Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-03-26
The Best Cattle for S!augh .cring

The rearing Of cattle f'r ;a, . 'e'-sn4rket
will certainly csll into r. q'lisi.ion = larger
amount OF scientific and experimental
knowledge, when the consumers aad ven
ders Of beef shall have made the discovery,
more generally than at present, that the
beef OF certain breeds, and still Iaprs, Of GER
tain breeds, sno still more. % certain nudes
of feeling, is greatly superior 10 that other
wise produced When proper distinction
of this shall be more generally made, there
will be call for superiority fed animals,
which will attract more atient On and greater
numbers to hat department Of agricultural
skill end lsbUr.
Te those who sre at present engaged in
the rising of cattle for the market, or in ;he
production of the best quality OF beef, it may
he both interesting and instructive to be in
formed as TO the principles and pra tices Of
those who have been the longest employed
in this de apartment Of business, and why have
brought to its pursui; ell The resources or
helps to be found in ply siology, chemistry,
the analysis of food, &c together with tne
facts accumulated during long experience.
That the business OF rearing and feeding OF
animals fer the production of beet and other
kinds of meat has been pursued during Il
longer series Of years, and has received
much more attention in Great Britain, than
it has, as yet, in this country, will be a;
once acknowledged ard admitted. From
sfhe. bsst experience OF those in thai country.
who are the most successful in this depart
ment of business, there arc few in his coun-
Try, we presume, but might gather many
useful hints and items Of information. We
have, accordingly, been induced to select a
few such hints aid items from recently
published essays and discussions, giving tie
results { the experience of those who have
been most skiliful and most successful in
the businessre erred 10, on the 9th T side Of
The Atlantic.
To obtainstock k bes, fitted FOR feeling, or
for the laying on Of fat ana flesh ani' early
maturity, breeding by crossing distinc; CT
allied breeds is much resorted to among
British feeders. /, is fact, pretty gener-
allv known we presume, that vigorous pro-
geny is usually Obtained as the result Of a
cross of TWO distinct brerds. This fact or
law is the foundation and explanation of the
practice just named. Another result OF the
crossing o. breeds il, that the offspring are
generally piecocicus, with tendency to an
increase of size. To secure this result
with the greatest iegree of certainty, and
10 the utmost extent, it is the usua. practice
to select male having The peculiar proper
ties OF early maturity. and the disposition to
accumulate flesh and fat rapidly. Size is
also g quality which is regarded but ought
to be, always, deemed Of less Importance
than hereditary tendency to obesity, pre-
cocity, and superior quality Of flesh As
the Shorthorns possess the qualities in au
eminent degree. this breed is almost invdr
bly resorted TO for male for crossing
females of other breeds. Where the rear
ing of cattle is followed mainly with the
view cf obtaining stock for the production
Of beef. the practice in many districts is to
use 4 pure bred male of The Short-htrn
breed, with female o. the breed peculiar
to or prevalent in the particular district
This system of crossing is gradually extend
ing over the whole OF Great Britain End
Ireland. This class Of cattle is rapidly cx-
tending in tnost Of the northern counties of
England, where the breeding of cattle is
practiced to any great extent. The dairies
in London. aiso, are mostly supplied with
COWS so ired.
In both of these respects we NIGH follow
the practice ct cur British brethren, with
coed prospect Of similar results. For here.
as there, the Shor,.horn breed is peculiarly
chsrac,erisedby utendcnty 70 enriy ms;nrity
and to great accumulation Of fat. This
breed Is also possessed Of valuable qualities
as dairy stock, though Their lactat:ve caPsc-
i:ies have not been cultivated 50 much as
their capacity FOR laying on fat and flesh.