98 Cattle Problems. 



and muscular power, in cattle that are to be grown on the 

 rich, but scattered grasses of the western grazing grounds. 



Then the bleak character of the country, the absence of 

 timber protection in most of it, the prevalence of keen 

 and often-changing winds, and the long distances to water, 

 and to the corrals — all these conditions of growing cattle 

 in the herding country indicate that light-muscled, slow- 

 motioned cattle must increase their muscular proportion 

 before they can be well adapted to so much active exer- 

 tion ; and muscular, vigorous, active, and enduring cattle, 

 are evidently the character of animal required. Light- 

 muscled cattle can bear but little exertion, though in good 

 and abundant feed, and sheltered to supply their lack of 

 skin heat from deficient circulation, but they do well as fat 

 formers. But when these conditions are absent, full-mus- 

 cled cattle are evidently better adapted to the local climate 

 and requirements of the Western country than any slender- 

 muscled breed of cattle. 



The character and quantity of feed on a given area, range, 

 or extent of surface, has a close relation to the question of 

 size in the cattle that can be most profitably raised. On 

 rich bottom lands in the valleys of streams, feed is usu- 

 ally more abundant than in higher situations ; and such 

 situations are, therefore, better adapted to large cattle. 

 Accordingly, young Short-horn bulls have been already in- 

 troduced — and are doubtless rapidly increasing their vital 

 or muscular proportions — where they are permitted to take 

 sufficient exercise; as they are more conformable or plastic 

 in character than breeds with stronger vital growth. The 

 Herefords are large, and with their thick skins and vigor- 

 orous circulation can endure considerable exposure with- 

 out loss of flesh. Any breed of cattle — mixed or pure — 

 will rapidly develop muscle by regular activity, such ;is 

 herding on the plains requires, when they are deficient in 

 muscle. 



