Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-01-15
FARMERS INSTITUTE.
What Breeds Of Cattle are Best
Adapted to Eastern Ohio and West.
ern Pennsylvania.
BY Julius LeMoyne, President
Thoroughbred Stock Breeders
Association, Washington, Pa.

The day has gone b, when intelligent
S ,ock breeders claim excellence for all
purposes for any one breed OF cattle.
We are asked to-day, What kinds of
cattle are best ada, ted 10 Easl ern ONO
and Western Pennsylvania?
Belmont county will serve as sample
of the diStrIc. namtd has $3.50 farms,
oI an average SIZE of 105 acres. 1t is
fair To pres ume that there are 1000 farm
vrs in Belmont county, who breed, raise
and use cattle rs d busiBrss, and most OF
hom live On buaera SIZED farms; it
IS therefore a ptrtinenI answer to our
inquiry to-day to kr,w what a majority
of the four thousand farmers most de-
sire in their cattle.
The first and most important qualifi>
cation is good beef breed. Whyp Be
cause, as you all know, 0ne-baif of the
increase of your herds vii! be males,a ,and
for the best interests of the farm, these
calves should be raised. and go direct to
the beef market at 2 or years old.
The other half are raised for the dairy
uses of the farm. If they, or any part
of them, fall below your requirements
for that purpose, they also go to the
Olcck, ana after awhile, either from &c
cident or cid age, the rest of them find
their way to the butcher; therefore, l
say, the best qualities stand first. and
with the capacity to make firstclass beef
let as combine as much of dairy qualities
as possible.
We are ready and willing to concede
to all breeds their particular and spe-
cial excellence. No one doubts the Ca
pacity of the little Jersey to produce
milk of the richest quality, and of hav-
1 ing made the greatest records for butter
nor do We question the fact that the
HolsteiBs can and do produce the great
est quantity of milk. And for combined
excellence of milk and butter and cheese,
the Ayrshires and Deyons stand near
the front also. For beef alone the
Herefords and the polled breeds are
among the best.
But when we remember that most ali
of the cattle in this section are in the
hands of men who are not specialists,
out who are engaged in mixed farming,
we understand the great value to them
of a truly general purpose breed.
Where shall we find it? Nowhere, my
friends, but in the grand "red, white and
roan." The Shorthorns properly bred
and honestly fed are strictly and wholly
the farmers "best breed" No one will
deny their claim as producers of the
best beef, and where the dairy qualities
are cared for aHd developed, the Short
horns will compare favorably with the
best dairy breeds for farmers use.
Let me remind you of one other almost
invaluable qualification possessed by the
lShorthorD, above and beyond all other
breeds. What is their power to im>
prove" all other cattle. ~when crossed
upon them?
These four thousand farmers in Bel.
mont county cannot all begin to breed
thoroughbred cattle" in day. They
cannot change their herds in year, or
perhaps In two years, without loss, but
every one of them can begin at once, land
cross with better blood
ReIng believer iD the doctrine of
"the survival Of the fittest," let us look
dL n lew ldCJS- All u tuO DIG0QS COm-
mon TO US nov were known in England
as well so years ago as to-day: yet there,
where a genera, purpose breed is sought
even more Than with ,is. the Shortherns
survive any other breed at least to ten
t. one.
TIE fl 81; II u tein cattle we're brought
To this counuy II 1925 fhe. Devons
were amo e tHe edTh+st fmportxNoas
into New England. The. Shorthorns
were first imported il 1855; the Here
fords about the same time, and were
brought west in 1917, supported by the
great name and influence of Henry
Clay. The Ayreshires were first inn
ported in 1922; the Jerseys some years
later-and now, after nearly 0ne bun>
dred years Of trial, with equal 0pportu
nities,tbe public verdict is tor the Short
horn; and to-day, they, with their
grades, outnumber all other breeds prob
ably more ,han seven to one. Breed
Shorthorns, feed them we'll; they will
never disappoiDt you; you will have
plenty of good milk. plenty of rich
cream, plenty of gilt.edged butter, plen-
ty of the finest beef to keep, and to sell
at the highest price, and be happy.