THE CATTLE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



single cross of blood, introduced, it may be, several generations 

 back, most seriously affected market value, although the possessor 

 had every personal merit to justify the innovation. Fortunately 

 for our future prosperity as cattle breeders, more sensible views 

 are now held, and it is generally allowed that, in order to main- 

 tain and improve our best breeds, there must be from time to 

 time a dash of fresh blood brought in. Although much has 

 been done in the way of improving our breeds of cattle, there 

 still remains a very great deal to do. For example, in several 

 of our principal dairy countries the quality of the cows is not as 

 good as it might be ; and, as it is from these districts that much 

 of our store stock comes, it is through their medium that we 

 must look for an improvement in the general quality of the 

 stock spread over the surface of the country. Too often the 

 cows kept have no tendency whatever to make flesh, even when 

 dry and well fed. No amount of good food could render sueh 

 animals fat, and their offspring must inherit their bad pro- 

 perties. An idea prevails that, by improving the quality and 

 meat-producing properties of dairy cows, their value as milkers 

 will be lessened ; but this need not be the case if proper care be 

 taken in selecting bulls of well-known milking families to cross 

 with the existing stock. There are, even among the very 

 highest- bred Shorthorns, cows which give as much milk and 

 butter as common ones ; and, where milking powers have not 

 been disturbed by unnatural feeding, and due care has been 

 exercised in the choice of bulls. Shorthorns yield more milk than 

 any other pure breed. It should also be kept in mind that we 

 breed oxen as well as cows. 



If a dairy fanner buys a bull simply because it has a pedigree 

 and is a bull, without any reference to the milking properties of 

 the family from which he springs, such a man does not deserve 

 to be lucky in his purchase. Farmers should take more pains 

 to inquire into these matters before purchasing, and then 

 breeders of bulls would find it conduce to their benefit to pay 

 more attention than they do now to the milking properties of 

 their stock. The results of the use of high-bred bulls with 

 rough cows are sometimes astonishing, the calves partaking so 

 much of their sire's quality, being smarter-looking and having 

 far better coats than their mothers. 



