Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-09-08

There are many who believe that one
CT the dual-purpose types OF cattle would
Ae- better adapted for the south than
some Of the strictly beef or dairy breeds
now So high In public favor A dual
purpose breed is one supposedly well
adapted for beef and dairy production
In other words. the breed is not highly
Specialized for either purpose Those
who are familiar with the subject of
animal breeding viii quickly realize how
tssy difficult ii Is TO preserve these two
characters ia proper balance IN any one
b2tci. and. as a matter Of fact. the adj
vocates OF the dual-purpose type have
found 1t difficult 10 agree among them
selves as 70 Just what points should pre-
dominate in their favorite breeds There
i naturally . tendency on the part Of
tue owners OF this class OF cattle to
breed them more specifically for either
dairy or beef purposes. though II is pos
sibIe 10 combine the two with some de-
cree OF satisfaction where one is not
seeking for the highest excellence In
either direction Those who favor the
dual-purpose type believe that on the
average farm cows are needed which will
give more milk than the general run OF
the beef breeds and will kill out a
higher per cent Of valuable meat than
can be obtained from he sricly dairy
breeds. such as the Jersey or Guernsey.
Their point In this respect Is well taken,
and 50 II may be said that there Is a
distinct place for the dual-purpose breed
on many southern farms
II would be impossible in a short paper
70 discuss all the so-called dual-purpose
breeds, and attention win. therefore. be
briefly directed TO one OF the best known
and most widely disseminated OF these
breeds in the south at the present time.
- l. l. -. ID DILL 81
named from the fact that they are horn
less and red IN color. They are sup
posed. 10 have originated IN the counties
Of Norfolk and Suffolk in England. The
early history Of this breed is not def
nitely known. and is not matter OF any
considerable moment TO the generation
or today. II Is known. however, that
there were distinct types of Norfolk Red
Poll and Suffolf Red Poll at an early
date. and that the present breed was de-
veloped through the amalgamation OF the
two. Cattle quite similar in Characters
tics to the Red Poll Of the present day
have been found in the eastern United
States for nearly a century. The first
authentic Importation is supposed TO
have been made about 1878 by Mr. @. f.
Tabor, OF Patterson. y. Y, and from that
time the breed has increased In num-
hers and popularity throughout the
United States.
In general characteristics good speci-
mems of this breed milk quite literally
and fatten satisfactorily. The face is
rather lean. the wfthers only moderately
broad. the body well ribbed. but not as
tEsickly fieshed as with the beef breeds.
The hips lack prominence and the hind
quarter is thinner than In the beef type
Probably the udder is better developed
than in most OF the so-called beef breeds,
while the milk veins are especially well
developed While the color varies some
what. dark red Is the most Characteristic,
with occasionally a little white on the
rdder In size this breed is medium.
while the temperament Is good. though
Trey are probably more nervous and &C
tive than the Shorthorns- The males
vary in weight from I.So0 to ZOO pounds
and the cows from !. 100 10 1900 pounds,
the smaller weights in each instance be-
ing more typical OF the average than the
larger figure
As a beef-producing breed the Red
Polls rank very well. They have not often
won highest honors in exhibitions OF
beef cattle. but they have made cred
table record. quite as good as could be
anticipated with a breed developed for
Two purposes AS milk producers they
have done well At the Pan-American
dairy test In 1901. five Red Polled cows
took fifth rank among ten breeds with q
ret profit OF s2o1-d for the six months
Among the COWS tested Mayflower stood
second. producing 6.6s1 pounds OF milk
and - pounds OF butter. Good speci-
mems of this breed viii produce as much
as 5000 pounds Of milk. which is much
above the average Of the ordinary dairy
COW The milk OF this breed is not as
rich in fat as that Of the Jersey. but
Is richer than the Holstein, averaging
nearly per cent
This breed may be used with advan-
tage for grading up the native stock
which Is a very important considera-
ton They are possibly not quite so pre-
potent as some OF the older and better
known breeds. and on this account are
not likely TO transmit with uniformity
desirable qualities TO their progeny. but
they are more prepotent than many OF
the native cattle with which they might
be crossed. and therefore one can antic-
fpate q steady Improvement from the