DAIRY BREEDS OF CATTLE 137 



OTHER DAIRY BREEDS 



The Dutch Belted, French Canadian and Kerry breeds of cattle 

 heretofore mentioned rank as dairy breeds, but representatives of them 

 are comparatively few and in many sections unknown. 



Dutch Belted cattle are so-called from their peculiar marking which 

 is black with a white band about the middle of the body. This character- 

 istic color is uniformly found in all pure-bred herds of the breed, and is 

 the result of scientific breeding experiments in Holland where the breed 

 had its origin, and was known as Lakenfeld cattle from the word "Laken," 

 meaning blanket or sheet about the body. 



The usefulness of the breed was not a primary object in its develop- 

 ment and for that reason it does not enjoy a popularity common to more 

 prominent breeds. 



Marked general improvement in type and production and an increase 

 in the number of cattle is the ambition of those who are promoting the 

 breed in America. 



French Canadian cattle are a local and popular class of dairy cattle 

 in the somewhat rough country and severe winter climate of the province 

 of Quebec, Canada. Here the breed has been developed from early French 

 stock and bred for over two hundred years. The characteristics of the 

 cattle resemble very much the Jersey breed and lead to the belief that they 

 have the same origin in blood. Their hardiness and adaptability to with- 

 stand Canadian winters and make economical yields of rich milk are 

 commendable. 



A production of 5000 pounds of milk testing 4 per cent or more is 

 regarded as a fair average annual production for cows of this breed. 



Kerry cattle originated in the Kerry mountains of Ireland under most 

 adverse conditions of soil, climate and people. They have been called 

 "the poor man's cow." They are very small as a natural result of their 

 poor environment, bulls weighing 800 to 1000 pounds and cows 400 to 700 

 pounds. There are two types of the breed resulting from a cross which 

 resulted in the type called the Derter-Kerry, which is smaller and more 

 beefy than the original true Kerry. The economic value of Kerry cattle 

 is best appreciated in its native home, where its adaptability, hardiness 

 and ability to rustle and thrive recommend it. The novelty of the breed 

 has led to a very limited distribution of the breed, a few herds having 

 been introduced into Canada and the United States. 



DAIRY BREED ORGANIZATION IN AMERICA 



The welfare and preservation of breed interests are secured by respon- 

 sible national breed associations that are recognized and approved by 

 the United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., and 

 the Canadian Department of Agriculture, Ottawa, Ont. All the dairy 

 breeds of cattle except the Kerry have such organizations which are sup- 

 ported by a membership composed of the cattle breeders whose interest 



