226 Account of the Meeting 



specting their yield of milk. I have heard of no breed in England or 

 Scotland that yields so much milk for so little food as the breeds already 

 v/ell known in Germany for their milking qualities, such as the Dutch 

 and the Swiss. On the other hand, the English breeds, six of which 

 we have imported and tried, are unrivalled for their tendency to gather 

 meat; I am desirous, therefore, to hear how far fatting propensity has 

 been reconciled with milking quality in the Ayrshire breed of cattle. 



" President Pogge. — I was led by the high expectations formed re- 

 specting the Ayrshire cows brought into Pomerania in 1837, and by the 

 favourable opinion of Captain Carr, to persuade my countrypeople also 

 to introduce a herd of them, and by his aid we bought 105 heifers, of 

 which I had myself twenty-two. The best of them gives 22 potts 

 daily, a great yield for Mecklenburg. Of all the breeds I have known, 

 Tyrolese, Swiss, or Holsteins, I look upon these Scotch cows as the best. 

 For our husbandry they are a real treasure. They are equally good for 

 milk and for meat. It is true I have made no accurate experiments on 

 the milk they give, or the cream produced from that milk. Such expe- 

 riments have been carefully made in England, and I have had no 

 occasion to make them ; for the mere sight of these beautiful cattle in 

 the stall or in the meadow, is enough to convince any one that they far 

 surpass any other cattle we have bred here. Others, however, have 

 examined how much butter their milk will yield, and have found that 

 it varies with different cows. Sometimes 11 or 12 potts of milk give a 

 pound of butter, sometimes 7 or 8, which proves the richness of their 

 milk. I will only add that, like the English pig, the Ayrshire cow is 

 very moderate in its food, and gives a great deal for what it receives. 



" Mr. Thaer. — I wish to observe, that from what I have heard of the 

 way in which the Ayrshire cow is brought up, I am inclined to suspect 

 that the manner in which cows are reared has great influence on the 

 milk which they yield. Captain Carr can inform us in what way the 

 Ayrshires are brought up. 



" Chairman. — That belongs to Question 48. 



" Dr. Kuers. — Mr. Pogge has mentioned that experiments have been 

 made in England respecting the milking qualities of the Ayrshire cows. 

 I have read all the new English works on Agriculture, but I know of no 

 such experiments ; and I must remark generally, that the experiments 

 made in England, on the relation between the quantity of fodder given 

 and the amount of produce obtained, are not made so accurately as to in- 

 spire me with much confidence. 



" Mr. Frehse. — The superiority of the Ayrshire cows is so well know^n 

 in England, that probably it is there thought unnecessary to prove it by 

 figures. 



" The Chairman. — The Ayrshire race is renowned in England be- 

 cause the other breeds there give so much less milk. Whether the 

 Ayrshires are superior to our breeds also in their yield of milk remains 

 to be proved. 



" President Pogge. — It seems to be proved by what is taking place 

 in Holstein, which is so famous for milch cattle and dairy management. 

 Yet even there they are contending with each other for Ayrshire calves ; 

 and indeed Holstein is following our example by sending to Scotland 



