DUAL PURPOSE SHORTHORN.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 736, 8 April 1910, Page 10

DUAL PURPOSE SHORTHORN.

NOT TO BE ENCOURAGED. , , Thau Mr. Robert Bruce, the Agricultural Superintendent of tho Royal .Dublin Society, there is probably no better authority on Scotch shorthorn' cattle in the world..- He has written largely on the subject, and he never leaves one in doubt as to his views on highly debatable points in breeding, but his article in tho "Breeders' Gazette," just received, will find very few sympathisers among shorthorn breeders in this part of the world. It is the old question of. whether there should be separate types for beef and for milk, and Mr.-.Bruce says "No." . - ■ , "The intrinsic values of shorthorn cattle," ho affirms, "must always in the end depend ,on two important attributes—their meat and r milk-producing powers; and if 'character,' even if it were possible to arrivo at a satisfactory definition of the,term, interferes with tho;utility of the animal in respect to one or both of these attributes, it is worse than valueless; it becomes detrimental iu the full senso of tho word. .....' With tho increased demand, for milk, taken in conjunction with greater facilities for-its transit, much is being said regarding the necessity of greater attention to the milking capabilities of our pedigree shorthorn cows. As to this there can he no question, but when the advocates for .milk attempt 'to divide shorthorns into two- different types, I must at onco join issue with them. ■ We can afford to allow breeders -of. special: purpose .'■cattle,to. produce their _ three-cornered fieshless animals, knowing well that iiow, when attention, has been drawn to the subject of niijk,-dual purpose shorthorn cows can, and will, be produced to-hold their own in tho. matter of; • milk J production ■against all and sundry." .... % Mr. Bruce .points to V a particular cow—a first prize-winner at the London Dairy Show—as the class of. animal .the breeder, should keep his mind's eye on, and he-goes on to say.that Cruickskank had one object in view, viz.; "the production of ;-a rent-paying class, of -cattle." Hut which is. the: rent-paying type? The beef animal or- the milking cow ?-~ At a glance one would say that the ■', money■ turned over: from milk. : produc-'. tion.is annually many" tinies.'greater than-for beef,' arid, if the shorthorn is to compote with, other specialised breeds, cows must he produced which ■njill riot only.;yield',;ajfair supply .of milk-and a useful;carcass for .the butclierj but cows which yield abnormally. ..'As a general rule, a'cbw cannot at the 'same tinie' yield milk"'abnormally and produce' beef; the more milk- she produces the more flesh she wastes in the iprocfess.';' When she becomes' dry she will:put ori.flesh. ..From what it.would appear 'to, be a ■ physical"impossibility to achieve the very highest results with either-milk or ■ beef■• without temporarily 'sacrificing one.: qualityi >•. ;• ~"-",'" ;■ |'In-occasional ; animals'-flesh' : arid milk .will be found together,,but. as. an- ideal of ,tho ; . pays^the''-large 5 - station;holdeVto stick closely to the s beef type, 'without' giving ihii'ch-"attenfioni'to milk, 'the. converse surely holds good in re■gardrto the .dairy iarmey;an4iJbe milk-. ing;'strain(j■ ;''■■■•. :'■• --,vo?.'<■ *•'>£ £ f