The Portland daily press., 1877-02-20
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
POlled Cettle.

In a recent number of the Country Gentle.
man, writer expresses some Indignation at
the author of an article in an English journal
on Short-Horn breeding, for "blowing his
horn," as he asserts, for another breed of cat
tie at the expense of the Short Horns, in that
he alludes to an improved bread of poled cat
tie, which he thinks may surpass the Short
Horn for real usefulness and profit. If our
English friend is blowing at all, it is very evil
dent he is blowing no horn, and in doing so,
he has my best wishes and cordial support,
for horns of all kinds, and particularly those
on our domestic animals, find no favor with
me. 1t seems strange that more of our
American farmers have not seen the advan-
tage of possessing an improved breed of pol
led cattle. ] believe that any farmer who
has owned a herd of these cattle, so quiet and
peaceable, so easily herded and handled I'M
der all circumstances, as compared with horn
ed cattle, will never wish to have a horned
animal on his place. Especially does this ap-
ply to the Bulls. Any one who has handled
these brutes of the horned tribe, knows how
perilous is the task, but with poled bulls we
find the leading staff unnecessary. A man
can take hold of the ring in the nose and lead
one anywhere.
During the past summer, owing to the long
severe drouth, our usual liberal supply of
brook and spring water failed, and herd OF
boxes supplied with pipe water. l was pleas
ed to see the polled cattle crowd around one
of these boxes, six or eight drinking at once,
while at similar box on the other side of the
fence, horned COW monopol!zed the whole
thing, and after drinking her fill, seemed to
find pleasure in standing there and keeping
away the weaker ones, which were almost
checked with thirst, We notice the same adj
vantage with polled cattle in the occupation
of sheds in cold or stormy weather.
Few farmers have given the matter any
thought, nearly all the cattle of the country
being horned, and if they occasionally see a
polled animal, they look upon it as merely an
oddly, and think no more of it. / am sorry
to say that generally our native polled cattle
are far from attractive in appearance, An
expression, however, we often hear from far
mers in different sections, with reference to
the dairy qualities Of the native polled COW
is that they never knew poor one. am
glad to know that this worthy but much neg
lected species of cattle has found favor with
few thoughtful and enterprising men in this
country, and the bred has been greatly
improved by careful breeding, but as yet there
has been no fixed type, and no unity ofaction
on the part of such breeders. In some sec.
tions of Great Britain, however, polled cattle
have been bred for long time with great
care, and there are In that country at least
two distinct breeds of fixed form and type
that are truly thoroughbred. These are the
Norfolk and Suffolk Reds and the Galloways
or Black Scotch. The former are very super.
ior for the dairy, giving large quantity Of
rich milk, and when dry, fatten readily. The
latter have long been favorite beef cattle in
Scotland and north of England. The intro
duction of these cattle into this country has
given new impulse to the improvement o
the poled varieties here. The progeny from
cross of the polled bull on horned COW
very rarely has horns, and herd of these ami
mails can soon be bred, at small expense
doubt not that the polled varieties will take
their proper place in this country, as they are
doing in the old country, as being one of the
most desirable of our breeds of domestic cat
tle.-COuntry Gentleman.