The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-09-04
Glre &armer.
American Short-Horn Cattle.

From Haper's Magazine for September.
The number of breeders of thoroughbred
pedigree short-horns in the United States,
its Territories, and Canada can be safely
estimated at full four thousand, with herds
of half dozen to several scores of cattle
EACH They extend all over North Amer
lea between the Atlantic and Pacific shores,
and to the lower Southern States, Texas,
and New Mexico, wherever climate and
soil are suitable and proper foliage is pro-
duced for their sustenance, and in numbers
too large for accurate estimate. Although
considerable numbers of other good flesh
producing breeds for several years past
have been imported from abroad and sue
cessfully bred, chiefly in the Western
States, in competition with the short-horns,
the demand for short-horn bulls is greater
than that for all other breeds, to cross upon
and elevate the quality of common cattle,
not only in their own localities, but also for
the extensive grazing ranches of the farther
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 superior. When not fatted to excess, it
is distributing all over the carcass, finely
marbled in combination 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
g h. 70 fhaI1-
dams. The steers at two and half years
old, when properly fed, attain live weight
of 1900 to 1900 and are ripe for the sham
bles. At three to three and half years
they attain live weight of even 1000
pounds, after which longer feeding is sell
dom profitable. The American exports to
Europe-Great Britain chiefy-for the
first six months of the year 1885 of live
bullocks was more than 80 900 head, aside
from the largely increased weight Of dead
carcasses in quarters of fresh beef, almost
exclusively of short-horn blood, the quality
most salable in foreign markets. 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 eli
mates where used they are remarkable in
both sexes. Numerous bulls both in Eng
land and America might be named which
continued successful sires to twelve, fifteen,
and even more years of age The Ameri-
can bull Baron of Oxford 1925, bred by
Mr.. Becar on Long Island, one of the most
successful sires, maintained his vigor until
nearly fourteen years old, when fatal ac-
cident befell him.
The COWS, as mixers, when bred and
educated for the dairy, have proved equal
to any other breeds, their docility of dis
position and Emphatic temperament highly
promoting their tactical product. In Eng
land from their earliest days large numbers
of them have proved extraordinary mixers
and butter yielders, and in the metropoli-
tan diaries for milk supply, as well as on
farms for cheese and butter production,
they are extensively used. In their earlier
importations to America, the COWS, as a
rule, were abundant mixers, as many now
continue to be; but their early and rapid
tendency to flesh, more particularly in the
Western beef producing States, has led to
neglect of their dairy qualities, butter
and cheese production there being less fol
lowed 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
profitable through life on average pasture
in summer and wholesome keep in the
colder months. Many COWS might be
named as continuing constant breeders and
large mixers until fifteen, even twenty,
years old, and fatted into profitable carcass
es of beef at the end