Year: 1879

/ One of the most interesting paper


read at our recent Institute at Bay


City was one on the cows Of Holland


written by Hon. James Birney, q


S. Minister to the Netherlands, 0


which the following is synopsis:
! Holland is the paradise of cows


but the term 'Holstein' is a misno


mer, and the Holland or Dutch


COW is really superior to the 'Hol


STEIN The Holland cattle are re


gsrded as the bes. known for yielC


of milk and cheese making. A dairy


man who carries on large business


near Utica, New York, gives as The


result of bis experience that the mill


of the Holland COW yields is greater


10 quantity, richer in quality, and


better adapted for butter and cheese.


making than that of any other spe.


cies be has knowledge of. The gen


uine Holland cattle are almost inva-


riably white and black. Some few


of them are of mouse or Maltese


color, but they are regarded as of a


deprecated or half-breed stock. Oae


family of them is so definitely mark


ed that when seen at q distance one


would suppose they were black. with


q perfectly white cloth bound around
their bodies. lie travelling ell through
Holland scarcely a specimen of any
other will be seen. The Holland cat.
tie are thoroughly shorthorns, more


80, indeed, than the Durham Their
shape is very symmetrical, with long,


straight backs, small head and trim


limbs. They are of large frame. Ia


disposition they are notably gentle


and manageable Their pastures are


not enclosed by fences but by shall
low bitches. Over these they rarely
leap


Daring the pasture season they
run upon the lot set apart for them.


During much of the time they are
clothed with a blanket of hempen
cloth, which defends them from the
fogs of the night and the flies by
midday. They are MIXED with
punctuality. When the mixer takes
bis seat, with cord always at hand
he ties their hind legs together, and
with another attaches their tail, 80
that it cannot be wbisked about.
Over the large vessel into which the
milk is poured. when the pail becomes
full, fine strainer is placed so as to
catch all foreign particles. The most
perfect care is taken of the lots in
which they feed Every few days
man will go over them with rake
or shovel in hand and scatter the
droppings aud supply the land with
some fertilizing substance to keep the
grass in healthy yigor. They prac-
tice here upon the theory that it is
just as necessary TO feed land as it is
to feed animals During the winter
the cows are confined in brick hous-
es, constructed to afford the greatest
possible comfort aud convenience un-
DER the same roof, aud at one end OF
the building the dairyman or herds
man has the residence of bis family
Between the residence aud the stable
is large apartment, used for the
care of the milk and the cleansing of
the vessels in which it is conveyed
tc market. 1t is supplied with e
stove and well of water The sta-
BILE is oblong, with hall through the
center. The flooring is Of brick. and
the cows stand on brick platform,
Eve feet six inches in with. Imme
distely behind this is gutter Of the
depth of eighteen inches. which
catches all excrements still back of
that is an aisle or walk place The
gutter is thoroughly cleaned every
and q stream Of water made |
to pass through it. The manure is
all taken to vats in the yard and pre-
served for use


Above the rear OF the cows pole |
Or cord is extended through the en-
tire length of the stable To this the |
tail of each COW is attached 10 such a
way that when she lies down il is al |
ways suspended sufficiently to pre-
vent its contact with dirt Sand,
seing plenty and cheaper than nay,
8 used for bedding. By this ar
the cows are kept entirely
,lean, aud the milk never takes the
,dor of the stable. The watering,
eeding and milking of the cows is
lone with the regularity of clock
work. The trough before them is
lied three times during the dsy with
lean water. They are fed frequent
y, and more than they will eat in a
hort time. This mode is preferred,
,ecause it gives them intervals for
est, and their digestion is better if
heir stomschs are not overburdened.
They are treated with kindness and
enderness. This indsces content-
nent of disposition. and keeps them
rom becoming nervous a0d feverish.
This greatly aids the secretion of
milk. The Hollander are impressed
With the belief that iftbey keep their
.ows warm their product of milk will
,e much larger than if chilled by
old air. There are great openings
o the upper part of the walls for
bat they are not large
The walls are thick, and the loft
lbove filed with hay And so it
happens that if you enter one of these
stables, coming from the clear air
you are almost suffocated
With its extraordinary heat and close
less.


This is the principal objection to
heir system. Nor do they We. seem
o have found it out Every now
md then an alarm is raised through.
mt the country that some species of
ong disease has shown itse,f among
he cattle. The neighboring coun-
ries hear Gift and inhibit by strin-
,ent laws their importation. The
state inspectors are summoned, and
whenever they ind herd with the
ymptoms of disease. they slaughter
be whole of them, and the State
'sys thsir:appraised value This is
J very expensive process The mo-
nent entered one of these large
tables. and felt the temperature of
be atmosphere breathed by these
atrle, and perhaps breathed more
ban once, il seemed to me that moth
ag short of miracle would prevent
nng disease. When spring eomes