Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1868-05-28
farmers 4fpartmeilt.
brittany Cattle.

The little Breton COWS are 1ouno
scattered over considerable extent
of territory, including no less tnan
five departments in the Western part
of France. The pure breed is re-
markable for its beauty and high
breeding qualities. This breed is
very ancient and it has spread far
and WIDE in every direction, to the
north as far as Scotland, where there
is good ground for believing it orig
mated the Ayrshire breed. Many
of the cattle around Bordeaux are
believed to have come originally
from Asia, and there are those who
think the cattle of Brittany came
from the same source. However this
may be, they have been remarkable
for many years for high dairy quail
ties, the milk being very rich ana
making the finest butter.
The true Breton cow is usually
black and white. Occasionally red
and white is to be met with, but the
prevailing color is black and white.
She ie small in size, the height vary
ing from thirty two to forty-two inch
es, on an average of thirty six or
thirty eight inches at the period of
maturity. The limbs are fine and
delicate, in fact, the animal is a per
feet dairy cew in miniature, and
hence it is very popular among many
as pet, being gentle and docile, and
a curiosity on account of small size
The form is remarkably symmetrical,
the head short and fine with sharp
outline, the muzzle small, the eye
quick and lively, the horn slender,
well set, curving outwards and up
wards, with the points turned to
each other. The color of the horn
is white at the root and black to-
wards the tip, sometimes all black,
or all of a yellewish color The
neck is slender, the crest free and
the dewlap very small. The back is
straight, the withers well formed, the
loins bread and well formed, the hips
prominent with a large pelvic capac-
ity. The rump is short, the tail long
and well attached. The legs are
short, the joints small and we'll de-
fined, the hoof small, dry and black.
The skin is almost invariably fine
and supple, the coat short and shiny.
The roof of the mouth and the
tongue is always white, though the
muzzle is usually black, sometimes
black and white and rarely quite
white. The udder is well shaped and
compact, though large for so small
an animal, the teats pointing inwards.
The COWS usually belong to the first
class of Guenon, or .Jiandrines.
The Breton cow is capable of great
endurance, being active and strong,
though always gentle and quiet. She
is naturally SO hardy that she thrives
under almost any circumstances, and
if stall fed and well cared for she fat
tens rapidly and well, having in fact
the greatest aptitude for taking on
flesh as soon as the secretion of milk
is suspended.
The brittany COW always COM
mands the admiration of the Ladies
wherever she is seen. The Princess
Baciocchi, cousin of the emperor,
living at Rennes, in Bretague, in the
heart of the district, is a great fancier
of this stock and has some of the
best. Prof. Bellamy of the same
city, one of the very best judges of
stock in France, is also very fond of
these little animals, and has devoted
great attention to their history and to
the selection of the best specimens
Mess Plougkman.