Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-02-14
THE GUERNSEY.
IL. Il. Holmes Writes of Some of the
Characteristics of the Breed.

the characteristics of ne breed, and how
they compared with The Jerseys, Ayr
shires, Holsteirs and other well-kuowr
breeds of dairy cattle. | would like,
through the columns of THE AMERICAN, to
state few facts in relation to the Guern-
sey, as | believe all should be made ac
quainted with the merits of this most ex
cellent breed
The Guernseys represent years of care
full breeding, and the reason they are not
better known is good one; it is due to
the quiet way their merits are published
to the world. Their glores have not
been resting on statments or tests they
could not sustain.
The sturdy Guernseyman has departed
less in his breeding from the original
| type of his butter COW than the jersey
man. A century ago her merits were so
| fully appreciated that it was determined
that the Introduction of any foreign
blood must be undcsira BILE, and in 1889
law was passed by the nsular legislature
forbidding the importation OF any COW,
bull, heifer or calf, under a penalty of
200 lvres and the forfeiture of the boat
and tackle that should bring them.
Since that date it is probable that the
cattle of the island of Guernsey have
remained as absolutely pure as any breed
that is known.
The aim that has animated these many
years of care has been to produce a COW
as perfect as possible for the dairy-a COW
| to produce milk and cream of marvellous
richness, and butter that in grain, flavor
and golden color, exeels that of any and
all other breeds.
| Perhaps no breed has so honestly won
its high rank as butter producers as have
/ the Guernseys. Never forced to high
| records, they have stood upon the work
/ they Will do at the pail and churn. The
cattle on the island are, in almost all
instances, tethered, and have but very
/ little food beyond the grasses, that in so
i moist climate, afford pasturage during
+ nearly all the year. There are many in
stances of COWS making fourteen and
fifteen pounds of butter equal to sixteen
and eighteen pounds in our weight per
week, without the forcing food hat in
this country has ruined many fine COW
j by unnatural stimulation for the purpose
of making a great butter record
/ Guernsey cattle are larger, yield a
greater quantity of milk which is just as
rich i'll cream and makes butter of a
richer color than Jersey, but they have
not he deer-ike beauty that has made
the Jersey so popular with gentlemen of
wealth. 1t is not question of beauty
alone We are looking for, but one of
quality and beauty combined. When We
/ see Shorthorn on Holstein, our first
impress ION is: "W hat fine beef animal"
When wesee Jersey, our first thought is:
"W hat pretty little BEAST" But when
we meet a Guernsey, our first and lasting
impression is: ''W that splendid mich
cow
Mason Weld, in the New York Tribune,
says: 1.-The family COW is one to be petted.
She must be gentle, good looking, and
have such qualities that the wife and
every member of the family may be proud
of her. The flow of milk must be gener-
Gus, the cream thick, abundant, high
colored, and quick in rising; the skim
milk must not be too blue.
"Sueh COW must be a good feeder,
always hungry. not inclined to take on
flesh while in milk, and as result, will
convert all her feed into milk and cream.
The butter should be golden, should hold
its color well into or through the whole
winter, and this product should be 50
abundant that there will be no occasion
to buy butter so long as the COW is in
milk Besides, she should be an easy
mixer, and her teats should be large
enough to be grasped by the whole hand"
This we'll describes good Guernsey
COW, or a half bred one, and | am very
much in doubt if such COWS can be found
in any other breed 1t is especially graft
flying to notice how they are received in
sections where they have been intro
duced Go into New England, down the
Hudson in New York, into eastern Penn
sylvania, Delaware New Jersey, or Wis
consin, and you will find not only fine
herds of thoroughbreds, but you will
notice hat the dairymen of these sections
have been impressed with their sub
stantial, business-like, appearance and
golden colored products, and have drawn
on the breed for grading up and lmprov-
ing the dairy stock of the section.
The most remarkable characteristics of
the Guernsey is the richness of the
animal. This richness is combined with
good size and constitution, and part leu
larry quiet, gentle and tractable temper
ament. The prevailing color is a delicate
shade of fawn, with white markings.
They are rangy deep animals, character
lied by plenty of udder development,
with soft, silky texture of skin, and
creamy color. AS foury ear-old, they are
usually given sixteen to eighteen quarts