The general stock at this time (1740-1800) was coarse in 

 all breeds. No definite line of improvement had been taken 

 up. Breeds were many in number, both in Great Britain and 

 on the continent, but the principles of breeding were but 

 imperfectly understood, and artificial selection had accom- 

 plished but little. At this time, about 1750, a breeder entered 

 the lists, whose work gave a marvelous impetus to animal 

 husbandry. This breeder was Robert Bakewell, and so far 

 reaching has been the result of his work, that a sketch of 

 the man is of special interest. 



