DUAL-PURPOSE BREEDS 133 



They test about 3.5 percent butter-fat, with higher performance of indi- 

 vidual stars. Red Polls are useful for crossing or grading, and are very 

 prepotent for their red color, the polled head. This is important, for 

 the polled head is an improvement when grading a horned herd. It is 

 especially important as a beef consideration, as is shown by the strong 

 preference for hornless cattle perhaps as there is less liability to accident 

 in shipping. 



THE DEVON The Devon breed is one of the oldest. Its home is Devon 

 or the neighboring county of Somerset, England. It prob- 

 ably comes from a small type breed of ancient Britain. Devons were first 

 introduced into America in 1817, and have grown very popular as active 

 grazers on range or pasture. Their meat quality is good, though they are 

 small in size. From the dairy view, they have considerable credit in butter- 

 fat, and most individuals come up to the test. There are practically no 

 remarkable individual performances in this breed. The Devon is beautiful 

 to look at deerlike, refined. Its color is a bright red, with occasionally 

 white on the udder. There are two types, the North and the South Devon. 

 Both are popular and widely distributed; but the day of Devon glory seems 

 to be waning, for they are not nearly so well thought of as in former days. 



BROWN SWISS Swiss cattle are also of two kinds: the well known 

 Brown Swiss, and the Switzerland an even more popu- 

 lar variety called Simmenthal, or spotted kine. Only the Brown Schwyzer 

 have been bred and imported into this country. These Brown Swiss are a 

 hardy type, good Alpine climbers; in their own country browzing at the 

 high altitude grazing line during the summer, in winter descending to the 

 sheltered valleys and lowlands, and requiring comfortable quarters. They 

 are very ancient cattle, without a doubt; but in this country date only from 

 1869. Since then systematic attention has been given to their breeding and 

 importation, but they have not yet become popular. In form, Brown Swiss 

 suggest the beef type, yet they are slow maturing. Cows reach 1300 Ibs. 

 to 1400 Ibs. at maturity; males run 1500 to 2000. The udder is generally 

 of good size, with teats and milk veins prominent. In the Pan-American 

 Dairy Test referred to (1901) they ranked third. The percent of butter-fat 

 is only fair, being 3.30 on the average, but is excellent for cheese making, 

 and has sent the fame of Swiss cheeses around the world. They are adapt- 

 able to mountain conditions, but have never been really tried out on our 

 western ranges. Of good animal vigor, the breed is excellent for giving 

 new hardiness to a herd. It would be just the cross to use with a grade 

 dairy herd say of Guernsey or Jersey characteristics to raise the beef 

 value. 



RAISING VEAL Whether or not we believe in dual-purpose, there is, 

 AND BABY BEEF as explained in the beginning, a beef view to every 

 cow; and any dairy region must to some extent con- 

 cern itself with raising marketable calves. For baby beef, i. e., early ma- 

 tured beef, quickly forced and fattened, there is a plain advantage in timing 

 calves for fall, when with skim milk and grain and a little proper roughage, 

 they can get through the winter nicely until pastures are ready in the spring. 

 On the other hand, a calf brought up on milk and grass during the favorable 

 summer season, is pretty sure to have a setback when put into winter 

 quarters. When not wanted for baby beef, it is just as well to have the 

 calves in the spring, as is usually preferred by dairymen. But with warm 

 barns and ample dairy ration, the fall calf brings full winter milk supply, 

 and that's a big advantage. Compare what was said on this head page 127. 



