The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-06-19
Live Stock.
IN. AMERICA

Paper by Alvin A. Sanders, Prepared@by Re
quest of the National Live Stock AssOCla-
ton.
The foundations of the American
cattle trade were laid more than a
century ago in the blood of the Short
horn, and at every stage of the de-
velopment of the cattle feeding in
dustry, from it's inception in the
valley of the South Branch of the
Potomac down to the present time,
resort has steadily been had to the
blood of this widely celebrated type.
More than a century ago, the bust
ness of making beef for central mar
kets was originated in Virginia, and
when, after the close of the War of
the Revolution, the tide of emigra-
ton poured over the Blue Ridge into
the rich corn and blue grass regions
of Southern Ohio and Central Ken
lucky, it was the ShOrthOrn blood
that provided the extensive feeders
of that day with their stock cattle.
1t was with the ShOrthorn blood that
Geo. Renick made, in 1905, the first
experiment in driving steers across
the mountains from the Ohio Valley
to Baltimore and Philadelphia mar
kets, thus blazing the way for the
subsequent developments of a trade
which has since assumed magnificent
proportions, and become one of our
leading American industries. Other
breeds were tried in the early days
in Ohio and Kentucky. HerefOrds,
LOnghOrns and DevOns were intro
duced, but did not seem to give at
that time results comparable with
those obtained from the S of Short
horn bulls. Hence those great herds
of prime bullocks that were for years
driven overland to seabOard markets
represented only the blood of the
cred, white and roans."
As the rich corn lands of the Cen
trail West were occupied, the Short
horn followed. In the development
of the States of Illinois, Iowa and
Missouri, this blood was for a long
series of years the one great factor
in the Improvement of cattle stocks,
supplying such men as the late John
D. Gillett with the beeves that we're
most keenly sought at the Chicago
yards. As the urse of the cattle
trade wendell its way still further
West, the value of the Shorthorns for
crossing purposes throughout the
entire range country was universally
conceded. Within a comparatively
recent period other and undeniably
excellent types have been success
fully used, not only in the corr
States, but upon the range. No in
telligent breeder of ShOrthorns pre-
tends to deny the merit that certainly
belongs to the contemporary breeds.
At the same time, the history of the
cattle business in Great Britain, the
United States, South America and
Australia, points to the one indis-
putable fact that ShorthOrn bulls of
good character constitute a factor in
the maintenance of adequate size
and general conformation which
may never safely be entirely elimi-
mated. The success with which the
ShOrthorn bull crosses upon even
the smallest and least improved COWS
is universally admitted. Not only is
weight secured, but shapely outline
backs and level quarters
as we'll. The Shorthorn, or the
good ShOrthOrn grade, in store con
is in all probability leveler in
his lines than any other known type
of cattle. The grade ShorthOrn
furnish the best of all foun-
.ations for the first use of good bulls
of the other beef breeds.
The history of the Shorthorn may
be briefly outlined. The ancestral
home of the breed was the pleasant
little valley of the River Tees, be-
tween the counties of York and Dur
ham, in Northeastern England. The
first great improvement in the breed
was wrought by the brothers Colling,
whose operations covered a period
extending from about 1880 to 1918.
They yer followed by such men as
Thomas Bates. the elder (Thomas)
Booth, Mason, Whitaker, WethereIl,
Earl Spencer, and others, who re-
duced the size and improved the
finish and feeding qualities of the
old Tees water type. During this
early period of Improvement in Enc