Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1888-01-13
FARM Ann uoUsEHos.D.
CATTLE FOR THE GENERAL FARMEl

NAT1LE tOR ThEUFNhhAbF ahhfh
"A correspondent of the Country Gen
He,aan writes as follows: / have been
much interested in the papers you are
publishing concerning the relative
and special merits of various breeds
of thoroughbred cattle For obvious
reasons each breed has its particular
friends, who are always ready to COM
mend it TO the American farmer as
combining all the requisite qualities.
From my means of observation, | am
not prepared to admit that there is
vet race of cattle developed that
possesses the essential qualities nee
essary TO fill the requirements OF the
great mass of farmers in this country.
There are comparatively few farmers
who are satisfied with an exclusively
beef-producing animal; just a few,
probably, who require cattle for the
production of cheese, and fewer still
who are keeping cattle exclusively for
milk or butter. The great majority
/uf American farmers-those who oc-
cupy and cultivate from one to two
hundred acres-pursue, and very
properly, a mixed husbandry. \
breed of cattle that would be adapted
TO this large class of farmers should
unite, in the highest possible degree,
the qualities necessary for beef. but
ter and milk.
Thet the short horns do not APP
proach this standard is evinced by the
fact that many of the sticklers for
these cattle confess that they have
been so fashionably bred in this coun-
try. and in entire disregard of their
merits at the pail, that they cannot
be commended a milk and butter
stock. Similar admissions are made
bv candid admirers of the Jerseys
that fancy and fashion have ruled in
stead of merit. This may account for
the fact that so few of these cattle
come up TO the expectations of pur-
chasers aS butter COWS. Notwlth-
standing all that has been said about
the special excellence of Jersey cows,
| think il will be conceded by those
who are cognizant of the facts, that
instances are quite rare where these
COWS are producing two and three
pounds of butter per day, and if they
do not excel in their speciality, they
are like many fashion6bly-br trot-
tiers that do not develop speed-worth
next 10 nothing TO the farmer. But
another class of men appear as cham
pions for the HOlSteins. They main
tain that this breed blends in an emi-
nent degree both milk and beef ca
pacity, and in evidence of this they
refer us to their heavy weight cattle
and the enormous product OF from
1900 TO 10000 pounds Of milk per
wear from some of the cows. There
might be two objections urged to
this: Are not these heavy mixers eN-
ceptional. like the Jersey cows that
WELD two to three pounds OF butter
davg And is not the milk of Holstein
COWS specially adapted only for
cheese diaries? II so, these cattle
would not meet the wants of that
large class Of farmers TO which have
referred. While large quantities of
milk are not objectable to us, "a it is
such desirable food for pigs, it should
also possess good butter qualities.
But on this important point the Hol-
stein men are generally silent.
NAV be in error, but ! will venture
the suggestion that something might
be done toward the making up OF the
general purpose cows by cross-breed-
ing pure-bred cattle will briefly in
dictate what mean, The Devons, as
a rule, are rich but rather shy milk
ers. but they excel all other breeds in
taking on fat readily, being very
plump and smooth animal notice
that the Holsteins are the reverse OF
this in that they are deep mixers and
large and rather rough animals. Now,
how would it do to breed the Devon
COW to. the Holstein bull, or vice
versa? | am aware that the progeny
of the Devon and short-hOrn make SUI
perior beef, but are not so reliable for
milk production. OF course this plan
would leave us out of the herd books,
though such cross-bred animals could
be pedigreed if necessary. Herd-book
stock is worth no more 70 the farmer
who raises them exclusively for his
own use than unregistered, but merit
paws largely. We are indebted to
cross breeding for the best, or at least
one of the very best breeds of hogs we
have in America-the Poland-China-
and one of the best breeds of poultry
we have, the Plymouth Rocks. owes
it's origin to the same process