DAIRY BREEDS.
Jersey cattle originated on the Island of•Jer sey, one of the group of Channel Islands near the coast of France. There they have been bred pure for more than a century. The law of the island prohibits the introduction of any other breed. Jerseys are fawn in color of various shades, such as yellow, red, brown, mulberry, silver, etc. White markings are not rare, though not popular. Bulls at maturity commonly weigh 1,250 to 1,400 pounds, and cows from 850 to 900 pounds, many animals, however, exceeding these weights. The most striking features in the Jersey are the color, the wedge form, the short, dished face, the prominent, beautiful eye, the fine bone, and deer-like character of the young calves. This is distinctly a dairy breed. The average yield for the better cows is about 7,500 pounds of milk a year, although the cow Passport 219742 has an official record of 19,695 pounds for a year. Jersey tnilk usually tests 4V2 to 5 per cent fat, and is of very superior quality. Many Jerseys have produced 400 pounds of butter fat in a year, Sophie 19th of Hood Farm 189748 having to her credit the great yield of 999.14 pounds. Jersey cattle are very popular in England, the United States and Canada.
Guernsey cattle are native to the island of Guernsey, also one of the Channel Islands. Guernsey, like Jersey, prohibits the introduc tion of any other cattle, excepting for slaugh ter, and the cattle on Guernsey have been bred pure for many years. Guernseys are fawn of color, usually of a reddish shade, and fre quently have white markings. The standard size for mature bulls is about 1500 pounds and 1,050 pounds for the cows. In recent years these cattle have made remarkable improve ments and many large records of milk and but ter-fat are credited to the breed. The better class of cows will average about 8,500 pounds per year of milk that is about 5 per cent fat. Nearly 5,000 cows have averaged 437 pounds of fat in a year, the largest record being 1,098 pounds produced by Murne Cowan 19597. Guernsey butter is noted for its yellow color. This breed is more especially known in Eng land and the United States east of the Mis sissippi.
Ayrshire cattle originated in southwestern Scotland, with the county of Ayr as a centre. These cattle frequently have rather long, large, erect horns. The color of the hair is a corn bination of red, brown and white markings, with white in most favor at the present time. Ayrshires while a dairy breed tend to be some what smooth bodied, and may be fattened to make very fair beef. At maturity standard weights will approximate 1,500 pounds or more for the bull and 1,100 pounds for the cow. Ayrshire cows of the better class, when ma ture, will average about 9,500 pounds of milk, testing 3;4 to 334 per cent fat. Lily of Wil lowmoor 22269, a famous cow of the breed, produced 955.56 pounds of fat in a year. In their native land, the milk of these cattle is in much favor for making cheddar cheese. Ayr
shires are little known outside of Scotland, the Scandinavian countries, the eastern United States and Canada.
Holstein-Friesian cattle originated in Hol land, where they have been bred for centuries. This is a horned breed, and is black-and-white in color, ifi large markings. Present day pop ularity favors a preponderance of white. This is a large breed, and mature bulls weigh usu ally 1,800 to 2,000 pounds, and cows 1,250 to 1,400 pounds. There is considerable variation in type within this breed, with good examples of both dairy, beef and dual purpose type. However, the most popular style is the dairy type, with some thickness of thighs and smooth ness of fleshing. Holstein-Friesian cows sur pass all others in milk production. They have large udders, but produce milk of quite ordi nary quality, testing 3 to 3% per cent fat, under average conditions. The better cows of the breed will average about 15,000 pounds of milk in a year and 500 pounds of butter-fat. The cow Lutscke Vale Cornucopia 110505 pro duced 31,247 pounds of milk, while Duchess Skylark Ormsby produced 1,205 pounds of fat each within a year. Holstein-Friesian cattle, or closely related Dutch breeds, are popular in Holland and much of northern Europe and are looked upon with much favor in the United States.
Dutch Belted cattle originated in Holland, where they have long been bred in a very small way. They are of a dairy type, and are black in color excepting for a white stripe which encircles the body between hips and shoulders. These cattle have thus far made few records of interest, and they are little bred excepting as a fad for their peculiar mark ings.
Kerry cattle are of Irish origin. They are black in color and comparable with a small Jersey as to size. The Kerry is distinctly a dairy breed, that has been comparatively little improved, but the better cows produce 5,000 to 6,000 pounds of milk a year. This is a very hardy breed, and is but little known outside of Ireland, there being hardly a dozen herds in America.
Dexter cattle are also of Irish origin, and are perhaps an offshoot from the Kerry. This is the smallest breed of British origin, bulls at maturity often weighing 600 to 700 pounds and the cows about 500 pounds. These cattle may be all black or all red. They not only produce choice small carcasses of beef, but some of the cows give comparatively large yields of milk, one English Dexter being credited with 12,000 pounds in a year. These cattle are little known outside of Ireland and England. In the United States there were not over 10 herds in 1917.
French Canadian cattle originated in the province of Quebec, Canada, perhaps 200 years ago. It is a black or black-fawn breed, small of size, comparable with a small type Jersey. But little has been done in improving this breed. French Canadian cows produce a fair amount of milk testing slightly above 4' per cent fat. These cattle are almost unknown outside of Canada.