TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 25 



milk on farms in the United States was 11,044,000,000 gallon? 

 in 1918. If the production of cows in towns and villages were 

 included it would add about 5 per cent, to the above estimate. 



Experience has shown that it requires a certain kind or 

 type of cow to produce a large flow of milk, and quite a differ- 

 ent kind to produce beef. For this reason, two distinct kinds 

 of cattle have been developed dairy cattle and beef cattle. 

 The dairy cow possesses certain characteristics which make her 

 useful as a machine for producing milk, and we call this combi- 

 nation of characteristics dairy type. Likewise, the beef animal 

 has certain characteristics which stamp it as an animal that 

 will convert feed into flesh rather than into milk, and we call 

 this combination of characteristics beef type. This gives us an 

 understanding of what is meant by type, and we may now define 

 type by saying it is that combination of characteristics desired 

 by the breeder which makes an animal highly useful for a specific 

 purpose. 



Some breeders have endeavored to establish what is called 

 a dual-purpose type of cattle. They believe there is need of a 

 cow that can produce both beef and milk, and they have, there- 

 fore, tried to combine dairy type and beef type as nearly as 

 possible. The dual-purpose cow does not give as much milk 

 as the dairy cow, nor does she make as much beef as the beef 

 cow. At present the demand for dual-purpose cattle is com- 

 paratively limited, but some authorities have predicted that 

 many farms will ultimately adopt the dual-purpose type as the 

 one most profitable. 



Various breeds of cattle have been evolved to meet the 

 demands for each of the three types of cattle. Each breed has 

 its own peculiar and special features not found in individuals 

 of other breeds. These special characteristics constitute what 

 is called the breed type. For example, there are six breeds of 

 beef cattle all of which possess beef type, yet each breed is dis- 

 tinctive in certain points which make up the breed type. 



The breeds of beef cattle are the Shorthorn, Polled Shorthorn, 

 Hereford, Polled Hereford, Aberdeen-Angus, and Galloway. 



The dairy breeds are the Holstein-Friesian, Jersey, Guern- 

 sey, Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Dutch Belted, French Canadian, 

 and Kerry. 



Dual-purpose demands are met by the Red Polled and the 

 Devon. The Shorthorn breed is also noted for many indi- 

 viduals and several families of dual-purpose type. 



