290 



HISTORY OF HEKEFORD CATTLE 



"First, to take four Hereford steers whose 

 ages should not exceed 2 years 3 months, and 



"Second, four Hereford steers whose ages 

 should not exceed 1 year 3 months, against 

 eight Shorthorns and eight Devons of similar 

 ages. 



"Third, to take his two-year-old Hereford 

 heifer, which won first at the Eoyal in her 

 class, and turn her into pasture with a two- 

 year-old Shorthorn and a two-year-old Devon, 

 first winners in their class at the same meeting. 



"Fourth, to place four Hereford calves with 

 four Shorthorn and four Devon calves, no calf 

 to be more than four months old. 



"Fifth, to show 200 Herefords— 100 from 



STEVEN ROBINSON. 

 Lyohales, Herefordshire. 



each of two herds named — against an equal 

 number of Shorthorns or Devons belonging to 

 any two breeders in any part of Great Britain. 

 "Now, what would these tests have shown if 

 the offers had been accepted? The first and 

 second would have shown what breed would 

 have made the largest gains in a given time 

 under the same circumstances. The third 

 would have shown the hardihood of the differ- 

 ent breeds, by taking animals that had been 

 forced to large weights by high feed and turn- 

 ing them frona it to roughing it. The fifth 



would have shown what the different breeds 

 had done under ordinary breeding care. Would 

 not, then, these tests have shown the merits of 

 the different breeds under consideration, so far 

 as the wants of England were concerned — that 

 is, would it not have been made a prima facie 

 case? 



"Jt is of no special interest to the public 

 what my opinion may or may not be, unless I 

 can show a reason for the faith that is in me. 

 And a test is not conclusive unless made with 

 the conditions alike. Mr. Jones, a good, care- 

 ful breeder and feeder, will raise a half dozen 

 good grade Hereford steers, and carry to large 

 weights. Mr. Smith, with less care, will raise 

 a half dozen Shorthorn steers and make light 

 weights. Now, these tests made in the usual 

 manner by practical men, don't prove any- 

 thing. Is there, then, any better way to test 

 the merits of the different breeds of cattle, 

 than to place each other precisely under the 

 same circumstances?' To the large majority of 

 steer breeders it does not matter what Mr. 

 Piekrell can make thoroughbred Shorthorn 

 steers weigh, or what Mr. Miller can make a 

 thoroughbred Hereford steer weigh, and while 

 it is important that Mr. Piekrell and Mr. Miller 

 may know what their respective breeds can do, 

 still it is very much more important for the 

 public to know what the grades are doing and 

 can do. 



"With this in view we made the following 

 proposition through your 'Journal' in April, 

 1873, to- wit: 



" 'It is our belief that the Herefords are pre- 

 eminently that stock that must be used for im- 

 proving the large herds of Colorado, Kansas and 

 Texas. As beef producers in this country, at 

 least, the choice will lay between the Shorthorns 

 and Herefords. In the hands of some men it 

 will be the one, and in those of others the other ; 

 and that this question may have a fair solution 

 we hereby propose to any Shorthorn breeder to 

 select 100 or 200 cows in this state, one-half 

 to be served by a Hereford and the other half 

 by a Shorthorn bull and the progeny to be cared 

 for alike and shown at our State Fair at two, 

 three and four years old. We propose further 

 to select in Colorado, Kansas or Texas, from 

 500 to 2,000 cows, and serve one-half with 

 Hereford and the other half with Shorthorn 

 bulls, and their progeny to~ be kept alike, and a 

 portion to be brought to our State Fair at two, 

 three and four years old each year. The choice 

 as to how the stock shall be kept we will give 

 the Shorthorn breeders. All to be kept alike; 

 and the experiment may be for one or five 

 years. 



