The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1885-04-30

From every direction comes news Of
the pressing necessity for draft horses,
especially those averaging oyer twelve
hundred. The raising Of these horses is
an industry that has even less chance Of
being overdone than that of raising cat
tie. ..sss
The Shorthorns, formerly often called
Durhams, came from northeastern Eng
land, and are the most numerous and
mostly widely distributed breed in this
country, OF in the world. The size is of
the largest; the color is either red, white,
or mixture of either of these in any
proportion. The horn is short and com
paratively light, but no more SO than in
some other breeds. Although valued
chiefly as beef-making animal, Short
horns as a breed are good mixers, but
less attention has been given of late
years to their dairy qualities than for
merly. No cattle are more attractive
than the best Shorthorns. The body is
long, the back straight and broad, the
ribs we'll sprung, the rump straight and
we'll filled out. As rule Shorthorns
are taller than cattle of most other
breeds, and not infrequently they are
subject to the criticisms of being too
long in the leg. The head and neck are
generally light and well formed. The
beef is good and the milk is of full
average richness. No other breed has
had anything like the influence on the
cattle in the chief beef-producing States
as the Shorthorn.-[N. ". Farmer.
At the risk of hammering too often on
one nail, we will say word more on the
subject of cheap bulls. We think that
breeders generally will concur in the
opinion that, as rule, cheap bulls, in
the sense in which we now use the term
cheap, dear at any price," would per
haDs be the most correct expression of
our meaning, have wrought more harm
to the cause of pure breeding than aught
else in the history of livestock develop
ment. 1t is to utter mere truism to
say that the bull is the most important
part of the herd; that while an inferior
COW stamps her impress upon but one
calf in season, the inferior bull will
deteriorate the whole seasons crop of
calves. These things are SO plain that to
emphasize them is to be tedious, and vet
of all things worth remembering none
seem so easily forgotten. We have seen
inferior bulls sold at less money than
could have been obtained for them as
steers at the same age, and they
brought too high price then. It is the
great mistake which so many make, to
imagine that the registry makes the
bull. Registry is the certificate upon
which we base our faith in the animals
pure breeding, and as far as that goes il
is not only desirable but essential, but
when it comes to merit we must look
to the animal itself, and to its record as
calf-getter. The difference In the
quality Of bull will readily make a
difference Of 5000 to $4O0, or $500 in the
value Of the FIRST crop Of calves, and the
greatest mistake a man; can make is II
deceive himself on the importance d
getting a good bull, and equally great
and stih more culpable is the mistake 0,
the breeder who permits himself to sell
inferior bulls that he knows are not d
to breed from. It is q suicidal policy
and unfortunately one that affects ii
breeders as vol as himself, Nat. b. /
i journal. ;s;5s sss