The Yale expositor., 1900-08-31
DAIRY AND POULTRY.
INTERESTING CHAPTERS FOR
OUR RURAL READERS.
How Successful Farmers Operate This
Department. of the FRrm-A Few
Hints as TO the Care of Live Stock
and Poultry.
Guernseys.

GuernseyS
Origin and History.-The island of
Guernsey is the second in size OF the
Channel Islands, and lies farthest to
the west in this group. 1t is triangu-
lar in shape, being nine miles long and
about four in greatest width, with
rough, rocky coasts, containing $1,000
acres, and has a population OF $4,000,
half Of whom live in the principal
town, ST. Peters. Market gardening Is
the chief occupation of the country
peop,e, and dairy cattle form a second
airy interest. There are only about
5000 cattle owned upon the island. BY
long-continued policy of excluding
all live cattle from without its limits,
the stock of the island has been built
up into a distinct breed. The origin
and history Of Guernsey and Jersey
cattle are practically the same, but in
the development of the former more
OF the characteristics of the parent
stock of Normandy, France, have been
retained. At present, however, Guern-
seys can be better compared with Jer-
seys than with any other cattle. 1t is
difficult to say when Guernsey cattle
began to come to the United States,
but few are known to have been
owned near Philadelphia prior to 1850.
In America, as in England, all Chan
mel Island cattle imported were long
called Attorneys" irrespective or the
island from which they came. Pure
as they were at home, each within its
own limits, the distinction was not
properly preserved after they reached
this country. But between 1870 and
1875 the Guernsey became recognized
here as a breed, and for twenty years
| importations have been made nearly
every year. The breed has steadily in
| creased in numbers and as steadily has
ga ned in favor wherever introduced
characteristics are
size larger than Jerseys, stronger
| boned, and little coarser in appear
ance. They are claimed to be harder
and larger mixers, but both these
! points are stoutly disputed. They arc
generally very handsome and attrac-
tive cows. The head of the Guernsey
|
body large, deep and rangy, the rump
prominent, the TANKS thin, thighs in
curved, and twist open and roomy. AL
| together the animal is at once recog-
nized as bGsinesslike and belonging to
the pronounced dairy type. They arc
light in color, yellow and orange pre-
dominating, with considerable white,
usually in large patches on the bodn
and on the legs. Darker shades, APP
| preaching brown, are found upon some
COWS and are quite common on bulls.
| The muzzles are almost invariably buff
or fesh-colored, surrounded by tllet
Of light hair Occasionally q black
nose is found, showing the influence
Of some distant ancestor from Brit
| tany. The horns are small, curved,
fine, thin-shelled, and waXy in appear
ance, often showing a deep, rich yell
low for third of their length from
! The base. a characteristic of this
breed is a very generous secretion Of
yellow cocring matter, which pertains
to the whole skin, but is seen ospe-
! cially where the hair is white, in the
ears, around The eyes, and about the
udder. This gives a richness" to the
animal which is very noticeable and
causes the butter produced to be OF
higher color at all seasons Of the year
! than that of any other breed. The
udder and teats are large and admir-
ably shaped and placed, in selected
| specimens, but thoze and other dairy
markings do not, throughout the
breed, appear TO be as fixed as in the
case OF Jerseys, which have been sub
jected to longer course of careful
breeding. The Guernsey possesses =
nervous temperament, and yet the
COWS are extremely quiet and gentle
when properly handled, and less trou-
bic is reported in the management Of
aged bulls than with Jerseys or like
age.
Milk and butter records.-The cows
OF this breed produce liberal quantities
OF milk, and it is Of uncommon rich
ness in butter fat and in natural color.
They are to be especially recommend
ed for butter COWS, as well as for mar
ket milk where quality secures a rel
atively high price, and they are noted
for rich production combined with es-
pecial economy in feeding. They pos
sess great power of assimilating food
and converting it into milk, yet are
delicate feeders rather than gross,
and will not generally hear much fore
ing. The grades, offspring of Guern-
sey bull and well-selected cows of no
particular breeding, usually maks sery
satisfactory dairy stock Guernsey
cows average 1000 pounds in weight,
or a little more, and thus, being heav-
Ter than Jerseys, they are expected to
give more milk.-Farmers Bulletin
LOG, Department Of Agriculture.