CHAPTER VIII 



CATTLE ENGLISH WHITE AND RED POLLS l 



Somerford Park White Herd Characteristics The "Missing Link" 

 Blickling Hall and Woodbastwick Herds Other extinct Herds 

 Origin and History Points and Modern Features Red Polls 

 Authorities quoted: Marshall, Young, Euren, on Points and History 

 Early Breeders Dual-Purpose Cattle Herd Book and Red Polled 

 Society Crosses. 



THE Somerford Park White Polled Herd of Sir Walter 

 Shakerley, near Congleton, in Cheshire, numbered about 

 35 in 1893 a number which, in 19x34, when the writer saw it, 

 had been reduced to 26, viz. 14 cows in milk, i three- 

 year old heifer that had slipped calf, 4 two-year-olds in calf, 

 I yearling heifer, I yearling steer, 4 calves (one being a bull), 

 and i bull five years old. It contains the most direct 

 representatives now extant of the domesticated, hornless 

 descendants of the ancient forest cattle of this country. 

 Four generations of owners have not known the origin or 

 history of the breed. Tradition, a generation ago, said that 

 it had been in its present quarters for 200 years. Probably 

 the original cattle were shut in by enclosing a part of 

 Maxwell Forest, which at one time extended over the 

 Congleton neighbourhood. In general appearance (includ- 

 ing colour) this breed strongly resembles the Chartley, the 

 great difference being the want of horns. In some minor 

 details the resemblance is striking for example, both 

 breeds have a top-knot of long, white hair, white tail and 

 udder, usually black teats, and black spots, most numerous 

 about the neck and head. In addition to the black spots 

 referred to bearing black hair, there are many black patches, 



1 Excellent accounts of the different breeds of Polled Cattle, by acknow- 

 ledged authorities, appear in the I3th Report of the Kansas State Board 

 of Agriculture ) Part III., 1902,10 which indebtedness is acknowledged. 



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