The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-12
THE FARM AND HOME.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE RED
POLLED CATTLE.
There Are Many Points In Their Favor
Miscellaneous Notes on the Hon.
merry, the Dairy, the Farm
and the Household.
The Red Polls.

j. M. Chase, in the Michigan Farm
or, presents some of the merits of this
breed. He says: 1 have received a
good many letters asking about the
Red Polls, their history and their good
qualities. I thought a short article
telling something about them would
not be amiss. The Red Polled cattle
originated in the counties of Norfolk
and Suffolk in England. So far back
as can be traced, there existed in those
counties breed of polled cattle re-
nowned for their hardness and excel
lent milking qualities. During the
last half century, number of enter
prising men of that section have taken
special interest in the improvement
OF this breed, and we have as the result
the pure bred Red Poll of the present
day. These animals are usually of a
rich red color, sometimes a shade
lighter, OF medium size, small bones.
good form and particularly clean and
stylish about the head and neck. The
COWS are frequently very plump and
straight when dry, but when giving
milk become lank and less pleasing to
the eye of any but the dairyman. In
size they are classed as medium, but
individually they differ much in this
respect. Some of the heaviest milking
COWS OF the breed are but little larger
than the average Jersey, while others
equal the weight of large Shorthorns,
hence it is within the power of the
hrsoo hvyc ~
ing, to form herd OF the size he may
prefer. With few exceptions the cows
have good udders, with good sized
teats the latter being particularly
noticeable in comparison with some of
the popular milking breeds. The milk
is unusually rich in cream, and well
made butter from Red Polled COWS will
make flesh very rapidly, and can soon
be converted into prime beef animals.
EARLY Training.
Fear of spelling (?) is the great
bugbear raised by certain men who put
off all thought of education until the
colt is four or five years old, writes an
experienced horse breeder. Fear of
weak constitutions is the reason given
for letting the colts warm themselves
on manure piles and live on straw, be-
cause of which hundreds of colts will
go to pasture in the spring in poorer
condition than they are to-day and
without having made any growth. Is
it any wonder that such men complain
that horse breeding doesn't pay? The
first year of the colts life should be
fruitful of instruction. The colt will
learn more easily when six months old
than when a year old. 1t can also be
controlled more easily. Hence it is
wise to handle the colt early. Its early
training should not stop with breaking
to halter. 1t should be handled until
any part of its limbs can be rubbed;
until it is accustomed to the bride,
and until it will drive as we'll as lead.
To teach it all this and to keep it from
forgetting what it has learned is lit
tie trouble, but if the colt is of good
stock the trouble is we'll paid for.
Practice little common sense with
the young stock, and note the high
rate Of interest coming back to you as
the result OF the investments. -Ameri-
can Trotter.