The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1895-03-28
IHE PRODUCTION OF MILK AND
CUTTER BY DIFFERENT
BREEDS OE CATTLE

TIE HhOOOC ION Ot MILK AMI
CUTTER BY DIFFERENT
BREEDS OF CATTLE.
Students OF the Schoo. of Agriculture
Ohio State Un.vers; ty. columbus, by Prof
G. f. Morrow. Champaign. H.. BeinG tn,
Fourth of u Series vn "Nils-Its Product
and Protection"
Breeds of cattle are often classified
in accordance with real or claimed
special adaptation to the production C,
beef or OF milk in:o beef breeds" anC
dairy breeds" The latter class j:
subdivided according to the genera
disposition of the cows of a breed tc
give a large quantity of milk, usually
with only moderate per cent. of fat
or a more moderate quantity of milk
rich in fat. There are number oi
breeds for which even enthusiast: G
pHrtisans would not claim special cX-
cellence as dairy cows. although it is
probable that no breed of cattle is
lacking in specimens wAien are able to
m.ke creditalle records as milk pro-
ducers. There are also several breed s
for which few claim special merit as
Il
breeds for which a good degree of
merit is deservedly claimed as both
beef and milk producers.
1t is an interesting fact that we have
almost no distinctively American n
breeds of cattle. The l'olled Durhams S
differ from the Shorthorn only in the
lack of horns. There is limited num-
Der of the American liolderness"
Occasionally there are attempts to es-
tablish claims to high excellence to the
so-called native cattle of some sectio n
of the country, but more than 80 per
cent of all the high class beef or
dairy cattle belong to some one OF the
breeds imported from Europe. or are
grades or crosses of some of these.
With the exception of the Holstein-
Fricsian and the Brown Swiss we have
no breed of high repute which did not
come from the British islands.
1t is difficult matter to Gispassion-
ately compare the characteristics and
merits of different breeds. Probably
all are influenced by prejudice, based on
national or sectional preferences or on
perhaps limited personal experience or
observation. Popularity is not an in
fallible test of merit. No breed has
won and retained for series of years
n high degree OF popularity unless it
possessed a good degree of merit. But
a breed may have such merit and not
be widely known. Thus it is folly to
say the shorthorn has not. in many
cases, much merit as dairy COW. The
dairy farmers of England continue to
use COWS of this breed in larger num-
Der than those of all other breeds COM
bined. But these same dairymen, as a
class. have poor opinion of the
"Dutch" cows, while the dairymen of
Holland believe their cows are quite
superior to the shorthorn. Importa-
tion of cows from one to the other of
the Channel islands is not prohibited,
but the Jersey breeders much prefer
their cows to the Guernseys. while the
Guernsey men equally strongly prefer
their cows, the result being that there
is practically no exchange of blood.
Some breeds have had intelligent
effort given them for much longer
time than have others; some have suf-
fered much more than have others
from undue prominence having been
given to unimportant points No
breed is to be judged by any one or a
few specimens. Individuals and fam !
lilies in each rise much above or fall !
much below the the average merit.
The Jersey was the first of the dis
tinctively dairy breeds to take high |
rank in the United States, and is now
the most numerous and most widely |
distributed. 1t comes from the little |
island of the same name lying near the
coast of France, southeast of England. |
1t is small to medium in size, averaging |
perhaps $50 lbs. for cows in moderate /
flesh. 1t is unusually slender and |
graceful in form. with fawn, squirrel |
gray and shades of brown. with black
points popular colors. The cows of /
this breed give milk in good quantity,
with a high percentage of fat. The |
name Alderney, sometimes applied to
this breed. is misleading. Alderney is
a very small island near Jersey, with a
few cows which are classed with the |
Jerseys.
The Guernsey comes from the smaller
island of the same name, about 20
miles from Jersey. The cattle are of
the same origin. They are larger.
averaging perhaps $50 pounds, more
angular, with a stronger appearance.
Less attention has been given to color
in their breeding. White markings
arc common; yellowish fawn is COM
mon color. The cows give milk in about
equal quantity and of equal richness
with that of the Jersey, the butter
having a somewhat higher color. The
writer believes it would have been a
the two breeds as one.
The Holstein-Friesian stands second
in number of the dairy breeds in the
United States. 1t comes from Holland
and adjoining coun tries. White and
black in any proportion are the colors
recognized in this country. OCCASION
ally pure bred cows produce red and
white calves. Tho breed is large one, {
cows of 1900 to 1.500 pounds, being
commonly found. They are frequently j,
somewhat coarse in form and bony
structure. Perhaps no breed gives
larger quantity of milk; usually with
a moderate per cent. of fat Claims of
a good degree of merit for beef pro-
OucblOu dTt lndOS 1OT UllS uTtSu. i ne
calves are often very large when drop
ped and heavy weights can be made
during the first year.
The Ayrshire is the leading dairy
breed of Scotch origin. coming from
the shire or county of the same name
on the west coast cf Scotland. The
cows are of small, rnedium size, aver
aging perhaps 1000 pounds; varying 1.
much in color, almost always having
some white in com bination with red
yellow or brown. The best specimens of
the breed are almost ideally perfect in
form of body and udder. They give a ,
good quantity OF milk, slightly above I
the average in per cent of fat. Out :
side of parts of New England they are
not numerous in the dairy districts of
this country.
the Red Poll. formerly called the
Suffolk Dun. comes from the counties :
OF Suffolk and Norfolk on the east e
coast of England. This breed is ore /
tor which its friends especially claira
good merit as both beef and milk pro- !
ract;on, or as a double purpose COW.