BEEF BREEDS 



135 



In the old days it took five or six years to 

 grow a steer to all the growth he would get 

 and in the end the quality of the meat cuts was 

 only fair. There was no uniformity in the 

 animals on which the buyer could base his esti- 

 mate. Pasture was cheap, and there was prac- 

 tically no care of stock, and but small expense 

 for the few cowboys and foremen needed. Any 

 sort of accident might happen disease, drought 

 or storm and now way to guard against it. 

 On overcrowded ranges you saw cattle die 

 by the hundreds. In time of drought on the 

 plains they went down by the thousand. The 

 disasters of 1884 were the limit of such specu- 

 lative endurance; moreover the growing sheep 

 industry helped to overcrowd the ranges; and 

 a new system of cattle raising began in this country. 



Spanish ancestor of long : horn cattle 

 of Western plain 



WHAT WAS Better stock, better care and attention; more sys- 



THE NEW SYSTEM? tematic feeding; better market condition; better 

 market prices these points make up the new 

 system. 



Of course, beef is higher why shouldn't it be? 



Of course, more is needed, just about a third more is an absolute neces- 

 sity for scant home consumption. The number of beef cattle in proportion to 

 population is continually decreasing decreasing is a slow-gaited word 

 jumping down the track is more nearly expressive. 



Fact is, we are far short of our own needs. Yet the United States 

 ranks second in its possession of cattle we own 71,000,000 of the 430,000,000 

 which make the world figure. Our population is 99,000,000. 

 No wonder there's not enough beef to go around! 



If you are thinking of going into the beef business, take a long look 

 around at the beef breeds now developed, and you'll certainly find some 

 wonderful "critters." 



To begin with, a beef animal 

 should have just as little leg as is 

 consistent with getting around for 

 health and convenience. You know 

 how it is with sheep; and that it's 

 the low set mutton maker that 

 dresses out to best advantage. 

 With beef, too, you find a low 

 broad deep-hung body, smooth and 

 evenly covered, not meaty in 

 patches. The outline is rectangu- 

 lar or "blocky." The back is 

 broad, with back and ribs espe- 

 cially well covered; short neck, for 

 this neck meat is cheap and the less you have to raise the better. That 

 blocky, rectangular outline is the main thing, the "parallelogram shape" 

 with back and belly lines in straight parallel. 



SIZE Size is not so important as quality and finish. This is a type more 

 economical to produce for the feeder and with less waste to the 

 butcher. In fact, we are all satisfied; for it means better meat for the 

 consumer. 



