338 



Effective Farming 



are the largest of any of the beef breeds, the bulls ranging in 

 weight from 1800 to 2400 pounds and the cows from 1300 to 

 1600 pounds. The color may be red, red and white, white, or 

 roan. The animals are fairly low-set, of good length, depth, 

 and width, and the body is thickly fleshed. 



Shorthorns are early maturing and fatten easily. The 

 steers sell well as feeders and the meat is of high quality. 

 The crosses of these cattle with other beef breeds and with 

 scrubs result in very desirable beef animals. The Shorthorns 

 are not as good rustlers for feed as those of some other 



breeds, but where 

 grass is plentiful 

 they will make beef 

 faster than any 

 other breed. They 

 have been called the 

 farmers' cattle, be- 

 cause they fit so 

 well into conditions 

 on general farms. 



There are three 

 important strains 

 - the Booth, the 



Scotch, and the Bates. Booth and Scotch Shorthorns are true 

 beef cattle, while the Bates Shorthorns are of the dual-purpose 

 type. 



Polled Durham. The Polled Durhams are hornless Short- 

 horns. This breed is of recent origin and is becoming popular 

 in many sections. Two divisions of this breed are the single- 

 standard and the double-standard. The single-standard ani- 

 mals were developed by breeding hornless, or muley, cows of any 

 breed to pure-bred Shorthorn bulls, then breeding any polled 

 offspring to pure-bred Shorthorn bulls and continuing this 

 crossing up to the fifth cross. The resulting animals were at 

 least 96f per cent Shorthorn blood and were eligible for registry 



FIG. 135. Polled Durham bull. 



