The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-04-25
M'.he 1satat+
The Different Breeds Of Cattle.
From the american Farmer.

Much has of late been said of this
breed of cattle, and as we have pub
lished descriptions, with portraits of
these animals, accounts of their origin,
great value for beef, &c, and especially
of their history, as set forth in a series
of able papers from the pen of Mr.
Coffin, the principal breeder of them in
Maryland, and published in The first
volume of the present series of the
Farmer" we will give in a condensed
Storm, the remarks of Mr. Hazard upon
it. OF its introduction into this coun-
try, he says:
In 1915 and 1916 few short-horns
were imported into this country, and
for the next four years more were i'm
ported into Kentucky, were carefully
bred, and from thence spread through
the Western country. In 1884 an as
ISOLATION in Ohio brought over nineteen
head, and in the following year two
additional lots, and since then several
hundred with well-established pedigrees
have been imported into the United
States From the fact that the first
prominent breeders of the Short-horns
resided in Durham county, they took
the name of Durhams, and have SO re-
tanned it with many ever since,
During the fifty years the Short-horns
have been domesticated in this country,
they have been imported in greater
numbers than any other breed, they are
more widely known, and have acquired
greater popularity; surely this must
have been from some good qualities
which have SO strongly tended to rec
ommend them They have become ac-
climated, and are healthy, thriving on
common food equally well with our
native cattle. They are of large size,
fine tender meat, grow rapidly, and
take on meat and fat fast in proportion
to the amount of food they consume,
make powerful. and docile oxen, are ex-
cellent in the dairy, giving large guam
titles of milk and butter and rich cheese
With all these qualities, we might read
lily suppose pure Short-horns were just
the breed for Chester county farmers.
Our own choice and what we have for
our own use is the Durham, the Jersey,
and the Durham and Jersey mixed,
and we feel thoroughly satisfied with
them. Wherever there is good pastur-
age, and plenty of Winter fodder, the
Durhams will thrive well, but they are
not the breed for stony land, with scant
heritage, where they have their living
to earn; the Devon or the Kerry COWS
are the ones for that.
They are naturally good mixers, and
where raised for that object no milk
cows exceed them. 1t has been from
the undue attention to their beef-prO-
ducing qualities that has led many to
suppose they were not as good mixers
as some other breeds; we have always
found their milk to be very rich. * *
As to the color, tastes differs. Red,
red and white, and the red roans are
mostly preferred, but any color from
red to clear white is good Short-horn's
color White is usually least preferred,
simply as matter of taste, and there
fore as color for thoroughbreds is not
so saleable but for the beefbreedng, it
is of little consequence the color, so
that the animal itself is good.
THE DEvoNs
The Devons may fairly next claim
our attention as next to the Short-horns
more of their breed have been imported
into this country than of any other.
OF this breed, whilst on a visit to
Devonshire last year we noticed two
kinds, the North and the South Devons,
evidently originally from the same
stock, but by long course of breeding
in special localities, of quite different
appearance. The North Devons of
smaller size, and deep rich red color !;
the South Devons more of tawny red,
rather larger and more chunky; the
cows of the former weighing about one
thousand pounds, and those of the lat
ter about twelve hundred pounds
The South Devons are very beautiful,
of small bone, but of very feshy ap-
pearance, as they rapidly take on flesh
at two and ahalf years old.
The Devons, while giving moderate
quantities of milk, give that of very
rich quality therefore for those who
have milk diaries we should not recon-
mend them, but few to help the butter
yield and improve the color is desirable
As oxen, they have no superiors, being
of moderate size, weighing about fifteen
hundred pounds, though often fattened
to two thousand pounds; active of
foot. though their short limbs would
hardly indicate it easily fattened, as
they take on very quickly; affording
the choicest meat for the butcher; and
withal they are docile, amiable, and
easily taught; they will thrive where
larger or more delicate animals would
hardly live, being hardy and vigorous.
THE AYRSHIREs.
Among the milk breeds prominent
in the British Isles, the Ayrshires hold
leading place They derive the name
from the county of Ayr, in Scotland,
where they are principally kept. Their
superior qualities as mixers, and hardi-
ness of constitution, have induced vari-
GUS writers to attribute part of their
origin to their favorite breeds. Nearly
equal testimony is offered in favor of
the Holderness, the Short-horn, and the
Attorney, though the weight of the
testimony is in favor of the Attorney
They have always borne the character