Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-03-13
BlOOded Stock.

My attention has been called to series
of articles in the CHRONICLE on the above
subject, over the signature of t." While
endorsing all his arguments in favor of the
introduction of the improved breeds of
stock into Eastern Tennessee, [ would like
to correct an impression conveyed in one
of his articles, that the higher prices paid
in the great beef market for Short Horn
land Hereford I presume) steers and
heifers, are in part due to fancy.h This
is not so, in any market that [ know of,
except perhaps for a few heads just before
the holidays, and then only for show pur-
poses. The only reason that good, fine
bred cattle bring more per pound in any
market is that such cattle are aUOrtb more
for cutting up. A Texas steer, Cor one of
any of the native breeds) has large bones,
| thin ribs and is usually long legged; so
| that in cutting up for the retail trade to
consumers in all large cities, the principal
| portion of the carcass is sold as stewing
| pieces, and as " shanks.n The RIB roasts y
| are thin and light, as are also the "porter
house, and "sirloinp steaks. The
"roundn steaks are also of the second
| quality, and can be usually obtained for
from one to three cents cheaper than first
| class.
| Now take one of the smooth, full-ribbed
| Sho1t Horns or Hereford steer, or even a
Devon or Ayrshire, and cut him up. From
| nearly the front edge of the shoulder blade
| to the last cut Of sirlOin, every piece will
be either steak or first class roast. The
arm will cut very good ''round' steak
| at the upper end, the only steWing pieces
| being the neck and the "shanks.n The
carcass of the native will not average over
| twO-thirds to three-fourths as much per
pound dressed, as will well-bred animal.
Fancy has nothing to do with the value.
1t is only the quality of the flesh and the
| quantity in proportion to the bone that
| governs the market prices Of cattle sold in
the principal cities.
An exception must be made for "holi-
dayi beef. A butcher then will buy a
very fat, choicely bred animal, either
Short Horns, Hereford or high graded
it around the streets for an hour or two the
day before Christmas and sell therefrom
two thousand, more or less, Christ
mas steak at extra prices, each buyer
fancying that he has some of the
big heifer he saw day or two before
Here is where the Clancy" comes in
The true way for the breeders and feed
ers of Tennessee is to follow the sugges
tions of CT" not looking for such fancy
prices for stock, as Mcmillan, of Xenia
Ohio, or Warfield or Renick, of Ken
lucky, get for Short Horns, but just get {
good Short Horn or Hereford bull, an(
every calf raised, even from native COWS
will weigh from fifty to one hundred
pounds more than if a native bull wa
used, and every ounce of the additional
weight is pure flesh. Then, feed you
corn and hay to your stock, instead of sell
ing these crops off from the farm, ant
East Tennessee will soon become as note(
as Madison county, Ohio, or Bourbon
county, Kentucky.
Either of the two above mentioned
breeds will be profitable. Indeed, las
season, the Herefords beat the Short Horn
in England, at every age, for weight AM
quality of beef, The Short Horns, how
ever, are the easiest obtained, Kentuck,
and Ohio being full of them.
If cheese and butter are the objects
then the Ayrshires will be found the best
The Attorneys are first rate for butter, bu
of no particular account for beef, being s
light. ERIE.