Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-09-06
HEREFORD Breeding IS
INTERESTING HISTORY
Champion Cattle Is outgrowth
Of Urgent Food Necessity
In England.


Massive bulls and splendidfy
developed cows to tho number Of over
200 from total OF eight different States
the show.
The Hereford breed has an interest
ing history and portrays how the
economic necessity Of having more and
better beef ut tho least cost will cause
the development Of this or that thing.
In tho early Eighteenth Century the
demand for beef in England was very
small for the population was distinctly |
an agricultural ono. who bred cattle
and horses for work purposes only. |
Finally toward the middle Of that CEN
tury with the growth of commerce and
manufacture the old system of just
killing for food those cattle which had
outlived their usefulness for work, was
found to be inadequate for the needs
of the people who had drifted into the
cities and manufacturing centres. A
need arose for more beef, and the best
beef that could DO raised quickly and
Mt the least expense--in other words,
cattle that could be raised on the grazing
lands Of western England and Wales,
without being fed tho precious grain.
Two groups of men attempted to solve
this problem and by two methods. The
one method was TO raise stall-fed animals
which, when they were developed, would
have the greatest weight. The result
of this endeavor was the growth OF
clumsy and heavy animals which, when
they reached maturity ut the ago of
four or five years, were large enough,
but very susceptible to disease, because
they were barn raised. This weakness
WAS never outlived, and the results Of
this group we're not satisfactory.
The group from which the Hereford
was derived was started by men who
wished to raise breed of cattle which
would utilize the abundance of grass
and forage that the western part of
England and the corresponding portion
of Wales supplied. They did not want
to feed grain in any quantities. Benjamin
Thompson was the pioneer in this field.
Ho selected two cows with the capacity
of putting on fat and by careful mating
and selection began TO develop breed
which soon attracted attention through
out the cattle breeding world, His
work was begun about l742 and con-
tinued 10 his death in 1889, when his
son took up the work and worked on
the problem until 1915, Many others
in England then began 10 develop on
the lines of the Thompsons and soon
Hereford cattle began to have promi-
hence at the cattle shows of Old England.
The first Herefords to be brought
/ TO this country arrived IN 1917. when
the Hon. Henry Clay, noted Senator
and politician of this country, imported
few of the breed. From that time
/ they began TO increase in popularity,
/ but il was not until about 1910 that
any number began to be imported
and bred. In 1910 William Sotham,
backed by Senator Erastus Corning
| of Albany, n. y, made an importa-
ton which attracted considerable at
tention From that time steady i'm
portstion and breeding began until
1876, when An exhibit of Herefords at
the Philadelphia Centennial interested
lands. The evolution of the growth of
moment was rapid and soon the Here
ford assumed the place which it now
occupies of being the foremost beef
| breed in this country.
/ Herefords are remarkable cattle in
that they have the qualities of being
the best grazers in the world and COM
bine with this the ability to fatten early
and TO be very hardy. Extremes OF
climate and scarcity of food are little
obstacles to the growth of the Hereford.
In addition to this they are prolific.
Other things in their favor are that they
are practically immune from tubercu-
! losis, bring the highest prices as beef
and are very economical.
In the corn belt and throughout the
western range the Hereford is king.
In % states now there are more regis
tered Hercfords than any other breed
of cattle. Fifty years ago the Here
fords in this country were scant
number, but today the growth has been
so rapid that there are now over 405, 5S2
registered Herefords or SIS per cent of
all the registered cattle of all breeds.
In numbers the. Hereford is second.
with only l,39S behind the most
numerous beef breed, Ibut predominating
in the number Of bulls IN service by
1924.
Herefords are beautiful cattle, with
white faces from which has been de-
4 rived the name white faces" by which
) they are Familiarity known. Their bodies
are deep rich red, while the breast, the
belly, switch and ankles are white
Their whole bodies are powerful and
: give the impression of being vigorous
compact and symmetrical. The broad
backs of the females and the masculin c
qualities of the male are excellent breed.
ing characteristics.
The show at the feir is remarkable
one in that there are about 200 Of tho
best cattle of the breed in the country
Most of the exhibits are from tn,
: corn belt states of Missouri, Iowa
: Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. Among
3 the famous cattle which are being shown
are the grand champion COW from tn,
. Ohio State Fair and the grand champion
bull from the Maine Central Fair. Tn,
q heaviest animal III the exhibit is a bul
, weighing 2400 pounds owned by +. i
: Brewster Of Durham, Conn. II i
. rumored that he was offered q con
a siderable sum for the animal yesterday
D One bull WIS quoted at the price o
$4,000 yesterday, but the offer refused
The herd is in charge of X. j. Kinzer
. who was brought herr expressly t,
supervise the care of the expensive
animals which are on exhibition. Sine
two herds had not arrived up to yes
e terday the judging in the show will b
! deferred until Thursday morning. Thi
8 work will be done by G. A. Tow of Nor
/. way, Iowa, who will award the % classe
of prizes ranging from SIS to 500 accord
\ ing TO the class and to whether it j
S single exhibit or a herd.
The following owners are exhibitin
: their prize cattle:
: A. j. A. Alexander, Spring Station
= Ky; w. n. W. Blayney, Denver, Col
;, | RrookE Inrr., n1r,.h arn Gem L L,