DAIRY CATTLE AND THE DAIRY FARM 95 



where they multiplied and gave rise to the stock later known to breeders 

 in the United States as " Texas" cattle. Cattle were brought to New- 

 Foundland and Nova Scotia in 1553 and are said to have been introduced 

 to Sable Island as early as 1508. Importations to Canada were largely 

 from France, particularly from Normandy and Brittany. Many cattle 

 were carried to Jamestown, Va. from the West Indies in 1610-11 and Eng- 

 lish breeds were also introduced there. In 1624, the first cattle came 

 into Massachusetts Bay. Boston imported mostly English breeds, the 

 Devon predominating. Plymouth brought in cattle from both England 

 and Holland. In 1624, the Dutch settled New Jersey and in 1627, the 

 Swedes, Delaware; both colonists brought cattle with them. In 1631- 

 32-33 Captain John Mason imported a large yellow breed of cattle from 

 Denmark into New Hampshire. In New York the cattle were largely 

 of Dutch origin and in Pennsylvania they were brought in by Dutch 

 and Swedish settlers. Although breeds were established at this time 

 in Europe it is doubtful if many of the cattle imported by the colonists 

 were purebreds; most of them were nondescript and from these divers 

 stocks originated the so-called " native" cow of America. 



Probably the Devon cattle that were brought into New England were 

 among the first purebred cattle to arrive in this country as were the 

 Shorthorns imported to Virginia by Miller in 1783. 



As a rule the cattle of the United States have come from the British 

 Isles, the only important exceptions being the cattle of Holland and the 

 Brown Swiss. 



Since cattle were not native to America there are no strictly American 

 breeds, but American breeders have produced strains such as the Gore 

 breed and the American Holderness that have attained considerable 

 prominence but except for the Polled Durham and the French-Canadian 

 none has obtained a national reputation. 



The Dairy Type. Since there is a direct relation between the ability 

 of a cow to produce milk and butterfat profitably, and her conformation 

 and nervous constitution, dairymen seek animals of the dairy type. A 

 good dairy cow must have, in addition to her ability to assimilate the 

 food necessary to repair tissue waste and keep her organs in a healthy 

 functioning condition, an inherited tendency to manufacture milk from 

 her provender. This predisposition is spoken of as dairy temperament 

 and is correlated with good health, a strong constitution, large feeding 

 ability and capacious milk organs. Good health is indicated by the 

 carriage of the animal, by mellowness of the hide and by slickness of the 

 hair. 



A strong constitution is a matter of inheritance and good care and 

 is important, for a cow must be strong and vigorous to make milk not 

 only for 10 or 11 months but for years. 



Since within the chest are contained the vital organs, large chest 



