The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-03-29

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This breed Of cattle Is being dis
seminafed very widely throughout
this country. They nov hold,
says the Boston Cuifirator, " and are
most likely to hold, for a long time
to come, prominent position among
the dairy stock of the country, not
withs.ahding that they are supersed-
ed by the Swiss, the Jersey and the
Gurnsey rs butter stock, and by the
Shorthorns for beet. But il desired
both for beef and milk, or milk alone,
or cheese and milk, they have no
equals. If you are looking for acow
which will produce largely of dairy
products. without consuming a cor
responding amount of fodder. we
hardly think you will find it among
any ofthe known breeds.
Judge Fullerton, of New York, has
a farm in Fairfax county, Va, on
which he raises no other cattle, of
which he has about one hundred
head, probably unsurpassed by any
other heard in this country. Prof.
Sheldon gives the following history
Of The introduction of the Holsteins:
"The race oflarge, improved black
and white cattle, knownin America
as Holstein cattle, are animals, inn
ported from North Holland, or the
neighboring provinces, having been
selected there with the greatest care
in reference to purity of blood and
the fine qualities of each individual
animal. Previous to. and some time
after 1871, Mr. Winthrop w. Chenery,
OF Belmont, Mass, was the principal,
if not the only, importer of Holstein
cattle for purpose Of improvement.
In March, 1881, about ten persons
to whom Mr.. Chenery had previ-
ously supplied one or more Holstein
animals each. at his suggestion uni
ted with him in an association called
the Association of Thoroughbred
Holstein Cattle, with a constitution
and by laws, and a register of all the
-blooded animals of their race
owned by them. The principal OBJ
tects of their association was, and is,
TO keep and preserve register of
such animals known to be of pure
blood, and of their progeny, includ-
ing future importations.
At that time the persons uniting in
the association knew of no name by
which this race of cattle were gener-
ally known in Holland and the neigh
boring provinces. They had been
usually called Dutch or 'Holstein'
by Mr.. Chenery and his associates.
In 1864 Mr.. Chenery was requested
by the Department of Agriculture at
Was hington TO contribute an article
upon the cattle in question, for pub
lication in the commissioners report.
The paper was prepared and forward
ed to the department, with the title
of Dutch Cattle. In due time the ar
ticle appeared in the commissioners
report with title changed from Dutch
to 'Holstein cattle This circum-
stance, together with the fact that no
other name more appropriate could
be suggested, decided the question
ofnames, and 'Holstein was adopted
"Since then the association has in
creased its membership to include
about fifty persons. 1t has publish
ed four volumes of the Holstein
Herd-book, and has the manuscript
prepared for the fifth volume. about
six hundred thirty bulls and about
eleven hundred and twenty cows,
distributed among more than three
hundred owners residing in nearly
all the states of the United States
(the larger herds being in Massachu-
sets, New York and Illinois, are
registered. Large additions to the
number of Holstein cattle in the
United States are being made by i'm
portation, as well as by the natural
increase. They are easily acclima-
ted and grow as large as i'll their ma
tive country. Thedescendents ofan-
imals imported by Mr. Chenery fif-
teen years ago are equally as fine as
the best selection made in Holland
this year. The bulls are gentle and
docile, and excellent workers in the
yoke. The cows are large mixers,
excelling in that respect all other
breeds They are easily fattened,
and males often attain a weight
of two or three thousand pounds,
females generally ranging from
twelve to twenty hundred pounds.
There is a considerable demand for
both males and females for breeding
purposes, enough to take up all the
importations, amounting to more
than four hundred in 1879, and the
natural increase, at prices affording
reasonable profit both to importers,
breeders. 1t is a noticeable fact that
half-breed heifers, sired by Holstein
bulls, generally bring twice and
often three times as much rs the
grades of any other breed will sell
for; and this fact is perhaps the most
reliable indication of the estimation
in which Holstein cattle are held by
American farmers who have had ex-
I ,,ariapoa with tbopn