Oxford Democrat., 1906-04-24
Holstein.Friesian Cattle.

Holstein.Frieslan Cattle.
These cattle are rapidly occupying ths
richer and more important dairy sections
of this country, hence there is a grea
demand for Information in regard tC
them.
These cattle were introduced from the
provinces of North Holland and Fries
land, section of the Kingdom o,
Netherlands, bordering on the North
Sea, commonly called Holland. The
dairymen of these provinces are descend
ants of the ancient Friesians, and their
cattle are lineal descendants of the cattle
bred by them two thousand years ago
From the earliest account of dairy hus
baudry these cattle have been used and
developed for dairy purposes.
North Holland has been mainly devot-
ed to cheese production, and Friesland
to butter production. AS an illustration
of the extent of the latter production
the following statistics are quoted from
Chambers Encyclopedia: "The area OF
Friesland is 1,253 square miles (53 less
than the state of Rhode Island). In 1874
England imported from Friesland 40, 1853
cwt. of cheese, and 266,04 cwt. of but
ter" Reduced to pounds these impor-
tations were 4,565, ,456 lbs. of cheese and
29, I96, ,592 lbs. of butter. In 1879 the
number of cows in Friesland was l44, ,S02.
Assuming an equal number in 1874, this
Importation of butter from Friesland was
an average of 205 3-4 lbs. for all the
COWS, old and young, owned in that
province. Even if there were no hom e
consumption and no sales to other
countries, these exports alone sufficient
ly demonstrate the great capacity of this
breed. This breed is found in more
countries, occupying more territory, and
probably producing more milk, cheese
and butter than all other dairy breeds
combined.
Eastward from its place of origin this
race has spread even more extensively
than southwark. 1t has extended even
to Russia where at the mouth of the
river Dwina, nearly under the Arctic
Circle, it has produced the KolmogOrian
breed, the most highly valued cattle OF
that country. Whether it might have
spread westward into England and the
Channel Islands but for the laws re-
stricting importations from the conti-
nent, cannot be said. II is however
asserted by Professor Low, an eminent
English author on breeds of cattle, writ
ing in 1910, that early importatiOns of
Dutch cattle exercised great influence on
the formation of the Teeswater, after
wards known as the Shorthorn breed.
The type of the breed is technically
called the milk and beef form 1t is
especially strong in all vital particulars.
The bones are fine compared with size,
and the chine broad and strong COM
pared with the high and sharp chine Of
the extreme milk form. The loin and
hips are broad and smooth, and the
rump high and level, compared with the
augularity usually shown in the milk
form. The twist is roomy and the
thighs and hooks well apart. Passing
forward, the shoulders are smoother
and more compact than in the milk
form, but of lighter weight than in the
beef form. The brisket is not so wide
and low as in the beef form, and the
chest is not so deep, but the width of
the beef form through at the heart is
closely retained. In the milk form the
abdomen is usually swung low, and tn,
ribs are steep; but in the milk and beef
form the ribs are wider sprung and the
abdomen more trinity held up. though
no less capacious. The general appear
ance of the bull is strongly masculine,
but that of the COW is no less feminine
than in the milk form.
This breed excels in milk production,
it is superior for veal production and
valuable for beef production. For gener-
ations the natural conditions under
which these cattle have been developed
have been most favorable for this COM
bination of qualities. Looking upon
one of it's model COWS, the broad loin
and rump seems just the place for the
growth of the finest quality of beef and
the fit support of the capacious udder.
The straight quarters and well rounded
body cannot detract from milk produc-
ton. Her calves are large at birth and
they grow and fatten with great rapidity.
The breeders in Holland and Friesland
have always avoided Misunderstanding
In proof that this breed has maintained
a high standard of vital force, we point
to its use in almost every climate includ-
ing that of Northern Russia, nearly up
to the Arctic Circle. Here in America
it is as hardy as our native cattle. It's
calves are raised without difficulty.
Taken from their dams at three days old
and reasonably fed on skim milk and a
little oil meal they grow like weeds.
Given plenty of food, no matter if much
of it is roughage, they develop rapidly.
The heifers usually drop their calves at
about two years old and henceforward
are profitable to their owners.
There can be no profit in animals that
consume only the necessary food Of sup
port. The more they can consume,
digest and assimilate above this, the
more profitable. The other character
istic is in the fact that dairy animals
should BY no means be choice in the
quality of their food. Cows that will
freely consume the roughage of our
farms and transmute it into valuable
products,-milk, butter, veal, beef,
more valuable than those that require
the costlier commercial feeds. These
cattle, from calf-hood upward "are BY
no means choice in the quality OF their
food" In their native country they
generally begin taking skim milk, usual
ly more or less sour, at the age OF from
three to six days. Many of the breeders
in America begin thus early to give
them the same kind of food.
Quantity of production and persist
ency of milking during long periods are
we'll known characteristics of this breed
Dropping her first calf at about two
years old, an average COW of this breed,
If well cared for, will produce from 5000
to 6,OO0 pounds of milk in ten months,
and she will increase this production,
each and every year until, at five years
old, she will give from 1000 to 5000
pounds. The quality of this milk will
range from 8 to 4 per cent fat, and from
9 to 10 per cent solids not fat. II fed to
their ability to digest and ass;milate
food, the majority of these cows will
exceed this production. Before the in
trod ducton of this breed, from $500 to
900 pounds per annum were regarded
as extreme high averages for the COWS OF
this country. We think it is safe t0
affirm that the introduction of this breed
has raised, directly or indirectly, the
average of American cows from 900 TO
Z, 900 pounds. One of the cows of the
earliest permanent importation yielded
.OOS rs pounds of milk in nine weeks,
the highest days yield being 76 pounds.
This and other similar records of the
breed were received with widespread
ipcredulity.
In 1880 the COW Aaggie made record
of S,0O4 5-16 pounds of milk within one
| year from date of calving. This record
was almost universally regarded as an
| impossibility. Among those that joined
| in this view was Professor Long of Eng.
land, then publishing large work on
/ dairy husbandry, which was widely sub