Plain Truth 1963 (Vol XXVIII No 05) May - And He said to them, "Go ...

Page 44 TlJe PLAIN TRUTH May, 1963
They do not have to be bigger to be better. Dexter cattle have a tiny, but beefy
frame and weigh from 600 to 900 pounds. Like all the normal, ancient breeds, they
produce a fine carcass of excellent, flavorful, tender beef. The gentleness of this
bull is typical of the breed. Although completely unaccustomed to a leash, he was
very cooperative, even with this four-year-old boy.
the spring and are nOt adversely affected
by sudden spring stOtros.
People who are familiar with only
the artificial breeds asm.me that the
natural breeds are JUSt as limited and
just as adversely affected by distresses.
But this is not uue. The natural breeds
consider such things as sudden weather
changes to be normal. Scorch Highlanders,
for example, are not, as some suppose,
jusc northern cows. They are so
adaprable rhey do nOr appeas to suffer
from the heat of Southern California
summers. Bjg, genrle Brahman carrie,
assumed to be suited only for hot climates,
adapc more readily [0 Canadian
winters than the lighr dairy breeds,
and frequently spend their time in the
open in below-zero weather, even when
a barn is available-according to repores
from nonhern breeders.
Charolais can Ie, anOther big, extremely
gentle breed, are noted for hardiness,
for milk thac tests up to six per cent
buttetfat, and for fine quality, cender
beef. Having long been bred in France
for hardiness and lean meat, these catrle
did not have tbeir nature distorted
in tbe interest of umlat/tral profit.
The ancient, natural beef breeds are
usually better milkers than the artificial
breeds. Brahmans are sometimes used
as family milk caws because of their
abundance of rich milk thac tests over
five percent butterfat. Devon cactle are
such heavy milkers chat they used to be
considered dual-purpose catrIe. Some
writers still list them as such, although
the Devon Caccie Club lists them as
strictly beef cattl~_
Gentleness and Courage
Many people asiume that gentle ani-
if!!!!
mals mU,Jt be indolent cowards, and
that cercain animals, like watchdogs and
dairy bulis, muse be vicious and danger.
ous in order to be good. Such an assumption
is the height of folly! God did nOt
imend an.·y domestic animal co be dan·
gerous. He commands that a dangerous
bull sbould be kept penned, and tbat
if this does nOt keep him from harming
people or other animals, he should be
killed (Ex. 21:28-36) .
Men have nOr obeyed God. They have
carelessly bred such belligerent natures
into dairy bulls that big-game humers
always list rhe domestic dairy bull as
the most dangerous animal on the North
American continent. This is true, but
it is a perversion. Viciousness is NOT
an essential part of courage. Some of tbe
most docile cattle are noted for their
courageous protection of their young.
And (here are several breeds of medium
and large dogs-gentle as lap dogsthat
have for centuries been used to
guard sheep and cartle. They are so
courageous rhey will fearlessly fighr off
wol ves or bears.
'Viciousness in cattle is not a trait
creaced in chern. Ie is a rather recent
development caused by mismanagement,
crossbreeding and breeding for a few
isolated characteristics while neglecting
rhe over-all qualiry. Throughour the
Middle East, where our ancestors and our
catde originaced, all species of livestock
Dexters, even though tiny, produce an abundance-up to three gallons a dayof
rich, sweet-flavored milk with small fat globules. These rough foragers are as
good as goats at cleaning up weed patches. Their terrific digestive system makes
them economical producers of both meat and milk. This stocky cow had iust been
turned out to pasture after milking. Dexters are a lmost entirely free of diseases.