Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-01-22
Jersey Cows


or poorer, according to the treatment they
receive by breeders, then it becomes
reasonable question to ask. What will be
the character Of the future Jersey COW in
this country We believe the Jersey may
be improved for general purposes by an
admixture of such blood SIS will give lar
ger size, and little more hardy constitu-
ton. That we are not alone in this orin-
ion, may be seen by the following letter
of a Western correspondent Of the Live
Stock Journal:
1t seems to me q safe prediction, that
the Jersey cow-perhaps should say the
Channel Island cow-will become more
popular, and especially more fashionable.
She has made great progress 10 these d.
rections in the last few years. 1t Is not
very long since that she was looked upon
as almost purely fancy animal, and had
but little general recognition in that line
even. Now, many practical men-men
who keep COWS with the view Of making
money from their product, rather than by
their sale for breeding purposes. In this
country the number Of pure bred Jerseys
Is much greater than that OF any other
breed of cattle, the almost everywhere
leader-the Short-horn-alone excepted.
While the prices they command are not
higb-judged by the standard Of fashion
able Short-horns-they are very satisfac-
tory, and the demand is unquestionably
increasing. This is also true in England,
where their appreciation has been more
recent and rapid. | am not able to agree
with their enthusiastic admirers, if these
insist that the Jersey is the best COW for
the general farmer but | do believe the
breed is a very valuable one, in its purity
for = goodly number, and in its crosses
for much larger number.
1t is an important question for jersey
breeders, whether they will accept the pres
ent standard. A. the best possible, and seek
to secure uniformity to existing fashion
able models, or whether they shall attempt
TO retain the present e1cellences, and also
further develop others. The generally rec
ognized and accepted claim for the jersey
is, the production of rich milk-milk con-
tanning an unusually large percentage of
butter. Large yields of milk are occasion
ally reported but very generally the
claim is, not quantity, but quality. Among
breeders, we find quite different standards
for Judging. One class makes milk pro-
duction the great test thi. is to be shown
by actual tests of the individual or her
ancestry, or else indicted by the escutch-
con, or mark, supposed to indicate eIeell-
ence in this direction. Another class
attaches great and, unquestionably, undue,
Importance TO fancy points, noticeably a
= solid color and black points. Incident
ally. there has been considerable change
in size and appearance. The average j er-
.ey COW Of to-day is larger and good
deal more symmetrical than was the aver
age Jersey of twenty years since; but
this change has been somewhat Incidental.
Few breeders have made these changes a
principal subject.
Of course, it would be exceedingly IN
wise TO adopt Short-horn model of per-
lection for the jersey; but believe the
greatest utility Of the breed-it. adoption
to the wants Of the largest numbsr-can
be best secured by giving more general
attention to increasing the size, improving
the form in its adoption to meat product
ion, aud rejecting color as an important
element in deciding value. There can be
no essential connection between the pro-
duction Of rich milk and small size. A
reasonable degree of symmetry cannot be
bar to excellence in milk production.
And, whatever may be true OF those in
some special circumstances, II Is clearly
true that the great majority Of American
and English dAirymen show,by their prac-
tice, that they do regard the value Of the
carcass, when the COW ceases to produce
milk AS not unimportant element. With
the increasing spread Of Jersey bulls, it
becomes more and more important ques-
tiou-What is TO be done with the bull
calves?
Ofthetwo prOblems-to secure uniform
ity of color and retain the special excel
lence of the breed or to somewhat increase
the average size and improve the form for
beef making, without injury to the milk
giving tendencies-I would choose the
latter as equally easy and vastly the more
praisevOrthy attempt. l have known Jer-
sey bulls which weighed 1000 or 100
pounds; and do not know that they were
the less desirable, as shown by their pro
geny. have seen Jersey COWS which were
good looking cows, judged by the ordinary
standard, that looks to double adaptation,
which were also good Is producers of mix
rich in cream; as certainly | have known
some most angular, undesirable COWS, as
Judged by the same standard, which were
also inferior at the pail.