KEPORT OF THE BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 893 



The Jersey is the most numerous of the dairy breeds. The cow 

 numbers in the herd-book now exceed 50,000, and there are probably 

 in the neighborhood of 40,000 registered cows and heifers in the 

 country. The number of grades is also very large, and they are 

 among the most useful of the dairy cows of the country. However 

 much her position may be assailed by the partisans of other breeds, 

 there is no doubt that the Jersey stands at the head of the butter- 

 producing breeds in this country; but she is mainly valuable as a 

 butter-producer, and is of course most highly esteemed where but- 

 ter-making is a prime object. On account of her graceful form, 

 beautiful coloring, and extreme docility, the Jersey is a favorite with 

 the wealthy owners of large country places, who engage in agricult- 

 ure as a pastime, and who care as much for the esthetic beauty as 

 the practical utility of their live-stock. 



Some urge against the Jersey that she is lacking in hardiness and 

 constitutional vigor, but she is profitably and successfully kept and 

 reared in the coldest and most rigorous parts of the country, and 

 even in the neighboring Dominion of Canada, where the winters are 

 much longer and more severe than they are in the United States. 

 This much seems to be true, however, that the Jersey, while not 

 lacking in hardiness or constitutional vigor, appears to be peculiarly 

 sensitive and responsive to both good treatment and neglect. For 

 some years after they were first imported, and uj^to six or eight 

 years ago, thoroughbred registered Jerseys commanded a very high 

 price. Since then the price has fallen, and now good serviceable 

 recorded animals can be bought at from $100 to $200 each- 

 Next in point of numbers to the Jersey comes the Holstein-Friesian. 

 The name Holstein as applied to these cattle is a complete misnomer, 

 but became attached to them when they were first imported and has 

 since stuck to them. They are the large piebald black and white 

 cattle that are imported from the Dutch provinces of North Holland 

 and West Friesland. The first small importation of these cattle was 

 made about the year 1860, and up to 1870 there were but few in the 

 country; since then they have rapidly increased and there are now 

 probably between 15,000 and 20,000 registered cows and heifers in 

 the country. These cattle are pre-eminently large milk producers 

 and consequently are favorites in the cheese-making districts and in 

 those localities devoted to the production of milk for immediate con- 

 sumption. The Holstein is an especial favorite with the latter class 

 because, aside from the large quantity of milk produced, the well- 

 balanced character of its constituents renders it peculiarly satisfactory 

 to the consumer. 



The Holstein is a voracious feeder and gives her best returns only 

 where the pastures are rich and luxuriant, or where an intelligent 

 and liberal feeder is willing to supply nutritious food in abundance. 

 It is often urged against the Holstein that her milk is too poor in 

 butter fat, but these cases can almost always be traced to the result 

 of insufficient or injudicious feeding. Holsteins are large, vigorous, 

 and hardy and almost always produce large and vigorous calves. In 

 price recorded animals range about with the Jerseys. 



I have ranked the Shorthorn third as a dairy breed. Very many 

 dairymen would probably not give them any rank at all as dairy 

 animals. But while the Shorthorn is the most numerous and prob- 

 ably the best of the beef breeds, a very large proportion of the butter 

 and cheese of the country is made from the milk of Shorthorn and . 

 grade Shorthorn cows. So, while the Shorthorn is the most nu- 



