. 134 BREEDS OF CATTLE 



bered that they vary very greatly in this respect), I have always 

 looked upon them as easily satisfied as regards quantities of 

 bulky foods. One is forced, however, to admit that there is no 

 reliable evidence to support this. It is one of those matters 

 which require to be tested by carefully-conducted and extended 

 feeding trials. On the other hand, I think it must be admitted 

 that Shorthorns require more consideration as regards quality 

 of bulky fodder than several other breeds. I have seen many 

 instances of other cattle apparently doing better than Shorthorns 

 on a diet of straw and rough coarse hay, or, again, when grazing 

 on weedy, rank pastures. They do not, particularly when in 

 very high condition, stand temporary shortage of pasture 

 especially well; and though they can, as a breed, adapt them- 

 selves to living on moderately short commons, other breeds have 

 a reputation for doing so better. While they will thrive in very 

 many climates, it seems that they suffer more than the very 

 hardy breeds when exposed to extreme wet and cold; it must 

 not, however, be deduced from this that the breed is in any 

 way delicate. Large numbers of the variety undoubtedly are 

 found to suffer from tuberculosis when submitted to the tuber- 

 culin test. This I believe to be due to their being so often kept 

 under insanitary conditions, and of course it may be that the 

 number which react is not relatively large; but the fact that 

 many react, while apparently few suffer signs of real ill-health 

 from the disease, has always appeared to me to show that among 

 their other good qualities they have considerable constitutional 

 vitality with which successfully to combat the evil. 



Turning now to the dual-purpose Shorthorn, we may say at 

 once they are not so massive, or blocky, as their purely beef- 

 bred fellows. The lines on which they are built are finer, their 

 ribs, especially over their hearts, are not so well sprung, their 

 thighs do not carry so much flesh and look "better bent," they 

 are lighter and look longer in the neck, and their heads are 

 decidedly longer from eye to nostril. They should, however, 

 be quite as deep in the body, their ribs next to the loin should 

 be as well sprung and wide, and there should be as great width 

 between the eyes. Their skin should be thinner, but not 

 "parchment-like" in fact to be what is well called "papery" 



