Management of Cattle. 
427 
of a beast which, when fat, will weigh 70 stones, with that of 
another whiph, after being grazed the same number of months, 
will not weigh more than 50 ; but if the point were closely in- 
vestigated and carefully tested by correct experiments, I believe 
that the balance, putting stones of beef produced against food 
consumed in a given time, would be greatly in favour of the 
larger animal. In support of this conclusion, I may adduce the 
following facts : — The counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, and parts 
of Cambridgeshire, furnish the chief supplies of beef to Smith- 
field market for several months during the spring of the year, 
owing to the system which prevails so extensively in those districts 
of winter grazing upon turnips and artificial food. Some few 
years ago the animals bought for that purpose were principally 
Galloway Scots, both steers and spayed heifers, a breed of cattle 
which will be noticed more fully hereafter, and which are always 
considered small consumers; but at the present time the principal 
occupants of the grazing yards of the above-named counties are 
Short-horned cattle, not indeed the true-bred Durhams, nor yet 
the old-fashioned Lincolnshire beasts, but the progeny of the 
rough Short-horned cows of some of our northern counties, by 
bulls of the improved breed, from which we may infer that these 
have proved themselves the most profitable animals to fatten, 
although perhaps not producing beef of so fine a quality as the 
polled animals before noticed. 
In Short-horns, perhaps, more than in any other kind of cattle, 
the pedigree of the sire and dam is attended to with the greatest 
care, and amongst the Durham breeders it is considered a sine 
qua non that the bulls they use should be well descended, whence 
extraordinarily high prices have been, and still continue to be, 
given for Durhams of both sexes, provided they are symmetrical 
animals, with an unstained pedigree. The Short-horn herd book 
is well known to every one who professes to breed pure Durhams, 
and an experienced breeder estimates the value of an animal the 
moment he learns its pedigree. It is notorious that, from their 
anxiety to adhere to one particular strain of blood, many Short- 
horn breeders have injured the size and constitution of their 
herds, a circumstance greatly to be lamented, as it has produced, 
in many instances, a delicacy of constitution and liability to disease 
amongst some of the highest and best-bred Durhams, analogous 
to which are the injurious effects of a too close affinity in the 
human system. With respect to crossing, it is found by all ex- 
perienced breeders that there is great difficulty in doing so suc- 
cessfully from inferior breeds, as, however good the animals may 
be, unless well descended, no reliance can be placed upon the 
progeny, and hence frequent failure and disappointment are the 
result. In the early days of Short-horn breeding there might be 
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