226 THE BREEDS OF LIVE-STOCK 



awakened a lively interest in the breed, such as had not 

 been experienced, and a number of new herds were estab- 

 lished. To supply the demand for bulls, importations 

 of breeding herds were made from England in such num- 

 bers and in such rapid succession in the years 1880 to 

 1886, that it looked as though the registered stock which 

 was limited to the place of their origin, would become 

 exhausted. During this period several thousand head 

 were imported and many new herds were established, 

 mainly in the cattle-feeding states. Herefords were 

 exhibited at all the leading fairs. A fat-stock show was 

 inaugurated at Chicago in 1879, and a few years later 

 another at Kansas City, Missouri. Steers were secured 

 from the available supply and exhibited with remarkable 

 success. While the Herefords were able to secure a 

 goodly share of the prizes in the older classes and in the 

 champion rings at these fat-stock shows, yet it was soon 

 observed that they were nearly always successful in the 

 younger classes. 



Owing to the shortness of the legs, and general roundness 

 of body of the Herefords, they are frequently misjudged 

 as to their weight, and are generally thought to be 

 smaller in size than some of the other beef breeds of cattle. 

 A comparison of the official weights of the prize-winners 

 in the classes for Herefords and Shorthorns at the now 

 American Royal Live-Stock Show at Kansas City, Mis- 

 souri, showed practically no difference in the average 

 weights of the prize-winners in the classes for bulls and 

 cows two years old and over. But in the classes for calves 

 and yearlings, the average weights were always decidedly 

 in favor of the Herefords. 



Although in the importations of breeding Herefords 

 that were made in the year 1880 to 1886, all the animals 



