Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1875-12-16
STOCK RAISING G.
o s~HORTHORNs.

that the interest in this variety OF cattle IN
creases and extends in this country. Inc
Aiohts of fancy in which the early importers
were prone to indulge in regard to the 1u-
tlre of this race in America have been al
ready more than realized. And looking
back over a period of forty years, 1t Is easi-
" apparent that results could hardly nave
been other than we see them to-day. Forty
wears aro the United States were compara-
lively destitute of any breed OF cattle OF
recognized merit for the cheap production
of first quality beef. Milk, with its second
ary product of butter and cheese, was held
by our forefathers as of first Importance.
Pork, fish, game, and all other varieties OF
meat were to be had almost for the asking.
The meat product of the hog being almost
the only object of it's breeders, it followed
that emigrants from the old world brought
with them their best samples, and hence
this country from its original settlement has
kept pace with the rest of the world in the
breeds of its hogs. Neglect, of course, soon
told upnn the character of swine after they
were imported, and they oftentimes ran
out" and degenerated, especially in the
frontier settlements, until the coarseness
and ferocity Of the true wild boar seemed to
show themselves; but new inlportations
with almost every load Of immigrants served
to renew the supply of cultivated breeds.
With cattle for beef, however, it was not
SO. The ordinary immigrant brought none
of these. The ship-master might, and often
did. bring mich COWS for use on shipboard,
but never a shorthorn or any other breeding
specimen of the bovine race.
1t was not, in fact, until Kentucky and
Ohio herdsmen began to realize the needs Of
the growing traffic in which they were en-
gaged-that of supplying the Eastern mar
kets with Western-grown beef-that a sys-
tematic, determined, intelligent effort was
made to improve the beet-produceng quality
of our cattle, or the Importance of it gener-
ally comprehendcd.
The great West was then supposed to be
doomed by its far inland position, e~yerlast-
ingly and almost exclusively to agriculture,
and beef-production then doomed up as nee
cssarily ono Of it's most important and pay
ing branches.
In casting about for the material where
with to make the needed Improvement, nat
urally enough the Durhams of England at
tracted attention. The improved shorthorn
then, as now, stood foremost among the
races of the world, and was at once drawn
upon by the practical beefgrowers
who went in search of the best. Previous
importations in very limited numbers had
already served partially to demonstrate the
problem of their value and adaptation to the
purpose, and the Kentuckians and Ohioans
Of those days-the Vanmeters, and Renicks,
and their worthy compeers-engaged in
the work of selection and Importation with
a will.
1t would be folly now to attempt even an
approximate estimate in figures, of the
money value to this country of the general
introduction of this breed of cattle which
has followed. No man can compute it. The
fact itself, however, is so manifest that it is
not questioned. With the enlargement of
the Western feeding district, together with
the augmentation of the demand for beef,
consequent upon the growth of population.
this race ofcattle in its purity has been una
able to propagate itselfin sufficient numbers
to meet the demand for breeding animals it's
w popularity has excited. Hence, prices
for purely-bred specimens of the improved
shorthorn have been rather steadily adj
.vanced than otherwise; and hence, too, fan
cy-bred families of the race nave assumed a
position OF exceptional value in the eyes of
wealthy breeders.