Huntsville gazette., 1886-03-06
EARLY MATURITY.
An Indispensable Quality In Cattle to Both
the Breeder and Grazier.


An Indispensable Quality In Cattle to Both
the Breeder and Grazier.
The early maturity question, as re-
CARDS beef breeds, is unquestionably
one of first Importance to our breeders
and graziers; to the graziers it may be
said, first. because their profits depend
much upon economy of time and food,
turning over their money as quickly as
possible, and turning out as quickly as
possible, fat and fit for the butcher, the
stock they buy in lean condition; but if
the grazier has precedence, on the
ground of his direct and immediate in
ferest, the breeder necessarily has
chronological priority, inasmuch as an
animal must come into the world be-
fore it can eat and be eaten. Let us
take first, therefore, the breeders part
in this matter.
In his selection of the type of animal
the breeder, of course, is Influenced by
the market, and here the feeder is his
patron and prompter, whose demands
must be considered and satisfied. The
feeder may be, indeed, the breeder HIM
self, who, as feeder also, becomes his
own customer, but this fact does not
alter the aspect of the case, for the only
difference is that he must look forward
to his own wants instead of to the
wants of another man, and breed ac-
cording to the sort of stock he will re.
quire.
Size and weight, doubtless, will con
tinue to be in demand, for a considera-
Die proportion of buyers, not only for
beef-making purely, but for general
purposes, as the cow that can milk well,
fatten readily. and then fall a good
weight, is a more profitable animal
than the light-built COW which can not
carry much flesh; but as the busi-
ness of feeding for the largest
profit is usually race against
time, the animals that can make
up and ''ripen'' the fastest at the
least cost will be mostly those required,
wherever the feeder has cultivated
farm and all the appliances and build
ings of advanced agriculture. A diff
ferent stamp of animal, but still in
clining to early ''ripening," and a
kindly thriver, will be wanted to meet
rougher and more primitive conditions.
If we must have animals with the
hereditary habit of rapid growth, and
to assume the form and fully
furnished flesh points of adults at
an age when average cattle are little
beyond calfhood, we must be prepared
to Weld somewhat of constitutional ro-
business, and to sacrifice longevity.
The individual animals reared for beet
alone are not intended to have long
lives. The object of their entrance
into the world is their early exit; but
their fitness to meet the demands OF
the business for which they are pro-
duced must be inherited from theil
parents, which must have, otherwise
they can not transmit, the desired gen
erosity and early completion o1
growth. The breed, therefore, kept
for the purposes Of this business
must be one which speedily reache;
the height of maturity, and. a,
necessity consequent to recognized
law Of nature, having soon passed the
turning point of life, begins at an early
age speedy descent on the other slop'
of the hill. We must not be too exact
ing about stamina, or about length O.
days, when extremely early maturity is
our object. The early maturity i:
gained and improved, we must remem
Der, by the forcing and housing O.
many successive generations, and the
means employed to promote it have
also that other more sure result, the
reduction of the power of the constitu
ton to bear the strain of rough life, d
the wear and tear of prolonged life.
To the feeder the question what hi:
stock could do if their lives were spared
is without interest. He does not mear
to spare their lives. His business is tt
know what stock best suit his place ant
means of feeding off; and as these are
widely various throughout the length
and breadth of the United States, it i:
evident that we have room for many
breeds, and for more than one elias:
within each breed. Any breed may be
trained, in time and by the necessary
means, to faster or slower develop
ment, to harder or more generous liv.
ing, so that in all breeds there is some
elasticity to adapt themselves to cir
cumstances, although certain breeds
excel others in readiness to do so.-
National LiUe- Stock Journal.