The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-20
All-Around Cattle.
Farming World.


The cry Is nowadays: Give us the good.
all-round ANIMAL We think there Is an
element OF error IN this. Carry out this
idea TO an extreme. and yoa blot out the
distinctive chsrac.eristics OF every breed
Of animals existing. No one animal can do
everything best. AS In the mechanical so
IN the animal world. there must be divi-
sion OF labor. We owe al thu improvement
Of the present day n all classes OF domeS-
&c live stock 10 special breeding for A def
nite purpose. Let the breeder OF rhe race
horse try 10 combine the strength of the
Clydesdale or Shire with the speed OF his
thorough bred. and the result Is an increase
OF strength but a reduction % speed. So
let a breeder Try 20 obtain the size OF tho
Leicester with the haraihoa6 OF the black
face: does he get ST. No: he gets an sx-
cellent animal. but utterly unsuitable for
enduring the hardship through which the
pure blackfaced must live. and. on, the
other hand. Il viii not produce so much
mutton In a given time as the pure Leicss@
ter Our remarks are especially intended
for cattle. All food IS composed or Ger
tain well-dehned elements or compounds
Mix and fiesh-!ncluding IN the term flesh
all tina. goes 70 build up the body OF an
animal-milk and flesh are. roughly. COM
posed OF the same elements, and II an ami
nal takes certain portion of its food 10
make milk. so much less Is available for
making flesh. II seems 10 US that we must
take cur choice. one or the other We
cannot have both in the highest perfection.
The Jersey breeder wanted butter. He
got IL. but had 10 give up flesh. The
Ayrshire breeder yielded a little. and said .
81 want a lot of milk" He got 81, but haS
to give up little butter fat. The founders
Of the Shorthorn breed sad: We want
flesh" They got IL. but in the case OF thosa
having the greatest tendency 10 fatten they
had 10 sacrifice milk production.
The true solution OF the problem Is TO
breed the animal with special qualifications
for the purpose for which It Is intended. IL
COW is wanted for town dairy a deep
mixer with a fair tendency 10 fat
ten is the best. II the farmer lives ua in
the country where dairyins is not prohta-
bic, then an animal with the greatest
tendency 10 fasten Is the best.
Some may say: THAT is all right
but II the heavy mixer Is not turn-
ing her food into milk. VIII she not
turn ii into flesh?' We think not to such
perfection as one bred distinctly for pro-
ducing beef. Nature comes to our rescue
and teaches US here. If the Jersey IS not
giving milk. does il produce as much flesh
as the well-bred Shorthorn on the same
pasture? Emphst!cally. no. Go through
any herd of Ayrshires in milk. and II YOU
see one that is carrying considerable more
flesh than it's neighbor. that cow Is not doA
ing her work at the pail. Depend upon ii.
though the old breeders might be charged
with being unscientific. they were shrewd
men: and whilst we gladly welcome any
help from any source, we shall be wise TO
sit at their feet, and, like them. breed our
animals with qualifications for distinct
purposes. and not aim al the impossible In
trying to make them best for everything.