HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 



361 



other breeds, except those bred especially for 

 milking purposes. There are few Hereford 

 dairies kept, but from my own experience, I 

 believe, by selection, that a grand milking herd 

 could soon be established. No one will, who has 

 tried the experiment, agree to the statements 

 that the Herefords do not cross well with other 

 breeds. The Americans have found it out, and 

 now assert that they can sell their Hereford 

 grade steers for more money than those of other 

 crosses. It may be true that they have not been 

 very extensively tried, but the experiments that 

 have been tried will soon 'get wind'; in fact, 

 they have already, and the demand is entirely 

 increasing in consequence. 



"One great proof of the Hereford being a 

 pure and distinct race, is that although crossed 

 with whatever breed may be desired, the true 

 Hereford marking is sure to show itself, and if 

 an animal has only a quarter strain of blood, 

 the Hereford marking is still there. The great 

 object in America now is to improve the cattle 

 as beef producers, and to put the good roasting 

 pieces on the narrow-chined, bad-backed cattle 

 of the plains ; this they believe, and rightly, too, 

 that the cross with the Hereford will do. An- 

 other great point in favor of the cross is the 

 power of the Hereford to endure knocking about 

 and rough usage better than more delicate cat- 

 tle, and this is of the very greatest importance 

 when considering the vast distance the cattle 

 have to travel through America, and by sea, be- 

 fore they reach this country as beef. A recent 

 purchaser of a large herd of Herefords in this 

 country writes that they had a very rough pas- 

 sage out, and the hatches had to be all battened 

 down, but had no losses, and all arrived in cap- 

 ital condition, none the worse for their knock- 

 ing about. He could only account for this from 

 the fact that this breed of cattle could stand 

 such usage better than others, or he should have 

 had serious loss. As to their not feeding so well 

 in stalls or attaining such great weights there is 

 proof from many trials, and from Smithfield 

 statistics, that they are little behind, if not equal 

 to any other known breed of cattle. 



"Says another authority : 



" 'The Shorthorn has no quality superior to 

 that which the Hereford possesses ; if it has let 

 it be fairly shown. Take each point in order. 

 Both breeds have been well tried, both as 

 grazers and feeders. It is acknowledged that 

 the Hereford is the best grazer, and it is as- 

 serted in this country and America that four 

 Herefords can be fed on the same feed as three 

 Shorthorns. There is evidence to show that the 

 m.ilking quality of the Hereford is as good as the 

 high-class Shorthorn, and their milk is much 



richer. The London market bears testimony to 

 the superiority of the Hereford meat by always 

 quoting it in advance of the Shorthorn. Their 

 early maturity and weight and age has been 

 tested again and again, and there is little dif- 

 ference in either breed. The merit of the Here- 

 ford for crossing purposes has been disputed, 

 and now it is an indisputable fact that they are 

 fast gaining ground in the good opinion of 

 graziers. A great many bulls are now sold to 

 dairy farmers to cross with their Shorthorn 

 cows, as they say they can get their calves ready 

 so much more quickly for the butcher, and if 

 kept on for bullocks they beat the ordinary run 

 of Shorthorns in aptitude to fatten and in 

 quality. To mention a few instances : Eight 

 Hereford grade steers were put up to feed, and 

 sixty Shorthorn grades were picked out of a six 

 hundred lot, and then the best of the eight and 

 the best of the sixty were killed as a beef test. 

 A large cattle breeder used nothing but Short- 

 horn bulls to three hundred cows, and could 

 only make some £3 to £4 ($15 or $20) of his 

 grade yearling bulls. The same man now by 

 using Hereford bulls to the same cows, has sold 

 his yearling bulls at £15 ($75) each. Again, 

 another farmer who used to make £6 ($30) 

 each of his grade Shorthorn heifers, makes £16 



ANXIETY 3d (ALIAS SIR GARNET) (6181) 4466. 

 Bred bv T. J. Carwardin-e. 



($80) each of his grade Herefords at the same 

 age. The fact that these men are no breeding 

 enthusiasts, but practical American beef-pro- 

 ducing farmers, goes a long way to show the 

 turn things are taking in that country. 



WEIGHT AND VALUE OF HEREFORD CATTLE. 



" 'At the last ,Smithfield show, Hereford 

 steers in the class under two years weighed : first 

 prize, 13| cwt. [or in American weight 1,540 

 lbs., "Eng. cwt. being 112 lbs.— T. L. M.] at 

 twenty-two months; second prize, 14 cwt. 



