Omaha daily bee., 1884-03-31
CHOICE CATTLE.
The. Aberdeen Angus and GallOWayS
Now ON Exhibition Here.
Their History and Peculiar Points.

The herd of Aberdeen Angus and Gal
lowsy cattle which arrived here the other
day are attracting much attention, and
the sale, advertised in another column
to take place next Thursday, will doubt
less draw many buyers and excite much
interest.
Inasmuch as few here are acquainted
| with the breeds, q short history will
prove interesting. In giving this his
tory, however, we shall confine ourselves
to the Galloway, as there is so little diff
ference in the two breeds that in most
things a history of one will apply to
both.
This hardy and impressive breed of
Polled cattle took its name from the
province of Galloway, which is 10Y con
hned to the two southwestern counties of
| Scotland, but which in ancient times
comprised the six counties which lie to
west of a line drawn from Glasgow to
the Carlisle on the English border. The
time immemorial in Cumberland, the
most northwesterly county of England.
The origin of the Galloways is lost in
the mist of antiquity. While sugges-
tions have been made as to the COM
posite character of other varieties of live
stock for which the province at distant
periods gained celebrity, an allegation
has never been made in any well-in-
formed quarters that the Galloway is not
an original and distinct breed of cattle.
There are two circumstance connected
with the improvement of the Galloway
breed of cattle deserving a special notice.
The one is that systematic and very sue
cessful efforts were made to improve
them at q very early period-probably
earlier than the improvement of any
other variety of British cattle. lmme-
diately after the union of England and
Scotland the graziers and farmers in
Norfolk and the other southeastern
counties of England became extern
sive purchasers of these Scotch
Polled cattle. This active demand at
good prices induced the breeders of Gal
loways to do their utmost to produce ex-
cellent beasts, and all authorities write
in testifying to the success of their eff
forts. The cattle are spirited, strong,
very healthy and hardy, and no cattle
whatever feed better or yield beef that
is more relished at table, as can be well
attested in all parts of south Britain. In
all essential properties, non will deny
that the Galloways possess a very high
degree of merit, are equalled by few and
e%xcelled perhaps by none They fatten
readily at a very early and a very ad-
vanced age. But what above all may be
regarded as decisive of the merits of the
Galloway breed is the uniform testimony
of the Norfolk graziers, who have long
given them the preference over every
other breed of cattle. Their average
price is 60 per head above that of any
other breed of the same weight. In the
London market, where all the breeds of
the island come in competition, they are
generally allowed a decided preference.
The circumstance connected with the
improvement of the breed deserving of
special notice is that this improvement
on the Galloways was not effected in the
smallest degree by crossing with any
other breed. In regard to this it will be
sufficient TO quote Alton, who says: ''This
superior breed has not been improved by
crossing with bulls from other quarters,
but has been brought to its present i'm
proved state by the unremitting atten-
ton of the inhabitants in breeding from
the best and handsomest of both sexes,
and by feeding and manag ement.
1t is mainly a beef-producing breed
that the Galloways have made a name
for themselves. The quality of their
beef is very similar to that produced by
the West Highland and Polled Aberdeen,
Angus breeds, and is exceptionally good
Indeed the beef of these varieties rank.
as ''prime Scots" in Smithield and othe,
leading British fat markets, where it sells
higher than that of the other breeds.
Its superiority ari ss from the fact tina
it is well marked, the fat being well inter
mixed with the lean.
In respect of proportion of dead tc
live weight, Galloways killed unusually
well. Butchers, who purchase the best
class of Galloways, state that they es
innate them to dress about 60 per cent
OF their live weights which, we need moi
say, is above the average of other breeds
Exceptionally good animals yield even 9
higher percentage.
In point of fact G~alloways arrive al
maturity at different ages, according tc
the way they are kept when young. Az
a breed they have never been pam.
pered anywhere, but in the lowlands
they have been brought more rapidly ia
maturity than in the uplands, where the
climate is cold, the fare scanty, and little
or no artificial food is given.
They are not only now, but have been
from time i~mmemorial, polled or hornless.
Some writers mention a tradition to the
effect that in remote ages they were pro.
vided with horns, but it is merely a ira.
dition, for in the earliest notices OF this
breed, centuries ago, there is no a~llusion
made to their having such appendages.
Galloways are able to endure hardship
arising from exposure to the elements
during the severest weather in winter.
The temperature in the lower parts of
their native province is occasionally
very warm in summer, and they stand
that extreme equally. Thew are still