. History of Hereford cattle : proven conclusively the oldest of improved breeds . Hereford cattle. HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 345 districts in the counties of Gloucester, Wilts and Somerset. Owing to this circumstance, and being surrounded by sorts m no respect of equal merit, the breeders in Herefordshire were fam to be content with what they possessed, and thus, by degrees, purity of blood and fixity of type were established in their cattle. Much uncertainty has existed as to the type of Here- ford that prevailed in the past century. In respect of this there should not be any. For ages ther
. History of Hereford cattle : proven conclusively the oldest of improved breeds . Hereford cattle. HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 345 districts in the counties of Gloucester, Wilts and Somerset. Owing to this circumstance, and being surrounded by sorts m no respect of equal merit, the breeders in Herefordshire were fam to be content with what they possessed, and thus, by degrees, purity of blood and fixity of type were established in their cattle. Much uncertainty has existed as to the type of Here- ford that prevailed in the past century. In respect of this there should not be any. For ages there has been no record or tradition of any blending of blood, and in the absence of such evidence, we may fairly conclude that no fresh blood has been sought since the amalga- mation of the white cattle of Brecknock with the red stock of Herefordshire in the reign of King John, which produced in the process of time, the famous race now known everywhere as 'Herefords.' "So recent as a hundred years ago there was no recognized color for the breed; they were nearly every color; black,blacl' tints and irindle alone excepted. Nobody set much store on color, the test of value having been in the size and working powers of the oxen. It was then in the matter of color preciseljr what it is now with cart horses; for oxen then were bred quite as much for draught purposes as for beef, and but few thought of fattening three-year-old steers. To have done so would have been looked upon not only as a waste of working power, but also as a great loss in the production of beef. The yeomen of the country were exceedingly proud of their noble teams of oxen, and one vied with another in breeding and working the best in his neighborhood. Herds of repute were then many, but a fine choice herd was then termed a 'good stock' and to have a good stock was considered a sufficient guarantee of purity of breed. The grand old ox mentioned is a good representative specimen of the TuUy's variety of Herefords
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookcollectionbiod, bookdecade1900, bookyear1902
