THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DAIRY BREEDS. 23 



which, from the foundation, have been bred for butter produc- 

 tion. If we want to get the largest milk production, we should 

 select those breeds which from the foundation have been bred 

 for large milk yields. We will find, in general, that it is much 

 easier to develop any animal along one particular line than along 

 two or three lines. We have heard a good deal of discussion 

 about the general purpose cow and the special purpose cow, or 

 the general purpose horse and the special purpose horse. If we 

 would apply the same rule to the breeding of cows that is gen- 

 erally applied to the breeding of horses or dogs, we ought to get 

 similar results. We rarely try to develop a general purpose 

 horse. Of course there are a few that might be called general 

 purpose horses, but if we want to develop the highest degree of 

 speed we select a breed noted for speed, while if we want to 

 develop the highest degree of force or power, for the handling of 

 heavy loads, w-e breed for that purpose alone. If we want to 

 develop a bird dog, for the hunting of birds, we breed with that 

 idea in view, and if we want to develop a fox hound, for the 

 hunting of foxes, we breed wath that idea in view. And yet too 

 many of us have the idea that we can breed a cow that will be 

 valuable for beef and at the same time be valuable for milk and 

 butter. The highest degree of development in any animal must 

 come along one particular line, rather than several lines, or even 

 than two lines. So it is wise, if we desire to produce butter in 

 large quantities, to select from those breeds which have been 

 developed especially for butter production ; while if we desire to 

 produce milk, to select from those breeds which from the founda- 

 tion have been bred for milk production. 



If we study the statistics that are available with regard to the 

 quantity and quality of the milk of the various dairy breeds, we 

 will find that the Holsteins and the Ayrshires are noted as heavy 

 milk producers, the milk being of moderate richness only. The 

 Jerseys and the Guernseys are noted as moderate milk produc- 

 ers, as far as quantity goes, but of milk rich in butter fat, and 

 hence their great value is for butter production. If you are pro- 

 ducing milk for the Boston market, for example, and the stand- 

 ard of solids for that market is 13 per cent, and of butter fat 3 

 per cent, you can hardly afford to produce milk which contains 

 15 per cent solids and 4^ to 5 per cent fat, and sell it at the same 

 price that the man does who produces milk containing 13 per 



