FARM ANIMALS 151 



the keynote of success in selecting dairy cows. 

 The dairyman does not keep his cows because they 

 conform to a certain type, but because they give 

 milk and the only reason for selecting the improved 

 dairy breeds for this purpose is that a larger per- 

 centage of these animals are likely to be good 

 milkers. 



Holsteins. This breed comes from Holland 

 and has been referred to in literature for nearly 

 two thousand years. It was introduced into Amer- 

 ica quite early in our history and has become a pop- 

 ular breed on account of its high milking qualities. 

 At present the Holsteins are kept in every state in 

 the Union. In number the Holsteins are second 

 only to the Jerseys. They have a large body, 

 showing a capacious development for milk produc- 

 tion. In size, this cow is trie largest of the dairy 

 breeds in the United States. One of the chief 

 virtues of the Holstein is its enormous milk produc- 

 tion. In that point it is superior to all other breeds. 

 The percentage of milk fat, however, is somewhat 

 lower than in other dairy cows. They mature 

 perhaps somewhat later than the smaller breeds, 

 but are exceedingly valuable in grading up a herd 

 of dairy cows from scrub cattle. The color is 

 black and white, - the relative proportion of the 

 different colors varying greatly. Thus, in some 

 cases the ground color may be white with black 

 spots while other animals are black with white 

 spots. The colors are never mixed and the spots 

 are sharply defined. 



Ayrshires are by no means so popular as the 

 Holsteins, but are hardier than most other dairy 

 cows and mature quite early. The average milt 

 yield, however, from these cows is as great as any 

 other breed, but there have been no such examples 



