Beef and Dual-purpose Cattle 



343 



dual-purpose are the Shorthorns. Formerly most of the ani- 

 mals were of the Bates strain, but recently many of the Scotch 

 strain have been used. Dual-purpose Shorthorn cows are 

 longer in the legs, larger in the barrel, and thinner in the quar- 

 ters than those of the beef type. The bulls approach the beef 

 type more than do the cows. Calves from dual-purpose Short- 

 horns usually fatten well and make a good quality of beef. 

 Fig. 139 shows a group of dual-purpose Shorthorn cows that 

 have good milking 

 qualities. 



Red Poll This 

 is strictly a dual- 

 purpose breed. In 

 size the animals are 

 smaller than most 

 of the beef breeds, 

 mature bulls weigh- 

 ing from 1700 to 

 2100 pounds and 

 mature cows from 

 1100 to 1350 pounds. The color ranges from light to dark 

 red, a deep, rich red being preferred by breeders. The animals 

 are without horns, the head is lean and of medium length, 

 the poll sharp and covered with a tuft of hair. The neck 

 is longer and thinner than in the beef breeds. The chest is 

 well developed and the ribs well sprung, but the body lacks 

 the thick covering of flesh of strictly beef animals. The barrel 

 is larger than in the beef breeds (a dairy characteristic) and 

 the hindquarters are lighter fleshed. The udder is usually 

 well developed, being more like that of dairy than of beef ani- 

 mals. This character is shown in Fig. 140. The breed is 

 popular in Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Texas, Nebraska, 

 and Michigan. As a breed they lack somewhat in uniformity. 



Devon. The Devon is one of the oldest breeds of cattle. 

 The cows are good milkers and the steers are good for beef and 



FIG. 140. Red Poll cow. 



