ORIGIN OF DOMESTICATED CATTLE 15 



improved blood mixed with the scrub or unimproved. If we 

 should attempt to arrange them according to the purpose 

 for which they are adapted or kept, we would have a constant 

 gradation from the extreme of beef to the extreme of dairy 

 development. 



It is even difficult to arrange a suitable classification of the 

 pure breeds, since the animals may vary greatly within a breed 

 due to environment and treatment. The following descrip- 

 tive terms are in common use : 



Unimproved, Scrub, or Natives. These terms generally 

 indicate that the animal does not carry more than at least a 

 small amount of the blood of any of the improved breeds. 

 Typical scrubs are not numerous except in those sections 

 where very little attention is given to cattle raising. The 

 term " scrub " is often applied also to inferior animals of any 

 breeding. 



Cross-bred is a term used to indicate that the animal is the 

 offspring of parents of distinct breeds, either high grades or 

 pure bred. 



Grade. This term is generally used with a certain breed 

 name, as Grade Jersey or Grade Shorthorn. This means that 

 the animal in question has one half or usually more of the 

 blood of the breed mentioned. When the proportion of the 

 pure blood is large, the animal is called a " high grade." The 

 proportion of the blood predominating may be so great that 

 for all practical purposes the animal is the same as a pure bred, 

 but it cannot be called a pure bred no matter how many crosses 

 have been made, and such animals cannot be registered in the 

 various Herd Books. 



Pure Bred. The term "thoroughbred " is often improperly 

 used instead of the proper term, "pure bred." The term 



