990 A HISTORY OP HEREFORD CATTLE 



what more precocious. A Hereford steer will not 

 give at three years the same weight and quantity 

 of beef, but at four years this difference disappears. 

 The Hereford is, on the other hand, more hardy. 

 This is the outcome of a biological law. Precocity 

 and rusticity are diflScult to reconcile, and it is here 

 the Hereford offers some advantages. He resists 

 better the causes of general mortality, sickness, cli- 

 matic variances, etc., in a higher degree, and this 

 is the reason why where we have hard grasses, 

 where the Durham cannot sustain himself and dies, 

 the Hereford lives, sometimes weak perhaps, but 

 still he survives. He fattens quicker when grazing, 

 and preserves his condition better where hardships 

 have to be met with, as is common in our country. 

 The Durham is without doubt better suited for stall- 

 feeding, but the Hereford has the advantage over 

 him in grazing. ' ' 



Australasia. — ^Australia and New Zealand cut a 

 large figure always in the world's supply of meats, 

 more especially in the matter of mutton. In the 

 production of Merino and cross-bred wools they hold 

 a commanding position, and their exports of frozen 

 mutton reach great totals. Cattle-growing is in- 

 deed subordinate to flock husbandry, and yet, as 

 British colonies with good grazing available, they 

 have naturally transplanted from the mother country 

 the blood of the Shorthorn and Hereford in quanti- 

 ties that have resulted in the establishment and 

 maintenance of many first-class herds. The bulls 

 have made their impress upon the general cattle 

 stocks. While the Shorthorn probably is to be found 

 in larger number than the Hereford, the latter has 



