2l6 HISTORY OF THE SHORT-HORNS. 



each party choosing the Short-horns for his stock, should exercise 

 his own judgment in their selection, whether they be greater or lesser 

 milk producers. It is sufficient to say that the Short-horns may be. 

 the maximum or the minimum of milkers, as the parties needing 

 them may determine. 



As A FLESH-PRODUCING ANIMAL. 



Nothing of the bovine race ever has, or probably ever can, equal 

 the Short-horns in early maturity, rapid accumulation of flesh, full- 

 ness and ripeness of points, according to the amount of food they 

 consume, and assimilating that food to its most profitable use. A 

 century of experience in Britain and half a century of experience in 

 America, with a rapidly growing confidence in their flesh-taking 

 capacity have placed the Short-horns in the foremost rank of all 

 neat cattle. It must be a newly-discovered animal that will supercede 

 the Short-horn wherever abundant forage and rich pasturage are 

 found. With cows of the common, or of inferior breeds, on be- 

 coming aged, and their profitable use for the dairy passed, they are, 

 comparatively, almost useless for feeding into a profitable carcass of 

 flesh from the disproportionate amount of forage they consume and 

 the light yields of meat they make. It is not so with the Short-horn. 

 Her broad, well-proportioned anatomy, with sufficient food, takes 

 flesh rapidly, and within a period that would enable the inferior one 

 to reach only a preparatory, or thriving condition, the Short-horn will 

 be fed off and fit for the shambles. Thus, when the native or com- 

 mon cow is done with for the dairy, and becomes comparatively 

 worthless, the other yields a profitable carcass of beef, hide and tal- 

 low, as if in her prime of age and usefulness. 



VITALITY, LONGEVITY, AND FERTILITY. 



No cattle, of whatever race or breed, have exhibited more of the 

 above named qualities than the Short-horns. We might mention 

 scores of bulls by name which have proved useful to extreme ages, 

 both in England and America. 



Among the English bulls, one of the earliest and most celebrated 

 of the Herd Book animals, Hubback (319), begat calves after he was 

 ten years old. Favorite (252) begat calves at thirteen years. He 

 was ten years old when he sired the celebrated Comet (155). Marske 

 (418) was useful thirteen years, and died at the age of fifteen. And 



