578 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



stock are reported by Consul Scott, of Chihuahua, as having been im- 

 ported into that State. I have heard of a few other importations along 

 the frontier. 



METHODS OF BREEDING. 



Cattle graze on the plains the year round. Generally they keep 

 pretty close to one portion of the range, changing somewhat with the 

 time of the year and the supply of water and pasture. 



Bulls. The bulls run with the herd all the year. Calves are dropped 

 all the year round, but most generally in March, April, and May. 



The bulls serve cows at eighteen months, but are most effective from 

 three to six years. After that age they get so heavy that they are not 

 so serviceable. They are then castrated, and broken to the yoke or 

 killed for beef. The bulls are not usually changed from herd to herd, 

 and hence breed in and in, to the great deterioration of the stock. 



When full grown and ten or twelve years old they are very large, very 

 wild and fierce. A few are used for bull fights during fairs and find 

 their way to the slaughter-hoorse afterwards. To illustrate the disposi- 

 tion of the wild bullslt is stated that south of Soto de la Marina, in this 

 State, some roads are at times impassable, because the bulls attack any- 

 thing which comes in their way. 



Oxen. Bulls and oxen are used indiscriminately for work purposes. 

 One of each are often yoked together The males are not castrated 

 until two or three years old. The "rancheros" think that they grow 

 larger and faster by this method. They are often simply twisted or 

 pounded. As a result they are usually very staggy in appearance and, 

 as their final destination is the slaughter-house, the term "bull beef" 

 comes home to those who eat beef here with peculiar force. The horns 

 of oxen are longer than those of bulls and often reach a great length. 

 They are very strong, hardy animals. They are worked with a yoke 

 made of a straight stick of wood, in which are cut slight curves for the 

 neck. These sticks are lashed to the head and horns by means of raw 

 leather thongs. The pole of the two-wheeled cart is lashed directly to 

 the yoke stick. They are guided by a driver who goes in front and 

 carries a long pole with an iron brad in the end. This he usually allows 

 to rest behind him on the yoke. He accelerates their pace by punch- 

 ing the offending ox. A turn is made by punching one animal in the 

 ribs and striking the other over the head. A full stop is made by hit- 

 ting both over the head and getting in their way, kicking their noses, 

 &c. They will usually stand patiently so long as the goad is resting 

 on the yoke in front of them. In muddy weather or on the road they 

 are guided from the cart by punching, hitting, and the voice. 



Cows. Ileifers take the bull at about two years of age and cows usu- 

 ally drop one calf a year in March, April, or May. The calves run with 

 the mother until she turns them off, occasionally returning to take a 

 share of the milk supply for the next calf. With good years, when the 

 grass and water are abundant, the average annual increase in a herd is 

 about 66 per cent. Droughts or hard winters will reduce this increase. 

 Cows are never milked except near towns or where a few are selected 

 from a "rancho"to supply the milk needed. These are then milked 

 daily, vrith or without the calves, for a few months, then turned out and 

 their place supplied with fresh ones. Many of these cows grow to an 

 immense size, and the horns are as long or occasionally longer than 

 those of the oxen. 



Branding. A very important proceeding is the branding, which occurs 

 generally in the months of November, December, and January. 



