FOREWORD 



The need for such a volume as this will no doubt be best 

 expressed by a demand for it on the part of live-stock students. 

 The author, however, desires to call attention to the fact that 

 not since 1888 has a volume devoted to the breeds of horses, 

 cattle, sheep, and swine been published in America. The most 

 recent work devoted to the breeds entirely omitted a considera- 

 tion of the horse. Further than this but very few books have 

 thus far been published in the English language that have been 

 strictly breed studies. 



This book differs somewhat from others that have preceded it. 

 A number of breeds have received recognition for the first time, 

 these being the ass, the mule, the angora and milch goats, — all 

 animals of importance in certain localities. The more important 

 or better known breeds have received more detailed considera- 

 tion than those which may be regarded as the lesser known, and 

 have been so ranked in the make-up of the book. In numerous 

 instances much new historical information has been gathered. 

 During the past twenty years a great amount of evidence bear- 

 ing on breed merit has been secured at the agricultural experi- 

 ment stations, at expositions, on race courses, and at fair grounds. 

 In the breed reviews in this work much of this recent evidence 

 is given a place. Brief consideration is also given to some of 

 the more important foundation families or tribes, and to individual 

 animals that have made a deep impression upon the breed. The 

 author has taken the liberty of commenting on the weak as well 

 as on the strong points of the breeds, but this has been done in a 

 nonpartisan spirit, in harmony with the views of capable critics. 



In the preparation of this volume a wide range of breed liter- 

 ature has been consulted. Following the breed discussion of 

 each group is given a list of reference works to which the 

 author is indebted for helpful information. Some of these are 



