Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-11-16
Breed Of Cattle Preferred BY Ranchmsn.

IT. G. J. In Chicago Breeders Gazette.l
From the interesting article of my
old friend Rust it would appear that
the large capitalists that are grazing
cattle on the Government land in the
far west, in their selection of bulls to
improve their stock, indicate a prefer
ence for the breeds they have but re-
Gently resorted to for experiments.
The Short horn is the blood that was
first tried, and that has been the most
widely disseminated next the Here
ford, and now, we are told, the Scotch
Polled blood seems most in favor.
1 can very well understand how ex-
perience in this singular and abnormal
animal industry should develop prefer
ences as here indicated. Mr.. Rust men,
toned the fact that large proportion
of the Shorthorn bulls that have been
used were of impure blood and quite in
ferior in quality, which is doubtless
true, for the sums usually paid have
been less than half Of the price Of good
thoroughbred shorthorns. But whether
pure or impure blooded sires were used
it was to be expected that the results,
though highly encouraging and salts
factory when the calves first appeared,
must in the course of few years, when
the influences of severe weather ,drouth
and short grazing began to t, Il upon he
improved crosses, be most discouraging.
The excellence of the ShOrthorn, like
that of every other improved breed has
been developed by proper care and pro-
per feeding; and must, as a matter of
course, gradually disappear as these es-
sentials in the production and mainte-
nance Of excellence are neglected. And
there is no doubt but few years ex-
perience with the Herefords will be
equally disappointing, for starved ami.
mails of this breed are about as ill-look-
ing and Improbable as those of any
other improved breed. And most un-
questionably it will be the same with
the Polled-Angus, breed that is now
as highly improved and quite as early
maturing as the white faces.
If this ranch system of breeding and
grazing cattle is to be a permanent bus
mess, proprietors may as well under
stand, first as last, that essential inn
provement in the quality Of their stocl
is not possible without improvement In
care and feeding.
The Galloways can probably endur'
more than either Of the above breeds
but the Galloways are too good for th,
ranch system, as now practiced. For /,
time the blood may appear to improv'
the cattle on the ranches, but the stool
will soon accommodate itself to you
system.
We are in the habit Of sending nortl
to Michigan and Canada, for seed oats
where they are far superior in weigh
and quality to the homegrown the frs
crop is a great improvement, and tn,
second better than our own sort, but il
few years all traces of this improve
ment are gone. What are we to infe
from the fact that ranchmen are gettinJ
cattle from Mexico, free of duty, it i
said, under the claim that they are i'm
porting them for breeding purposes
!, LII 10 0Ot,dS uiuCtpSonus ofouc OcCtuS'
they can be had cheaper than American
} cattle but for the reason that the Mex
lean blood will better endure the hard
ships of the ranch system. For the sam,
reason. as a gentleman interested in
wealthy company in or near the "Texa
Panhandle" told me few weeks ago
Texas cattle had been selected by hi
company in preference to better clas
of cows that might have been purchas
ed In Missouri for lower price. Tn
J opinion, he said, generally prevailed
that the otherwise inferior SpanisI
blood was essential to the profltabl
maintenance of these large herds upoI
the ranges.