CHAPTER VIII 



PURE-BRED CATTLE ' 



In previous chapters we have dealt exclusively with 

 the production of commercial beef which, owing to the 

 scarcity and high price of pure-bred beef cows, is almost 

 entirely produced from grade females, although the use 

 of pure-bred bulls is general and should be universal. 

 The man with pure-'bred cows does not as a rule try to 

 raise steers for beef but rather good bulls for the range 

 trade. A few of the poorer bulls will be castrated and 

 sold for beef. The discarded cows will also be slaughtered, 

 while the surplus heifers will go to the founding of new 

 herds of pure-bred cattle. The breeding of pure-bred 

 cattle and the production of beef are, therefore, two 

 separate and distinct lines of business yet closely linked 

 together by two facts; the beef producer must look to 

 the breeder for his bulls, and the breeder must look to the 

 beef producer for a market for these bulls. 



THE MAN 



The breeding and handling of pure-bred beef cattle 

 require a somewhat different type of man from the han- 

 dling of commercial stock. He must first of all be a very 

 keen judge of animals and he must be a good feeder and 

 a good salesman. The latter point cannot be emphasized 

 too strongly. There is an established market and es- 



109 



