COLOR IN SHORTHORNS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3166, 22 August 1881, Page 4

COLOR IN SHORTHORNS.

Australian frequently carry their fancies as to the colour of cattle to absurd lengths (says the Queensiander). Only a few days ago we heard a breeder gravely express dissent at champion honors being awarded to a heifer because she was yellow, although acknowledging that in all other respects she was superior to any Hher on the show-grounds, and yet the 'Collings and Bates prized this color above all others, yellow being the prevailing color of the Eoggiithorpes, one of Mr Bates' favorite tribes Again, with many white is deemed n sure indrs of want of stamina, whereas b several of the most robust tribes of Booths white is tjip predominating color. Of cours different breeders have different fancies as to color, and to this no one has any right to object ; bub when it is attempted to be shown that color lias an influence on the constitution of cattle, there is cause for protest on behalf of those who own superior stock of any of the tabooed colors. One of tbe most remarkable instances of the fallacy of the influence of color on the stamina of animals is to be found in the history of the racehorse. Prior to the unqualified success of Htockwell, chestnut was in very many Btables synonymous with absence of staying powers ; whilst at the present time ifc is the favorite color on the turf. We have been led into rnakin. these remarks from bavins read a well-merited rebuke administered by " Pimpernel," a clever writer in the Live Sock Journal, and an acknowledged authority on such matters to an American breeder who has been " doing" the shorthorn herdof England, and who has been endeavoring (unsupported by any evidence) to reduce his fancies as to colors to facts.