shorthorn - Breed Associations
A type of domestic cattle with short horns. In 18th-c England, Charles and Robert Colling improved the type, leading to such breeds as the Durham (the shorthorn of the American ranchers) and the Teeswater. In 19th-c England, Thomas Bates developed the dairy shorthorn. Other breeds are the northern dairy shorthorn, whitebred shorthorn, beef shorthorn, and the (often hornless) Lincoln red.
The Shorthorn breed of cattle originated in the North East of England in the late 18th century. All Shorthorn cattle are coloured red, white or roan, although roan cattle are preferred by some, and completely white animals are not common.
The breed evolved from Teeswater and Durham cattle found originally in the North East of England. In the late 18th century the Colling brothers, Charles and Robert, started to improve the Durham cattle using the selective breeding techniques that Robert Bakewell had used successfully on Longhorn cattle.
At the same time Thomas Bates of Kirklevington and John Booth of Killesby were developing the Teeswater cattle. The Bates cattle were subsequently developed for their milking qualities, whereas the Booth cattle were developed for their beef qualities.
In 1822 George Coates published the first volume of his herd book, this was the first pedigree herd book for cattle in the world. Coates published the first four volumes, after which Henry Stafford took over the ownership and publishing of the herd book, retaining the name "Coates's Herd Book".
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