594 CATTLE AND DAIEY FARMING. 



This immeuse territory ouglit to sustain hundreds of thousands of 

 cattle. The land is cheap, and it is plain that intelligent enterprising 

 men wonld find this a most inviting fleld. 



STEPHEN n. SMITH, 



Consul. 



United States Consulate, 



Mievo Laredo, December 2, 1883. 



THE BEEEDIITG CATTLE OE NORTHERN MEXICO. 



SEPOBI BY TICE-aONSUL VBIDGEN, OF FlEDJiAS NEGRAS. 



I have the honor to submit to the Department of State the following 

 report in relatiou to " breeding animals" of my consular district: 



Tliis subject comprises one of the main industries and chief export 

 commodities of Northern Mexico. The fact that Mexican cows and 

 mares are much sought by ranchmen of the United States for breeding 

 purposes, naturally engenders the inquiry as to the reason. It is not 

 because they are larger and finer than American stock, for such is not 

 tlie case. While the cattle possess large bone and frame, still they are 

 wouderfuUy deficient in flesh, and having long legs, exhibit entirely 

 too much light underneath them, thus evidencing a great need of flesh 

 and muscular development. Such is no doubt attributable to, the fact 

 that they have been, too much inbred. It cannot be the fault of the 

 country, for no region under the sun is better adapted to growing stock 

 than Northern Mexico. Climate, grass, watpr, and Iho general topog- 

 raphy of the country are decidedly favorable to animal comfort and 

 development. True, there are many localities where all kinds of stock 

 are penned during the night, and held under restraint by herders 

 during the daytime to prevent them from trespassing on nnprotected 

 farms, and no animal of the cow or horse kind can fully develop under 

 such treatment. They need to raage nomadically in order to have 

 anything like a fair chance for size. Be the causes what they may, 

 it is a generally jecognized fact that the Mexican stock is inferior 

 to and much smaller than American raised animals. But the Mexican 

 cattle being "acclimated" and healthy, constitute an excellent medium 

 upon which to cross the unacclimated Durhams and other fine bloods. 

 Such cross produces a large, healthy, compact animal that is highly 

 estimated by Southern and Western stock raisers of the United States. 

 The first cross is estimated at 50 per cent, in value above the ungraded; 

 and thousands of beeves of this class (half breeds) are being trans- 

 ported from the JDrairies of Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Nebraska, and 

 Colorado to Chicago and Saint Louis, and sold in competition with stalls 

 fed cattle of the Northern and Middle States. 



It is the prevailing opinion among stock-growers who are familiar 

 with the various grades of cattle, that a cross between the American 

 " fine bloods" and the acclimated cows of Mexico, imparts to the off- 

 spring a quality of health, vigor, size, development of flesh and com- 

 pactness of form, not common with other grades. 



In the interior of Northern Mexico can be purchased many thousand 

 long-horned cattle for breeding purposes, and at reasonable prices. 



B. J. PRIDGEN, 



Vice-Consul. 



United States Consulate, 

 Piedras Negras, December 1 



