220 THE BREEDS OF LIVE-STOCK 



wanting a hornless race of dual-purpose cattle. They 

 are, however, better fitted to give satisfaction as beef- 

 producers than in the dairy. During the early history 

 of the breed much attention was paid to color and milking 

 qualities. Red was preferred, but in later years roans 

 have come to be looked on with more favor. With the 

 increase in numbers comes the opportunity to make more 

 careful selections, and the breed is making rapid advance- 

 ment both in real merit and public esteem. It possesses 

 considerable prepotency. 



Nearly all Polled Durhams that are being recorded 

 at the present time are pure Shorthorn in blood, and 

 breeders are striving to produce, as nearly as possible, 

 the ideal Shorthorn, minus the horns. Polled Durhams 

 are judged by the same standards as are Shorthorns, 

 and in nearly all large shows Polled Durhams are judged 

 by a Shorthorn breeder. 



253. Standards. There are two somewhat distinct 

 lines of blood to be found among Polled Durhams. These 

 are designated as Double-Standard and Single-Standard 

 Polled Durhams. 



Double-Standard Polled Durhams include the hornless 

 Shorthorns that are eligible for record in the American 

 Shorthorn Herd-book, as well as the American Polled 

 Durham Herd-book. They are the result of retaining, as 

 breeding animals, hornless Shorthorns, which occasion- 

 ally appear as freaks in Shorthorn herds. 1 The most of 

 the Double-Standard Polled Durhams are from the three 

 families, White Rose, Young Phyllis and Gwynne. 



Single-Standard Polled Durhams are eligible for record 

 in the Polled Durham record only. This branch of Polled 



1 It is now known that the horned and polled characters are Mendelian, 

 recessive and dominant respectively. 



