Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-01-01
shorthorns and shorthorn Breeders.

Shorthorns and Shorthorn Breeders.
Durham breeders are working de-
struction to that noble breed in Maine"
thus read the headlines of an article by
b. Walker McKeen of Maine in the New
England Farmer for Nov. "a.
Mr.. Editor, / can not say whether or
not it is unfortunate for us breeders that
we know that Mr.. MeKeen's frequent
use of the word Durham simply means
Shorthorn, the correct name for the
breed of cattle for whose downfall he 80
much laments.
In any case, however, l presume that
the article refers directly to me, as
have perhaps agitated the subject of the
dairybred Shorthorn and the state fair
more than any other one Shorthorn man
in Maine during the past year.
Do the reports given US from time to
time of this grand old breed by the
agricultural papers and journals agree
with the head lines of the article above
referred to? Does visit to our great
Maine fairs where some of the best
Shorthorns in the country may be seen
indicate that the breed is going to de-
struction? But these Shorthorns seen at
our fairs are generally of what is known
as the beef type of the breed. This state
of affairs seems to have come about by
reason of the fact that it has been the
custom of our fair management to judge
Shorthorns altogether as a beef breei.
Why this breed has been thus judged l
can not tell, neither have / met any
breeder who could seem to give salts
factory reason. But there are other
Shorthorn herds in Maine that are sell
dom seen at the fairs though they are
Just as profitable to their owners, and as
individually, as the beef type
this is the dairy or "dual-purpose" type
of the breed.
And, too, does visit to some of the
best herds of this type to be found in
dictate that we are destroying the breed?
| quote from the article in question:
s'If it is possible to select animals of
the two types within the breed, to-day,
it would appear to show lack of unity
of purpose among those who have had
the destiny of the breed in their hands
in the past.
Replying to this assertion, a question
from Thomas Bates, one of the reg
ognized "builders" of the Shorthorn
breed, is sufficient: 81 selected this
tribe of Shorthorns as superior to all
other cattle, not only as small con-
sumers of food but as great growers and
quick grszers, with the finest quality OF
beef, and also giving great quantity OF
very rich milk"
History says that "Mr. Bates always
had regard for the milking trait in his
cattle, and conducted extended expert
ments to determine the relation between
quantity and quality of milk and butter"
1t is said that the cow, Duchess. by
Daisy Bull, gave on grass alone with
out other food in the summer of 1907 at
Halton, IA quarts of milk twice q day. !"
From 2S quarts of this milk were made
2 pounds and 10 ounces of butter.
"Bates was always proud Of his butter
records" and gave quite as much or
even more attention to the dairy quail
ties of his cattle than to the beef quail
ties.
And this idea of dairy qualities has
followed Shorthorn breeding from
Thomas Bates time down to and includ-
ing the present. 1t is therefore no new
and uubeaten path" at all, as our friend
in his article appears to imagine.
He says: at is now being urged by
some that Maine fair managers become .
party TO the scheme and lend it aid and
encouragement by offering two sets of
prizes, one for beef Durhams and an
other for milking Durhams."
Mr.. Editor, am not aware that the
breeders of dairy Shorthorns in Maine
are working or trying to work any
scheme whatever. We simply want our
type of tlSs breed shown due respect by
the fair management thing which
must be brought about or many of our
best herds will in the future as in the
past fail to appear at the fairs. Finally,
hope that our friend may become able
to see that "Maine, the home of ad-
vanced work among other breeds of cat
tle," is not at all likely to suffer "the
modification of becoming the destroyer
of this one' during his natural life or
mine.-E. A. Cook in New England
Farmer