Note especially the conformation of the Dairy Shorthorn sire. How many Shorthorn sires of this type do we find in our dairy herds in Nevada? This is Waterloo Clay, a descendant of the Waterloo family which Thomas Bates originated-a real milking Shorthorn sire! Stockmen would properly prefer the beef sire above, but dairymen seem less particular in choosing sires.

In Nevada, our foundation cattle were undoubtedly "Mexican" or "Spanish" cattle, "Texas Longhorns, and similar unimproved stock, imported on the ranges between 1860 and 1880. During this period and subsequently Shorthorn sires were introduced to breed up the herds. By about 1890 most of our range cattle had come to be grade Shorthorns. The past twenty years, however, the Shorthorn, as a range-herd sire, has been generally superseded by the Hereford.

Characteristics: The Shorthorn is one of the largest breeds of cattle. Bulls at maturity weigh about 2,000 pounds and cows about 1,400 pounds. The color is red, red-and-white, pure white, or roan. Roan (red and white mixed) is a color rarely ever seen in cattle which do not possess some portion of Shorthorn blood. The lines of the body are straight; the form rectangular with well-filled points; broad level back; full loin; heavy thick buttocks, wide apart; brisket wide and full; legs rather short, close, fine-boned and well proportioned to size of body; the nose, lips and eyelids flesh-colored and free from dark markings; ears creamy yellow inside, and horns short and blunt, more or less curved downward, of a waxy color throughout and free from black tips.

The late Governor John Sparks, about 1894, imported a notable herd of registered Hereford cattle from England and began the breeding of Herefords on his farm near Reno.* These cattle attracted wide attention from stock men. When the Herefords were crossed with range-bred cattle, their characteristics were transmitted to the progeny in a marked degree. The grade Herefords of the ranges could instantly be recognized *The Halleck Cattle Company imported some Herefords as early as 1887, but the credit of popularizing the breed in Nevada belongs to Governor Sparks.

by their resemblance to the new sires. Moreover, the "rustling" characteristics of the Herefords were likewise transmitted, and such grades showed heavier hindquarters and better beef form generally than the previous range cattle.

The Hereford now has generally superseded the Shorthorn as a range sire, until it is probable that the "white faces" predominate in the range sections of the West. How far this breeding may be continued before it will be desirable for a "comeback" with the Shorthorn is a question. Bearing in mind that at the end of the fifth generation of constant breeding with Hereford sires our range cattle would be about 97 per cent Hereford, or almost pure-breds, the answer to the question is whether such high-grade Herefords, or a more equal mixture of Hereford and Shorthorn blood, makes the best range animal.

For some years the appreciation of the Herefords was based mainly on

their ability to withstand hardships and to produce beef under the rigorous conditions of the western ranges. But the Hereford has been found equally adaptable to the production of "baby-beef" on the farms. The calves are taken from their mothers at weaning age in the fall and shipped to the farms where they are fed on alfalfa hay, grass pasturage and in some instances cotton-seed cake or grain for about twelve months, when they are marked as yearlings (18 to 20 months) weighing 1,000 to 1,400 pounds. It is doubtful if any other breed of cattle excels the Hereford for baby beef.

History: The Hereford is one of the oldest, if not the oldest established breed of English cattle. Their ancestral home was the country about Herefordshire where they are historically mentioned as existing as early

as 1627. Importations to the United States began about the time of the Centennial Exposition in 1876.

Characteristics: The most distinctive feature of the Hereford is the color markings of red and white. The head, including the jaws and throat, is white, with white under the neck, down the breast, under the belly and more or less on the legs. The bush of the tail is white and there is a white strip on top of the neck reaching as far as the top of the shoulders. The body, sides of the neck, and usually some parts of the legs, are red. The red may vary from very light to very dark. form is compact, with short legs, heavy shoulders and thighs. animal should be block-shaped when viewed from the side, and barrelshaped viewed from the front or rear. The Herefords are heavier in

The

The

actual weight than their appearance seems to indicate, as compared with other cattle.

In Scotland two breeds of cattle have existed so long that history does not record their origins. These are the Aberdeen-Angus, of the northwestern part of Scotland, and the Galloway, along the southwestern coast. Both are black and both hornless. The Aberdeen-Angus are sleek haired, small boned, round in the barrel and early maturing. They are better adapted to farm than range conditions, and are extensively raised in the corn-growing sections. Crossed with the ordinary native cattle, over 90 per cent of the offsprings are black in color and hornless. They are prime favorites as dehorners.

GALLOWAY

The Galloway is a Scotch breed (see Aberdeen-Angus) of medium size, blocky, compact, with short legs and excellent beef qualities. It is distinguished by its rich coat of long, black, curly hair, affording a skin for fur coats and robes that is superior to that of the buffalo.

Farm Practice in Nevada. Our two principal forage crops are alfalfa and grass hay. Cattle are likely to bloat on alfalfa pasturage, so that watchfulness is necessary to prevent loss. Farm-grown cattle are usually pastured on the grass lands from early spring until late in the fall, when they are fed alfalfa or grass hay during the colder months.

Some variety in feed is essential to high milk production for dairy cows or the quick fattening of beef cattle. A continuous feed of alfalfa alone, or grass hay alone, or of pasturage alone without dry hay, will produce less returns in milk or beef in proportion to cost of feed than a