BREEDS OF BEEF CATTLE 269 



fords that have never developed horns. An effort is now being made 

 to collect these animals into one herd and thereby form the nucleus 

 for more extended operations. Such work is commendable and will 

 be watched with interest. (Dep. Agr. Bu. An. Ind. B. 34.) 



BREEDING. 



Producers of beef cattle divide quite naturally into two classes. 

 First there is that class comprising the small minority engaged large- 

 ly in the production of pedigreed animals to be offered for sale for 

 purposes of improvement. There are a few undoubtedly who own 

 pure bred animals, but have not been keeping the registration up. 

 On the other hand this list must include some who own but a single 

 recorded animal, namely, a bull. The fact that these men own re- 

 corded stock is evidence enough that they are interested in live stock 

 improvement, and are familiar with and are practicing good methods 

 of live stock breeding. 



The second class comprising by far the great majority of stock 

 owners is the one in whose hands the inferior stock are to be found. 

 Because this last class comprises such an overwhelming majority of 

 stock owners, and because it produces nearly all the animals and 

 animal products marketed, its influence in determining the character 

 and reputation of meat and milk products is very far reaching. It is 

 in the hands of some of this class that the scrub and animal of badly 

 mixed breeding are to be found. After the few breeders of pure bred 

 animals have expended large sums of money for good foundation 

 stocks, and offered good young pure bred males at moderate prices, it 

 cannot be denied that they are extremely slow of sale. The ordinary 

 producer of meats and milk (not breeder), seems determined not to 

 pay more than about meat prices for males to infuse improved blood 

 in his herd, and the breeder cannot make a living producing them 

 at such prices. Failing to secure improved males at these low prices, 

 many producers fall back on the grade or even the scrub, and fre- 

 quently combine with this in-breeding, especially where the males 

 are chosen within the herd. The greatest, and most pressing needs of 

 today, in live stock improvement, are more breeders, more good males, 

 and more men willing to pay remunerative prices for them, and 

 cease admixing blood, and using grade and scrub sires. 



Inferiority of the Common Stocks. The chief fault of the com- 

 mon cattle found today, is their lack of quality and uniformity; this 

 is not due so much to the lack of infusion of good blood, as to the 

 indiscriminate admixture of the blood of breeds of both beef and 

 dairy types. It is not necessary to attempt to present and establish 

 proof of this assertion, as every live stock producer can secure abun- 

 dant evidence for himself in a short time by simply exercising the 

 faculty of observation. In traveling about the country by wagon 

 road or rail, note the number of animals in each herd seen, also the 

 variation in type, form, and more particularly, color. Except for the 

 herds of the few growers of pure bred, or high grade cattle, the com- 

 mon bunches will be found to include a great variety of color and 

 types. In some herds red, white, black, brindle, and all conceivable 

 combinations of these colors are to be found ; at the same time some 



