The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-02
American Short-Horn Cattle aud Their Char.



Lewis r. Allen, in Harper's MAGAZINE.
The number of breeders of thoroughbred pedi-
gree short-horns in the United States, its Terri
tories and Canada can be safely estimated at full
| four thousand, with herds of half a dozen to
several scores of cattle each. They extsnG all
over North America between the Atlantic and
Pacific shores. and to the lower Southern States,
Texas and New Mexico, wherever climate and
soil are suitable and proper forage is produced
for their sustenance. and In numbers too large
for accurate estimate. Although considerable
numbers OF other good fesh-producing
breeds for several years past have
been imported from abroad, and
successfully bred chiefly in the Western States.
in competition with the short-Eorns, the demand
for short-horn bulls is greater than that for al
other breeds to GROSS upon and elevate the quail
ity OF common cattle, not only in their own local
tiles. but also for the extensive grazing ranches
of the further West, to improve the beef quality
Of the coarse bovines long existing there. Many
hundreds of young short horn bulls are annually
taken to the ranches for breeding purposes
The quality of the flesh of short horns is su-
perior When not fatted to excess it is dis
| tributed all over the carcass, finely marbled in
com bcatiou of fat and lean. They mature to
profitable slaughter as veal calves at six or
eight weeks old of much greater weight than
common ones on equal supplies of milk from
the uddArs of their dams The steers, at two
and a half years old, when properly fed, attain
live weight Of 500 to 1900 pounds and are
ripe for the shambles At three to three and
half years they attain live weight of even
g. 900 pounds after which longer feeding is sell
dom profitable The American exports to Eu-
rope-Great Britain chiefy-for the first six
months of the year 1885 of live bulocks was
more than 80 600 head, aside from the largely in
creased weight of dead careasses in quarters of
fresh beef, almost exclusively of short-horn
blood, the quality most salable in foreign mar
kets. The best beef for consumption in our
American cities and towns is also of short-horn
blood, and commands price considerably above
that of common cattle
For longevity and hardihood in all climates
where used they are remarkable in both sexes
Numerous bulls, both in England and America,
might be named which have continued successful
sires to twelve fifteen and even more years of
age. The American bull. Baron of Oxford, 1926,
bred by Mr.. Becar, of Long Island one of the
most successful sires, maintained his vigor until
nearly fourteen years old, when a fatal accident
befell him.
The cows as mixers, when bred and educated
for the dairy have proved equal to any other
breeds, their doclity of disposition and lymphat-
c temperament highly promoting their tactical
product In England, from their earliest days,
large numbers of them have proved extraordi-
nary mixers and butter yielders and in
the metropolitan diaries for milk supply, as
well as on farms for cheese and butter produc-
tion they are extensively used In their earlier
importations to America the COWS, rule,
were abundant mixers, many now continue
to be; but their early and rapid tendency to
fesh more particularly in the Western beef
producing States, has led to neglect of their
dairy qualities, butter and cheese production
there being less followed than in many other
localities. Yet in thorough-breds, or high grades
from native cows, they are largely bred and kept
for dairy use in many of our States, and pro6ta-
BILE through life on average pasture in summer,
and wholesome keep in the colder months
Many cows might be named as continuing con-
slant breeders and large mixers until fifteen,
even twenty, years old. and fatted into proita-
BILE carcasses Of beef at the end.