CATTLE HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF BREEDS. 745 



native cows, imparts these valuable qualities to his offspring in 

 large measure, often making grades nearly as valuable as 

 thorough-breds for the butcher. No other breed of cattle has 

 contributed so many valuable points to the stock of the United 

 States, and it is doubtful if any other will ever supplant it as a 

 general purpose animal. 



The Herefords. It is but recently that this breed of 

 cattle have assumed prominence in the United States, but they 

 are now, among many of the beef-producing farmers of the West, 

 'held in high esteem, and bid fair to rival the Short-horns. 



The Hereford is an English breed, taking its name from 

 Hereford County, although they have been long bred in several 

 other counties of England, and also in Wales. This breed is 

 always spoken of as of ancient descent. The Herefords of a 

 hundred years ago were deep red almost brown in color, with 

 mottled faces ; now they are usually red with shades running into 

 light or yellowish red, with white faces, throats, bellies, and 

 sometimes backs. Occasionally a roan will be found, and more 

 rarely an almost pure white with red ears. 



Allen, in his " American Cattle Book," says : " Perhaps we 

 can not convey a better description of the Herefords than to 

 say : give a Devon a quarter more size, somewhat more pro- 

 portionate bone and horn, a trifle shorter legs and longer body, 

 a little coarser in every respect, and you have a good Hereford 

 in all except color." 



The Herefords do not excel as a dairy breed, and the 

 instances are rare in which superiority as milkers is claimed for 

 them. Their milk is rich in quality, but deficient in quantity; 

 breeding in later years has been with a view to increase 

 the tendency to take on flesh rather than to develop the milk- 

 ing qualities. In the days when oxen were largely used and 

 sought after there were no cattle considered superior to the 

 Herefords for this purpose. They are large, strong, and mus- 

 cular, well developed and powerful, and while not quite so active 

 as the Devon, are much stronger. 



As a beef animal the Hereford is superior. They mature 

 early, are thrifty in growth, feed well, and show well on the 



