Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-01-02
ST. JOHNsBURY FRIDAY, JANUARY 3

and white. In these distinctions Of colors
there is none Of blood--the Dutch COW, of
whatever color, always shows the same
marked peculiar conformation which distin-
guishes the oldest race of milch kline in the
world
While in Holland most of the summer
milk is made into cheese, butter Of an ex-
cellent quality is also sent to London mar
ket, and 1 find the yield to be at least equal
to the average Vermont daircs, quart for
quart of milk. As the climate of Holland
is even more severe than that of New
England, nothing need be feared on that
point, if cattle are selected from the dryer
pastures; on the wetter lands they become
subject to rheumatism
Dutch'catt are characterized by extreme
heartincss as well as by hardness it has
been urged against them that they are large
consumers of food, which is, and ought be,
true Of an animal kept for milk "a coa0
giceS her milk by the mou'," but in my ex-
perienco have found them relatively to
their size and yield, cheaply kept. In Hol-
land two and half tons of hay is allowed
for the long winter keep Of each full-grown
animal which is not far from what is Iequir-
ed here for animals of less size.
Here in Middlcsox county, where there
are many grades from Mr.. Chenery's stock,
they are invariably iavortes with the milk
producers and even very many half-breed
bulls arc kept.
1t is pernicious practice, that ofreport-
ing an extraordinary yield of milk for a
single day, as evidence of superiority Of the
race to which the animal giving it may be.
long; but the distinguishing feature Of the
race now being considered is the iulness o
its yield throughout the whole milking sea-
son. | doubt if any other breed in the
country can show recorl Of 1861 pound,
I Of milk in 365 days. 1t is this habit o
r continuous yield which | regard as the mos
distinctive and valuable trait Of the Dutcl
COW. A heifer imported by me, now ownec
by Mr.. Ii. G. Hoffman, of llorsehcads, Che
! muug county, New York, gave, afte
5 her first calf, an average Of 80 pounds o
t milk daily for nine months after calving, an
S in her tenth month, when parted with hel
t was giving % pounds per day, with no bet
! ter feed than is given in the stables of ou
e milk producers generally. Her mother, a
four years old, after a oriydays' journey b.
land and sea, arrived in this country nearl
dry in November, 1870, having calved in tn
previous spring; yet, within three weeks c
1 her landing she was giving nearly oightee
quarts daily, which she continued until it be
came necessary to dry her up for again calN
: ing. parted with her at the same tim
c with the heifer, when she was giving ,
c quarts daily, in the fifth month after calvinl
II her extreme yicll had been % quarts in
L day.
l. Now am aware these figures are not su
% prisng as compared with the statements "
s occasionally see published, yet | aelie'
i there is not a dairyman who reads this WI
II would not be glad to be able to say as niue
l. of the animals he owns.
IS If Dutch dairyman seeks large-sized al
+. imals, it is because in their seventh yes
they are are turned into beef; for milk, M
. dium-sized animals are preferred.
IS Obliged to limit this article to such bri,
l testimony as may serve to point cut the gre'
IS excellence of Dutch dairy stock, hope y
- to have interested some readers to whom Il
~ subject is new, and to have answered son
L. of those private inquiries addressed to me G
to the subject believe it is yet to be Il
10 mission Of the strong blood Of the DutC
.. cattle race, to bring that Improvement to OIL
. mich kline which all agree is much needle