LECTURE NO. 3. 



CLASSIFICATION OF CATTLE. 



I. The formal classification of cattle on the 

 basis of utility does not appear to have been 

 attempted by those who have written on bovine hus- 

 bandry, owing probably 



(1) To the difficulties attending such classification, 

 arising from 



(2) Variations in performance growing out of variations 

 in environment and treatment, and from the different ends 

 for which cattle of the same breed are kept, hence 



(3) No classification can be adopted at the present time 

 that is likely wholly to escape criticism. 



II. The classification of cattle, and indeed of 

 all domestic animals, cannot longer be deferred, 

 owing 



(1) To the necessity for such classification. 



(a) In the systematic teaching of live stock husbandry in 

 our public institutions, and 



(b) In preventing unfair competition in public showrings. 



(2) The general adoption of suitably prepared standards 

 of excellence will more and more simplify the work of classi- 

 fication, but 



(3) No classification can be submitted that may not 

 require modification sometime in the future. 



III. Cattle in the United States and Canada 

 may be classified as pure bred, common and "scrub" 

 or unimproved. 



(i) Pure breds are those which have been bred without 

 admixture of alien blood and whose lineage is kept in suitable 

 public records. 



(a) They possess marked adaptation to certain conditions 

 of environment, and 



(b) The males are capable of effecting a marked improve- 

 ment in the offspring of common and unimproved cattle when 

 crossed upon these. 



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