76 ELEMENTARY AGRICULTURE 
mation is primarily for providing beef. The ideal type is 
one with short legs, heavy, well-developed hind quarters, 
a wide, thickly muscled back and a short neck. 
Shorthorns.— Red, white and roan cattle have been 
favorities in the beef producing countries longer than 
any other of our standard breeds. They were first called 
Fig. 49.—A grand champion Shorthorn cow. Lovely Thaxton 2nd. 
Shorthorns, in contrast to the old Longhorns of Eng¬ 
land. They not only have the square bodies of good 
beef animals, but many of the cows are good milk pro¬ 
ducers. One strain has developed into what we know 
as the milking Shorthorn. Others have lost their horns 
and are known as Polled Shorthorns or Polled Dur- 
hams. These cattle have all come from the original 
stock in England. For the amount of feed eaten, these 
cattle probably gain more pounds than any other breed. 
Herefords.—Cattle ranches of the South and West are 
seldom found without a number of white-faced cat- 
