Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 56, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 March 1919 — ALL DOUBTS ARE DISPELLED. [ARTICLE]

ALL DOUBTS ARE DISPELLED.

Polled Hereford* are no longer the coming cattle; they are the cattle. Here is proof from “Polled Hereford Week:” First: 259 Polled Hereford enthusiasts, men and women, sat down to the annual banquet on ,Monday, Feb. 17, the very first session of the week’3 activities. They wCre from 18 stateß and Canada; as far east as Massachusetts,- -west —to Caltfonriai south to New Mexico and nprth to Canada. Newspaper men present told us it was undoubtedly one of the biggest banquets ever served by any association of any breed in America. And it had the “pep,”-too-Second: An attendance of close to 400 at the opening sale on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Buyers names on the clerk’s sheet from ten states. Two price records on females broken; a cow and calf at $2825 and a cow alone at $2500. An average on 42 cows of $1182.50 and on eight bulls of $1062.50 with a general average of $1163 on 50 head. Six young cows and heifers from one herd selling at an average of SIBOB. During the 1 ' week 181 head of Polled Herefords sold at an average of SBOB. Third: An offering of cattle surpassinganythingeygrMsembl^db?^ fore by the breeders of muley Whitefaces. The man who made the final selection is one of the best judges of Herefords in lowa and an influential breeder of horned Herefords. He admitted frankly that the cattle surpassed anything he hoped to see or believed to exist among Polled Herefords Even the most enthusias-.e Polled Hereford “crank” was astonished at the size and quality of the

offering. *=-=== Fourth: A purse of nearly or quite $5,000 hung up for the grand champion steer at the 1919 , In^ er " a : tional if he be a registered Polled Hereford. We have the cattle and are determined to prove it. At the close of the first day sale Col. Reppert opened a subscription list to a fund to be paid as a premium for the grand champion steer at the 1919 International show if a registered Polled Hereford. He subscribed SIOO and was instantly followed by breeders, auctioneers, insurance men and others until a purse of about $3600 was offered. This added to the SISOO or thereabouts, whieh can be won from the American Hereford Cattle Breeders’ association, makes it possible for some good feeder to take a Polled Hereford steer to Chicago next winter and by winning the premier honors fin that show to collect over SSOOO prize money. This will surely result ' n a big polled steer show at the 1919 International. A fifth proof of the leadership of Polled Herefords is found fin the report of breed activities and growth as shown by the secretary’s report: Double standard entries 3417 Total entries to Sept. 1, 1918.14076 Transfers •••• 2*252 New members l^ 9 Total members Sept. 1 1023 New herds established 718 Total herds on Sept 1...... ... 4199 Since September 1 more than 150 members have joined and cattle are recorded to a total of 15,300 to date. The past year exceeded the total of the first ten years of the organization and was by far the biggest in our history. Polled Herefords are now bred in 42 states, Canada, Hawaii and Mexico. In view of all these facts the most 'skeptical must admit that Polled Herefords have arrived at the head of the procession of beef cattle. We are young in years and when compared to the horned Herefords or Shorthorns we are fewin numbers, but we have the center of the stage in the show now playjng and the interest of cattlemen generally is centered on our favorites. The trend of the times toward polled cattle of all breeds is shown in a recent report from stockyards statistical sources showing that since 1907 the weight of horns remove dfrom cattle slaughtered has decreased more than twotttfirds. Whether we breed them off or saw them off we are getting them off and the wide-awake cow man is coming to see that it is foolish to breed them on and then saw them off. Polled cattle are coming and Polled Herefords are leading the van. If now we play the game skillfully and honsetly we shall sweep the boards within the next few years.