258 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



21.9; girth at smallest circumference of chest, 75.6. The average 

 weight in good milking condition was 1,2G2 pounds. The scale of 

 points of the Holstein-Friesian Association of America is intended 

 to be descriptive of this type. 



IS THIS BREED A GENERAL-PURPOSE BREED? 



If a general-purpose breed is one that is equally valuable for each 

 and every leading purpose for which cattle are used, it is not such 

 a breed. This breed excels in milk production, it is superior for 

 veal production, and valuable for beef production. If this combina- 

 tion of qualities defines a general-purpose breed, it is such a breed. 

 For generations the natural conditions under which these cattle have 

 been developed have been most favorable for this combination of 

 qualities. Looking upon one of its 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 quar- 

 ters and well rounded body cannot detract from milk production. 

 We know that her calves are large at birth and that they grow and 

 fatten with great rapidity. In Holland and Belgium this combina- 

 tion of qualities and uses is universal. We quote from an address 

 of Professor Roberts, Dean of Cornell Agricultural College, made in 

 1878, before New York Dairymen's Association. He said: "I had 

 the good fortune during the past summer to spend some time in 

 North Holland and Friesland. * * * jf anywhere on the face 

 of the globe there exists a race of uniformly good milkers, the 

 Dutch have them. * * * The cows, no matter how good, are 

 seldom kept till they become wornout shells; valueless for beef and 

 not fit to propagate their kind, but are sold for beef while they are 

 vigorous enough to put on flesh profitable alike to producer and 

 consumer, and of no mean quality. I ate of it for three weeks and 

 the English beef for two, and while not so fat as the Shorthorn, it 

 was to my taste superior." Bulls of this breed are not castrated in 

 Europe with a view of finally feeding them for beef. The surplus bull 

 calves are invariably vealed. That European methods of handling 

 cattle will eventually be adopted in our richer dairy sections, as the 

 population increases, can scarcely be doubted. 



CONSTITUTIONAL VIGOR OR VITAL FORCE. 



This is the element that produces endurance under great strain 

 of any sort — in the race horse under the strain of terrific speed, in 

 the milch cow under the strain of enormous production. Under the 

 strain of a severe climate is is called hardihood. Take the calves 

 of two breeds of cattle; of the one it is difficult to keep them alive 

 or to make thom grow; of the other there is no difficulty of this kind. 

 The difference lies in the difference of constitutional vigor. What 



