68 FARM MANAGEMENT 



Cross-Breeding for Beef. — The study of 

 the characteristics of the various breeds provides 

 knowledge that can be put to good account in 

 catering for the beef market. No one breed 

 possesses all the characteristics of an ideal 

 beefer ; some excel in quality, others in size, 

 others in early maturity, etc., therefore, to get 

 as near the ideal as possible the qualities of 

 different breeds must be combined by crossing 

 one with another. 



We have already referred to the Blue-grey, 

 which is probably one of the most noted crosses 

 for fattening purposes. The cross is most 

 popular on the Borders, where the Shorthorn 

 bull is used on Galloway heifers, as Galloway 

 heifers are cheaper to keep than Shorthorns. 

 Further north the Aberdeen-Angus are the 

 heifers used. Blue-greys are splendid fatteners 

 under rough conditions, and combine the 

 quality of the Galloway beef with the quick- 

 maturing and fattening properties of the Short- 

 horn. It should be noted, however, that 

 breeding Blue-greys with each other results in 

 inferior progeny ; in fact, it may be taken as a 

 general principle, that it is never advisable to 

 mate any cross-bred stock. 



