THE BEEF BREEDS OF CATTLE 223 



other parts white. In the establishment of the im- 

 proved and pedigreed Herefords, different breeders man- 

 ifested a preference for animals of one or the other of 

 these markings, and each zealously maintained the same 

 during his breeding operations. The result of this was 

 that, about 1845, there were several different strains of 

 Hereford cattle that were distinguished mainly by their 

 color markings, and were designated by the name of some 

 prominent breeder, who had originated or was closely 

 connected with the development of this particular strain. 

 Subsequent breeders very wisely interbred these different 

 strains or families, with the result that in a few years the 

 breed became of a uniform color and markings, as at the 

 present day. 



The Hereford is among the oldest, if not the oldest es- 

 tablished of the English breeds of domestic cattle. Some 

 of its early improvers were contemporary, and some ante- 

 cedent to the operations of Bakewell, who began his great 

 work as a scientific breeder about 1755. As an evidence 

 of the importance and advancement of the Hereford in 

 production of beef at an early date, it may be cited that 

 the prize for the champion steer over all-breeds at the first 

 show of the Smithfield Club held at London in 1799 was 

 won by a Hereford steer, and the same for several subse- 

 quent years. At a dispersion sale by auction of the breed- 

 ing herd of one of the early improvers of the Hereford, held 

 in 1819, the average of the sale was about $750 a head. 



258. History in America. Importations of a few head 

 of Herefords were made to America in 1817, 1824 and 

 1840. The first two of these importations were unfortu- 

 nate in that in one case the bull died, and in the other the 

 cow died. The difficulties and risks attending the making 

 of importations of cattle at that time were so great that 



