BREEDS OF CATTLE 137 



once as a basis for the establishment of a beef standard. This 

 beef standard should then be made a further qualification which, 

 besides a milk- record pedigree, should be added to the certifi- 

 cate of any animal used to reproduce its kind. Possibly, nay 

 probably, such work done in the interests of a beef standard 

 would enlighten us on many points now obscure, and might give 

 us indications, other than weight for age and measurement, that 

 ought to be included in the standard. An obvious danger is that 

 of excessive feeding to obtain weight for age. It seems very 

 probable, indeed, that very high development of adipose tissue 

 may, in the case of young heifers, interfere, by infiltration or 

 by otherwise inhibiting the development of mammary tissue, 

 with the power of lactation in later life. Even with young bulls 

 this condition may be harmful. I know of one young Shorthorn 

 bull, with a pedigree exceptionally rich in milk-yielding females, 

 who proved sterile, and whose reproductive organs were found 

 on post-mortem examination to have degenerated through excess 

 of fat among the tissues of the testicles. But this and other 

 similar difficulties that may occur will not be found insuperable, 

 if only the breeders will lend their present intuitive skill to help 

 scientific work in the future. 



That such help given by the experienced Shorthorn breeder 

 would be of the highest value to the country, I firmly believe ; 

 for, if increased fruitfulness of our land is to be effected con- 

 currently with prime beef -production, the one benefiting the 

 other, there is no variety likely to be so sure a foundation on 

 which to build improvement as the famous "Red, White and 

 Roan" cattle which the disciples of Bakewell created in the 

 latter half of the eighteenth century. 



Lincolnshire Red Shorthorns. 



The Shorthorn, when registered, has his pedigree inscribed 

 in Coates's Herd Book, founded in 1822. The Lincolnshire 

 breeders of cattle much the same in character, have for the 

 last 23 years started a herd book of their own. 



There is, however, a more material distinction than mere 

 registration between the Lincoln Red and the Coates's Herd 

 Book cattle. The Shorthorn, the old variety, is large, but the 



