EARLY HISTORY OF THE SHORTHORN.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1037, 28 January 1911, Page 8

EARLY HISTORY OF THE SHORTHORN.

It is understood that tho present breed of Shorthorns are descended from ••'■• oafttle .which were introduced-into. Eng- .: land by'the Danes during the time they : werohiling over the cpuntry. 'Southern . Doninark, . Jutland, Holstoin, and ...-.'■ Utrecht, long, held by the Danes, pos- ■. Bessed.'a .breed of cattle, Shorthorns es- .■-.-;. sehtially.having their general appear- ;■ ■ anco, and peculiar colours, but coarso in. form and fleshy yielding largely of '■■;..: milk.'lt is statedthat for some years these cattle inhabited only the north-- ■■'.' eastern, countries .of England (North--umborland, Durham, and : York) t-hei' known as Northmnbria. Holderness, a ,'■'■ Yorkshire district, held considerable /herds of Shorthorns. They-possessed a great i aptitude to fatten, in addition to :. their milking- qualities.' ■ Still. they had coarse.-flesh, ; . and much offal. That . they possessed valuable characteristics ...'.,- high>and broad, carcasses, and -contained within themselves tho ele- . m'ent of refinement when' brought with- , in tho conditions of- shelter and good ■ fare, -orio 'may well conjucture. . The ■ ■ cattle arespokou of on about' 1750 as • existing, in . Yorkshire-; and Durham in '■'.:' a.-high state of improvement.and pre- ■'.. renting, an.'appearance superior to-any ■'".other cattle, .-borne pedigrees-have been .''"'. .traced'back t0.1740, while it "is alleged .:'-, that.Shorthorns.wero in'evidenco on tho -'Earl .of Northumberland's estates in . V 1684. ,;. In 1738, a writer remarked that certain; Shorthorns, wero red and' white ■'■..;. (nth" a litile/'red above the neck, or roan.'; Tho Duko of Northumberland at-tho same-time' is said to. havo had ■';. . good, Shorthorns at Stanwick. Other . '.."owners included tho Aislabees, Sir Wil- ■'.';■; liam 'St.' Qucntin,. of Scompston, the ■:. Stephensons,. Moynards, and Wether- '■".-> ells. A' Shorthorn ox fivo years old weighed 21001b. when dressed and in V addition had 2241b!-'of rough tallow. A sow'-at. the samo period weighed 15401b. \ - These Weights - wore not luicommou. '"'-."'' It' was not till 1780 t'iat Shorthorns obtained a good.reputation, and this .'■---"state'of affairs was caused, principally '■.-' by tho .efforts df-" Charles and Robert :Collins,' two-young breeders,."who culled and interchanged with ' older' bree'd- '■'.;'■:''• era,'- and -gradually .built up: a very - ■';. strong and well-buiHv. herd. Qno of their Dulls,' "Hubback," is described av , -.tho great' progenitor of tho .improved : ' Shorthorns. He- Was absolutely purebred., '. Charles Collins' had a number of. 1 V fine: cattle, and ho determined to ex- ,■". tend the -breed"-throughout England. .■-..'.- With this idea ho kept a steer, called .'.-'.''--.tbe "Durham ox" for, fivo years, and then sold him to. bo taken round the ;' conntry'on exhibition., At that time the .ox's 'live, weight was -30241b., while his; dead-weight, of beef; hide,- and tal- '•-': ]ow-;rW-as'comp'uted-at-'23s2'.pounds.-The • ■ '■' beast was travelled-in-a special carriage -. ; for fivo weeks, : ahd7was''theii sold.for ;' £250,' to'a: Mr.-Day, who. in turn. trav--1 .-... clled with:him for'.six.years, when tho animal .dislocated-i hip-hono : and was '.'.' slaughtered..; He'had lost flesh through '.-:' illness, but when' the'carcass was cut •': up,.it weighed 23221b., excluding:ls6lb. -.•' '.for: tallow ;a'nd 1421b'. for- the hide.; .',' Collins.' also 'exhibited . a heifer which '.-' .'■' was' said'to possess many "wonderful ,'■■■ points. ' Her dead weight.was estimat- .'■■■ ed'-at 18201b. Tho exhibition of these

■ cattle early. in the''last'century, gave \ their breeder a groat reputation, and. ~ -.the.,,demand jor. )v his stock secured "for : . Sim. a fortune, ;andmother breeders f01,,/ ~/ v Jowiiig:, Oolliiii rcgardin g parg- '.■:> fulness- in culling : and Eelcction, .' the treed generally attained great .emin- "-' ence, until to-day-it is regarded as tho - 'jhost .aristocratio' of all cattle breeds.