THE IRISH CATTLE INDUSTRY. 359 



THE IRISH CATTLE INDUSTRY. 



During the past century every acknowledged breed in England and Scot- 

 land has been resorted to with a view to improve the cattle of Ireland. 

 Shorthorn sires have been so largely used during the past century, that the 

 ordinary cattle of the country may be said to be crosses of that breed. Of 

 late years, Aberdeen Angus and Hereford cattle have been increasing in 

 favour in those districts where the production of beef cattle is the principal 

 industry of the farmers. In other districts, where the farmers have to 

 depend upon dairy produce and calf-rearing, the Shorthorn sire is still 

 locked upon as being the most suitable for the production of general pur- 

 pose stock. The following records of the number of entries of the above 

 three breeds at the Spring Shows at the Royal Dublin Society in 1891 and 

 1 001, indicate the increasing popularity of the Hereford and Aberdeen 

 Angus breeds amongst the Irish breeders : — 



In 1 891 there were 233 Shorthorn, 



36 Aberdeen Angus, 

 and 1 9 Hereford Bulls entered. 

 In 1 90 1, 387 Shorthorn, 



129 Aberdeen Angus, 

 and 67 Hereford Bulls were entered. 



The number of Irish breeders making entries of animals in the several 

 Herd Books during : — 



1895 were 97 entering Shorthorns, 



34 „ Aberdeen Angus, 

 and 9 ,, Herefords ; 

 while in 1900 132 entered Shorthorns, 



81 „ Aberdeen Angus, 

 and 1 1 „ Herefords. 



It is satisfactory to see the increasing number of owners of pure-bred 

 herds, seeing that it may be safely assumed that every such herd is adding 

 to the agricultural wealth of the country. 



During the nineteenth century, while efforts were being made in the 



majority of counties in Ireland to improve the cattle 



Kerry and Dexter by the introduction of fresh blood and new breeds 



Cattle. imported from England and Scotland, few, if any, of 



these cross-Channel animals were introduced into the 



mountainous parts of Kerry. Such was the state of matters in 1890, when 



the Royal Dublin Society with a view to stimulate improvement of native 



breeds of cattle, purchased the copyright of a record of the breeding of a 



small number of Kerry and Dexter Cattle, which had been compiled by the 



Farmer's Gazette, and resolved to publish the " Kerry and Dexter Herd 



Book." A system of annual inspections was organised, and such animals as 



