The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-04-19
COL. w. A. HARRIS ON SHORT
HORNS.

Col. Harris, of Kansas, who is one
of the best informed men about Short
horn cattle, in a recent address, re-
ferring to the Scotch and other types
of this breed said:
"The sage of Sittyton, was an un-
known young breeder away off in Scot
land. There was great war going
on between the Booths and the Bates,
so that the only thing left for him to
do was to breed class of bulls for
the farmers. He did this. He wanted
the, farmers to feel that they could
not afford to do without the bulls
that he produced, and he did not care
for finish as much as he did for con-
stitution.
"This is practical day. We have
to know that cattle we produce will
be a source of profit, or some other
breed will be chosen. We must build
up the cattle, and l do not think we
have right to say the Shorthorn
bulls are all of kind that will be OF
profit to USE We must concentrate
our efforts in this direction
1.-THE Angus, the Devons, the Short
horns are each, found in their partic-
ular shire of England, but there is a
peculiar adaptability in the Shorthorn
breed. They seem to adapt them
selves to almost any locality. They
seem to grow to fit the surroundings.
The Shorthorns are now spread all
over England. They would seem to
thrive everywhere; it is wonderful.
From Argentine to Scotland, every
where, they seem to adapt themselves
to the conditions which they find.
And yet there are notifications. 1t
seems to me that there are differ
ences. There is no single type that
will fit every condition, and we must
allow for the difference of climate
and surroundings.
1--WE must pay greater attention to
the milking qualities. Everything must
be turned to profit. We must have
an animal in which the sum total of
qualities yield a profit. A great deal
has been said and written in regard to
type There are some men who run
things at our agricultural colleges
who are very good, while others are
long in theory and short in experience.
They say absolutely that two and two
equal four. Things won't always work
out that way. There are many secrets
of CESSATION and reproduction which
we can never know. They insist upon
type which they call the dairy type,
and say that nothing can be a great
producer of milk except that type"
HINTS ON BREEDING SHEEP.
AS the result of several years Of
experience, the Wisconsin station has
published the following conclusions:
From the breeding records of 154
ewes at this station we conclude that,
for such animals and conditions as
ours, the normal period of CESSATION
ranges from LA to $50 days after
the date of service, and that more
ewes will lamb 146 days after service
than at any other time.
There is no appreciate difference
in the period of CESSATION for male and
female offspring in sheep.
There is an apparent relation be-
tween the duration of the period of
CESSATION and the period required for
maturity. Quick-appear maturing
breeds to carry their young for short
er periods than those breeds requir-
ing more time to mature.
roo 1ouo he ON tho aUoro orc
carried in utero for an appreciably
longer period than small or medium
lambs.
Lambs dropped before the one
hundred and forty-fourth day and af-
ter the one hundred and forty-ninth
day of pregnancy are lacking strength
and vitality at birth.
Shropshire ewes were more prolific
than any of the other breeds and
crosses, except the fourth cross of
Shropshire rams on a Meripo eve
foundation.
"One-year-old rams are not so pro-
life as those of, two-year-old. Ewes
average a larger percentage of in
crease in lambs after they reach full
maturity, at three years of age. until
after they are six years old. when the
rate of increase diminishes.
"The amount of service required Of
the ram in breeding has an influence
on the percentage of increase in Off
spring of the ewes that produce
lambs. Ewes bred early in the sea-
son of mating to single ram dropped
a larger percentage of lambs than
those near the latter end of the sea-
l."
nAnc,rI Ir1o rIIr IInDCItS