CHAPTER XXIX. 



JUDGING DUAL-PURPOSE CATTLE. 



The term dual-purpose cattle is to-day understood to rep- 

 resent a type that will yield well of both beef and milk. 

 It is a comparatively recent application as a substitute for 

 the common expression long in use of "general purpose." 

 There are to-day several breeds of cattle that represent the 

 dual-purpose type, of which the Red Polled and Devon are 

 best known in America. There are also what are known as 

 milking or dairy Shorthorns, that are commonly regarded 

 as dual-purpose cattle. The fact is, cattle of beef-producing 

 character, that are also valued for dairy purposes, are quite 

 common in Europe. The Shorthorn has a long history as 

 a milk producer in England, while on the continent of 

 Europe, the cattle are essentially dual-purpose, though not 

 always known as such. Dual-purpose classification and pro- 

 motion is a comparatively recent one in America, notwith- 

 standing the fact that a century ago Devon cattle were 

 highly regarded in New England for the several pur- 

 poses of beef, milk and labor. 



The dual-purpose idea is not equally clear in the minds 

 of all its advocates. One of the most noted breeders of 

 milking Shorthorns in England informed the writer that 

 he desired as beefy a cow as possible, yet with highly de- 

 veloped udder and large milking capacity. In the eastern 

 United States the milking side of the animal is emphasized, 

 at the expense of flesh, while in the west the reverse is the 

 case. At the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo in 1901, 

 when eastern and western Devon herds met, this difference 

 in type was very marked. This variation has been seen 

 repeatedly in the case of Red Polled cattle in American 

 show rings, in. which wide extremes have prevailed, ranging 



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