130 TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 



three years of age. Such factors as climate, feed supply, and 

 method of management affect the character and value of cattle 

 produced on the range, yet the predominating factor, as shown 

 by the above table, is that of good breeding. Those states 

 rank highest which use the best breeding stock. The importance 

 of good breeding is again shown by the fact that in Arizona 

 and New Mexico the more progressive stockmen have spent 

 large sums in purchasing good bulls and this has resulted in a 

 decided improvement in the grade of stock on the public ranges 

 in those states within the last few years. On the other hand, 

 many of the smaller men either turn out scrubs or else have no 

 bulls at all, and this keeps down the averages. 



The producer of feeding cattle secures his bulls from breeders 

 who maintain herds of purebred and registered beef cattle. 

 These are the sources of all that is good in beef cattle, their 

 function being to produce sires to be used to grade up the common 

 cattle of the country. Hence a knowledge of market require- 

 ments is very essential to the breeder of pedigreed beef cattle, 

 for he is engaged, indirectly, but most certainly, in the produc- 

 tion of cattle for the open market. The breeder of registered 

 cattle who ignores the requirements of the open market will 

 never be able to build up an active demand for his stock, because 

 the mere fact that an animal is purebred and registered does not 

 suffice. Buyers usually insist that a thoroughly useful animal 

 shall accompany the pedigree, and the inferior animal, no matter 

 how glowing his family history, does not receive serious atten- 

 tion or approval. 



Fancy, purebred, registered beef cows and bulls frequently 

 sell for $1,000 or more, and wonder is sometimes expressed that 

 a bull or cow can command such a price. Only when it is under- 

 stood that the sons and daughters of these high-priced animals 

 will not be sold to the butcher, but will be used as breeding 

 animals in herds that produce cattle for the butcher, is it real- 

 ized that such prices do not necessarily represent a foolish waste 

 of money. It may be several years before many descendants 

 of such an animal reach the market, they being multiplied in 

 the meantime, but when the market finally feels the good influ- 

 ence of such an animal, the benefits usually more than justify 

 the price of the original bull or cow. 



In selecting beef animals for breeding purposes, the breeder 

 must not only emphasize those points which are important to 

 the feeder and butcher, but must keep in mind his own interests 



