110 Cattle Problems. 



110-1-60=170-^2=85, so increasing the muscle and food 

 value of the grade from this cross 25 per cent above that of 

 the Alderney cow. A cross of common cattle on the Gal- 

 loway, assuming their muscular proportion to be equal, 

 would not increase their certainty of breeding, nor augment 

 the juices or nutritive value of their beef product, while 25 

 per cent in nutritive value of meat is gained in the grades 

 by using Devons on Alderneys, the gain being from the 

 muscular side of the cross. 



Many other variations and combinations might be sug- 

 gested, but the proportions and changes already shown are 

 sufficient to suggest what is lost in breeding power in mak- 

 ing certain crosses, and what is lost or may be gained in 

 meat value from different or more muscular combinations. 



It, is also evident tliat vascularity, and breathing power, 

 and vigor, are reduced by reducing muscle and activity 

 below trie natural proportion ; breeding capacity, in both 

 the primary and embryonic stages, being usually vigorous 

 and certain, according to the extent of muscle and activity. 



When fat can be increased witlioiit reducing exercise and 

 muscle, breeding power will not be materially impaired. 

 But if muscle and exercise be reduced while the propor- 

 tion or quantity of fat is increased, in such conditions, 

 breeding power will be reduced, because power and activ- 

 ity, the quantity of vital blood and the secretions derived 

 from it, are reduced generally in the degree that muscle it- 

 self is diminished. 



The grades from the first cross of Short-horns on com- 

 mon cattle, though their muscle is reduced 15 per cent be- 

 low the common cattle standard, fatten readily, while they 

 retain sufficient muscle to bear considerable exercise ; and 

 their fattening easily is one source of their popularity. 

 Their beef is considerably more juicy than that of pure 

 Short-horns, which is another source of their popularity. 

 But the juicy quality of their 1 lecf comes from the muscu- 



