Colonel Cloodnight has observed that compact, well formed cows when 

 bred to a buffalo bull died at a much greater pro rata than a big 

 roomy cow with a large belly, and that no two year old heifer ever 

 delivered a buffalo calf ; they all died. Colonel Goodnight has crossed 

 with success on the Durham, Jersey, Galloway, and Polled Angus, 

 principally the latter. He states, "I have confined myself to the 

 Polled Angus, as they are hardier, and produce more beef than any 

 other cattle, and the crosses favor them largely in this particular." 



It seems to be the general opinion of a number of writers on the 

 subject, that it is impossible for a domestic cow to deliver a male half- 

 blood buffalo calf, on account of its hump. Some authorities claim that 

 this is a mistake, and assert that no half-blood buffalo calf, or full-blood 

 buffalo calf, was ever born with a hump ; this does not develop until 

 quite some time afterwards. A close observation of the buffalo and 

 domestic cow will reveal reasons for difference of opinion. In the first 

 place, the reproductive organs of the domestic cow are larger than those 

 of the buffalo, including the opening in the pelvis. The argument is 

 if a buffalo cow with smaller organs than a domestic cow, can deliver 

 a buffalo calf, there is no reason whatever for a domestic cow with 

 larger organs not being able to deliver a half-blood calf, who, even 

 after it is fully matured, has less hump than the buffalo. The 

 domestic cow brings forth her kind with less difficulty than does the 

 buffalo, also both buffalo and catalo calves are smaller when born 

 than the domestic calf, and if so these facts tend to show that the 

 trouble is not on account of the hump, nor as a rule at the time of 

 delivery, but prior to it. The difficulty and loss encountered in 

 obtaining the first cross is said to be due to abortion, and that most all 

 cows carrying a bull calf either abort or die, and many abort with 

 heifer calves, and some die. When a cow carries her calf to maturity 

 there is no trouble in giving birth. The trouble is in their coming too 

 soon, or that the cow in carriage with bull calf that does not abort, dies. 

 It is an exceedingly rare occurrence for a bull calf to be born alive. 

 In all cases they are fully haired and seem to lack from fifteen to 

 thirty days of the j^roper time.* 



Another very noticeable condition is, that the placenta is filled 

 witli an unusual amount of water. 



It is a well known fact that the domestic cow is more subject to 

 abortion than any other animal, but not as a rule to such an extent 

 as when crossed with the buffalo. A cow will slink her calf for a 

 numl)er of reasons, and at no particular time, but when carrying a 

 buffalo calf the abortion usually occurs at or during the month prior 

 to the established time for delivery. The uniformity of this among 

 all cows carrying buffalo calves shows that the trouble begins at a 

 certain flexible period from causes or conditions not as yet fully 

 understood. It would appear that nature through countless centuries 

 has established a perfect organism in the different species of mammals 

 for the reproduction of its kind, while similar, yet a trifle different 

 in the various branches of the same family. There is, apparently. 



* From Observations by Col. Charles Goodnight. 



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