804 A HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 



now than with the old-time natives, but "not heav- 

 ier than the Shorthorn cross. " In his experience 

 the Herefords are "far the hardiest on the range. " 



WaJlis Huidekoper. Another large operator on 

 the northern range is Mr. Wallis Huidekoper, whose 

 North Dakota and Montana experiences lead him to 

 place a high estimate upon the Hereford. Mr. 

 Huidekoper is running about $100,000 worth of cat- 

 tle on a $350,000 range in Sweetwater Co., Mont., 

 which comprises some 30,000 acres under fence, well 

 irrigated and with modern equipment. His grazing 

 is a good quality of buffalo grass on the hills and 

 flats. Wild hay and alfalfa are put up for winter 

 feeding. 



Mr. Huidekoper bought his first Hereford bulls 

 in 1900, his cow herd at that time consisting of half- 

 blood range-bred Shorthorns. He placed four suc- 

 cessive crosses of Hereford bulls upon this founda- 

 tion, and says that the first cross produced the best 

 beef and the heaviest. Each succeeding cross re- 

 sulted in a neater type with less size. Mr. Huide- 

 koper has also used Galloway bulls upon Shorthorn 

 cows with good satisfaction, and uses Shorthorn 

 bulls on Shorthorn cows to keep up a supply of that 

 blood. He nevertheless joins with a large majority 

 of all leading western cattle-growers in regarding 

 the Hereford's as the most valuable of all blood ele- 

 ments for range purposes. He says: "They have 

 the heart, they are great rustlers and they hold their 

 flesh well in adversity. If you will watch a large 

 bunch of mixed cattle leave the brush after a winter 

 storm you will see the 'white faces' in the lead." 



