226 THE BREEDS OF LIVE-STOCK 
awakened a lively interest in the breed, such as had not 
been experienced, and a number of new herds were estab- 
lished. To supply the demand for bulls, importations 
of breeding herds were made from England in such num- 
bers and in such rapid succession in the years 1880 to 
1886, that it looked as though the registered stock which 
was limited to the place of their origin, would become 
exhausted. During this period several thousand head 
were imported and many new herds were established, 
mainly in the cattle-feeding states. Herefords were 
exhibited at all the leading fairs. A fat-stock show was 
inaugurated at Chicago in 1879, and a few years later 
another at Kansas City, Missouri. Steers were secured 
from the available supply and exhibited with remarkable 
success. While the Herefords were able to secure a 
goodly share of the prizes in the older classes and in the 
champion rings at these fat-stock shows, vet it was soon 
observed that they were nearly always successful in the 
younger classes. 
Owing to the shortness of the legs, and general roundness 
of body of the Herefords, they are frequently misjudged 
as to their weight, and are generally thought to be 
smaller in size than some of the other beef breeds of cattle. 
A comparison of the official weights of the prize-winners 
in the classes for Herefords and Shorthorns at the now 
American Royal Live-Stock Show at Kansas City, Mis- 
sourl, showed practically no difference in the average 
weights of the prize-winners in the classes for bulls and 
cows two years old and over. But in the classes for calves 
and yearlings, the average weights were always decidedly 
in favor of the Herefords. 
Although in the importations of breeding Herefords 
that were made in the year 1880 to 1886, all the animals 
