,-HAP. ii. BREEDS OF CATTLE COMPARED. 88 



"Agricultural Survey of Northumberland," "that the Longhorns had 

 heen introduced into that county from the improved stocks of the 

 Midland counties, at different times and by different breeders, but had, 

 in most instances, given way to the improved breed of Shorthorns, 

 and, at the time the first report was published in 1804, had been 

 abandoned by every breeder in the county, the improved breed of 

 Shorthorns, from the stock of the Messrs. Colling, having proved 

 themselves so much superior." l 



Since that period, continued exertion has been made to effect the 

 improvement of the Shorthorn breed, and the great weight which these 

 cattle attain must always insure them a high rank in the estimation of 

 those graziers who possess land of sufficient richness to fatten heavy 

 beasts. The popularity of the Longhorns soon passed away. Their 

 maker, if he may be so termed the man who had brought them to the 

 state of perfection which they attained had scarcely departed ere the 

 character of the breed began to change. "It had acquired a delicacy 

 of constitution," says the author of the work on " Cattle " in the 

 "Farmer's Series," "inconsistent with common management and 

 keep, and it began slowly, but undeniably, to deteriorate. In addition 

 to this, a rival, a more powerful rival, appeared in the field. The 

 improved Shorthorns began to occupy the banks of the Tees. They 

 presented equal aptitude to fatten, with greater bulk and earlier 

 maturity." 



The contest among the larger breeds of cattle now lies between the 

 middle-horns and the shorthorns, and particularly between the Herefords 

 belonging to the first division, and the improved Shorthorns or Short- 

 horn cattle, belonging to the second, For aptitude to fatten they are 

 nearly on a level, but the Shorthorn may have some advantage in 

 early maturity, and will grow to a larger size. The Hereford is not 

 far beaten in either particular, whilst its flesh is of finer grain and 

 flavour. For the dairy, the Shorthorn is decidedly superior. The 

 relative situation, the nature of the soil, and the fancy of the individual, 

 must decide between the two, when the principal objects of the farmer 

 are grazing and fattening. If for abundance of milk, the decision 

 must be given in favour of the Shorthorn. 



One other difference there may be between the Herefords and the 

 Shorthorns. The former are more profitable for grazing, and the 

 latter for stall-feeding. The Shorthorns, when in the stall, increase 

 the more rapidly in weight, and present at last a fair and even carcass ; 

 they are apt, however, to be patchy, and, generally speaking, there 

 is not the difference in the gross price between the Hereford and Short- 

 horn which the difference in weight would lead us to expect. 



For the northern districts of the kingdom, the Black Polled breeds 

 of cattle are particularly valuable. The breeding of Aberdeen- 

 Angus cattle, for example, has for the last half-century been a 

 labour of love and a work of profit to numbers of skilled farmers. 

 For their tendency to come early to maturity, to fatten quickly, 



1 Page 140, 3rd edition, 1813 ; in which the assertion remains uncontradicted. 



G 2 



