The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-12-08
GUERNS EYS AS DAIRY COWS.

The following letter from the VEN
cradle l.. F. Allen, of Buffalo, to the
editor of the London (Eng.) Liue
Stock Record, in relation to Guern-
sey cows will be found in line with
what we have held on the subject,
wherein he says:
Within the last five years | have
adopted the grade Of COWS of that
breed, by the use of thoroughbred
Guernsey bulls, to my herd Of high
grade Short-horn COWS, thus produc-
ing a better class for butter-making,
the Short-hOrns not being always up
to the required standard for that
object. Not that the ShOrt-hOrns in
their original condition were not
satisfactory dairy cows for many
years after their importation into
our country, but running so much
and early to flesh, and cultivated
more for the latter purposes, the
milking quality~ha been neglected
and the almost exclusively milking
breeds lately introduced here, as the
Ayrshire, Jersey and Holstein, par
TALLY taking their places with dairy
men and private families. Thus far
my short experience favors the
Guernsey over either of the others
of perhaps a like origin with the
Jerseys in centuries back. | prefer
them to Jerseys for their great size
and hardihood, robust forms, carry
ing more flesh and equal quality and
quantity of milk according to size
Not that | at all u~ndervalue the Jer-
seys in the opinions of those who
prefer them, but their diminutive
size and leanness of flesh do not suit
my fancy. The full square ndders,
good size of their teats, easiness of
milking and Emphatic temperament
of my half and three-quarter bred
Guernsey COWS quite equal my ex-
pectations. l intend, rs time pro-
crosses, with a continuous use of
thoroughbred bulls, to breed the
grades still higher, it having been
fully proved with those who have
long used both Guernseys and Jer-
seys that we'll graded COWS of those
bloods give as rich milk and high
quality of butter as thoroughbreds,
at much less cost of purchase than
they. Ayrshires are valuable for
cheese-making; so are the Holsteins
but the lessened quality of milk of
the latter, compared with. the larger
superior quality, give meager
weights Of butter. Yet for supply
Of milk for city, village or ordinary
family use, they may prove superior
to some others. / do not wish to
depreciate them. W. see occasional
accounts of enormous American
weights of butter in a sever days
trial of both Jersey and Holstein
cows, the example being n COW
selected from a hundred or more, at
an extra expense of food, oftentimes
detrimental and sometimes fatal to
to the animal; but the tales reserve
the average yields from which they
are selected, which, if fully stated,
would give us a much truer value
of them. Some peoples geese are
always swans So it may be with
the owners of these extraordinary
cows. 1t may be that the regular
quantity of butter given by these
twenty-five to forty pound cows in
a single weeks trial might not on
the same ratiOns of continuous food
of other COWS, yield over seven or
eight pounds per week during her
milking season of eight, nine r ten
months. Yet / do not combat with
these trials, leaving~a4f the Compel
-itors to sum up their yearly products
to their own satisfaction.-Fdrm
Field and Stockman. 9H a5to '>3t<f3f5