Beef Producers of the West 45 
they are actually past twenty-four months. Late calves, 
that is, those born in the summer, are classed with those 
dropped that spring, but their late birth is indicated by 
calling them “late” calves or “short” two-year-olds or 
“short’’ three-year-olds as the case may be. A “short” 
two is not necessarily less than two years old, but is an 
animal born late in the season, that is, well along into the 
summer, while a “long” two is not necessarily more 
than two years old, but is a calf born very early, actually 
in the late fall or in the winter. 
The Hereford and the Shorthorn are the most common 
breeds and practically all of the cattle of the West carry 
a considerable percentage of the blood of one or both of 
these breeds. A few Angus and Galloway bulls are 
used, but not many. Generally speaking, the beef cattle 
of the West are well bred, although there is still some 
evidence of unimproved blood and in many places dairy 
blood has been allowed to creep in. In Arizona, New 
Mexico, and all the region east of the Rockies, the Here- 
ford is by far the popular breed. In the other western 
states, however, the Shorthorn is very strong and in 
California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho is fully able to 
hold its own with the Hereford. In a general way the 
quality of western cattle improves as one goes north from 
Mexico to Canada. Feed conditions also improve going 
north and some of the better quality of cattle may be due 
to better feed, but some of it must be attributed to better 
breeding. In the past few years, since cattle have been 
sufficiently high priced to justify the expense, the range- 
men have been using many very high-class pure-bred 
bulls, costing from $100 to $250 for bulls old enough for 
service. In some states, as Oregon and Idaho, laws have 
been passed prohibiting anyone from turning on the public 
