The beef cow presents a totally different appearance. She is square in
shape, full and broad over the back and loins, possessing depth and
quality particularly in these regions. The hips are evenly fleshed, the
legs full and thick, the under line parallel with the straight back. The
neck is full and short. The eye should be bright, the face short, the
bones of fine texture the skin soft and pliable, and the flesh mellow,
elastic to the touch, and rich in quality.
For meat the Short-horns (formerly called Durhams) and Herefords and
their grades predominate. They are both English breeds with horns. In
color the Short-horns are red and white or a mixture of these, while the
Herefords are red with white faces, briskets, bellies and feet. The
Aberdeen-Angus and Galloways are famous for their high qualities as beef
makers, and are both of Scotch origin, black and hornless.
ABERDEEN-ANGUS.--Black color, polled heads, rotund compact type,
smoothness of conformation, short legs, evenness of flesh when fat,
deep, full hindquarters. Beef breed.
GALLOWAY.--Low, blocky animal, with long, soft, shaggy coat of black
hair, hornless, well sprung in the ribs, resembling barrel in shape,
which is evenly covered with juicy, lean flesh. Head short and wide,
forehead broad, face clean, nostrils large. Eye large and prominent.
Neck short, clean. Shoulders broad, joining body smoothly. Hindquarters
long, wide, well filled. Rump straight, wide, carrying width of body out
uniformly, well filled with flesh. Thighs broad and thick. Legs short
and clean. Beef breed.
HEREFORD.--Color red and white. Head, including jaws and throat, white,
white under neck, down the breast, under belly, and on legs. Bush of
tail white, white strip on top of neck to top of shoulders, remainder of
body red. Head short, forehead broad, eyes full, horns rather strong and
of whitish yellow color, free from black tips, more or less drooping,
neck short and thick. Hide heavy and loose and covered with dense soft
coat of hair. Breast broad and full, free from loose dewlap. Shoulders
broad on top. Ribs well sprung and extending well backward. Rump bones
wide apart. Legs short, straight and set well apart. Line of back
straight and level. Quarters full and well rounded. Beef breed.
SHORTHORN.--Head wide between eyes, short from eyes to nostril. Horns
short, curved forward waxy white with dark tips. Neck short and fine.
Back straight, level and broad and deeply covered with flesh. Thighs
wide, deep and long, well filled down in the twist. Body deep, squarely
built. Flanks well let down, underline nearly straight. Legs medium
length. Colors pure red, pure white, a mixture of these colors, or roan.
Beef breed.
The breeds considered as chiefly serving the dual-purposes of milk and
beef-making are Red Polls and Devons, both English breeds, and some of
the Short-horn families having the milking characteristic best
developed.
RED POLLED.--Weight for bulls 1800 to 2000 pounds, cows 1300 to 1500
pounds. Color red. Nose flesh color. Switch of tail and udder white.
Head medium length, wide between eyes. Poll well defined and prominent,
neck of medium length, clean cut, straight from head to top of shoulder.
Chest broad and deep, back long, straight and level, hips wide and well
covered, legs short and straight. Udder full and flexible. Teats well
placed and wide apart. Hide loose, mellow, with full coat of soft hair.
Dual purpose breed.