HORNLESS HOLSTEINS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1914, 24 November 1913, Page 8

HORNLESS HOLSTEINS.

Tho hornless Holstein is the latest addition' to the ranks of breeds in America: • ;-Mr. George E. Stevenson, of Woverle'y, Fa., has assembled what is said to bo the only herd of naturally polled Holstein cattle in existence. Ho seems to have been engaged for a considerable time in liis pursuit. In 1884 ho began to experiment in the breeding of. naturally polled cows to Holstein bulls. Ho saved tho polled calves, and bred them back to .tlio polls. Then, after several generations, lie selected ,-v bull calf from liis highest grade cow and a registered bull, and used him ill liis lierd. He filially produced an animal "from tho seventh cross with a registered bull. which was naturally hornless. This animal contained 127128 th Holstein blood. Calves from him out of tlio high-grade polled caws, add even from horned cows, were lalmost, invariably polled. In 1911' Mr. Stevenson heard of a pure-bred Holstein bull that was hornless, and he bought him. Ho also heard of a hornless cow and a. heifer, and added them to liis herd. Last . year -ho advertised for purebred polled -Holstoins, and ho located about 40 head of naturally hornless animals, and' from these lie purchased about 30 specimens. He settled down to "cultivate" his polls, • which aro proving a treasure. His animals were npt only hornless, but had. high milk records.