Polled Shorthorns.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 101, 9 October 1908, Page 3

Polled Shorthorns.

Within comparatively recent years the Americans have developed a particularly useful breed of cattle, which they cali the Polled Durham —up nig the old name of the Shorthorn —an animal which has all the characteristics of the Shorthorn, but without the horns. The breed is looked on as a pure bred, cr nearly so, and originated some twenty years ago. When the movement of dehorning catle began, many breeders in the States looked round to see if they could not develop a breed to suit their purpose, and they set about crossing" "muley" cows with pure bred Shorthorn bulls. A muley cow is a native scrub of no particular breed, but polled. The first type of hornless Shorthorn developed in America is called the "single standard," and is eligible for registration in the Polled Durham Herdbook. The demand arose, however, for purebred hornless Shorthorns, and these have been made with the requisite number of pure crosses to enable them to be entered in the American Shorthorn Herdbook, as well as in the other, and are therefore classed as "double standard." There is therefore now in the States a pure bred strain of Shorthorns, which have no horns at all. We have thus seen within a very few years the making of what is practically a new breed, and one which is prepotent enough to breed true to is characteristics. The making of this breed suggests the possibility of doing the same in this country if someone of wealth and suitable surroundings would care to try it.