DAIRY CATTLE AND THE DAIRY FARM 105 



455 Ib. from 10,959 Ib. of milk, making the average butterfat test for the 

 period 4.15 per cent. In Switzerland the breed is frankly a dual purpose 

 one but the breeders of the United States announce that the animals are 

 to be developed here as a dairy breed. The color of the milk is about the 

 same as that of the Shorthorn and seems well-suited for city milk supply. 

 Some Brown Swiss records are given in Table 33. 



The Channel Islands Cattle. The Guernsey and Jersey cattle 

 originated in the Channel Islands, a group that is partly made up of the 

 islands of Alderney, Guernsey, Sark and Jersey and that is located in 

 the English Channel directly south of England, from 4 to 40 miles off the 

 coast of France. The origin of the breeds is somewhat obscure but they 

 are supposed to have been derived from a cross of the cattle of Brittany 

 and Normandy with cattle native to the islands. Formerly both in 

 England and the United States the cattle of the Channel Islands were 

 called Alderneys, a term that included both Guernseys and Jerseys. 

 To protect their stock from cattle diseases and to maintain its purity 

 the inhabitants of the Island of Jersey as early as 1763 passed laws 

 prohibiting the importation of cattle from France; in 1789 the prohibition 

 was extended to all cattle and there has been no importation since. A 

 few years later the Island of Guernsey adopted the the same policy. 



Guernsey. The Guernsey is bred on the islands of Guernsey and 

 Alderney where the intent is to secure uniformity of type and good pro- 

 ducing animals. A mature bull should weigh about 1,500 Ib. and a cow 

 about 1,050. The animals are larger and of a less refined type than the 

 Jerseys, are yellowish, brownish or reddish fawn, frequently with white 

 markings on the legs and under part of the body. The muzzle is buff or 

 flesh-colored and is surrounded by a whitish or yellowish circle of hair. 

 The skin is mellow, thin, elastic and yellow, the horns and hoofs are 

 amber-colored, and in the cows, the horns often curve gracefully over the 

 face. The udder is large and the teats are of a good size. 



The breed was apparently first introduced into this country from 

 Alderney to Philadelphia in 1818. Importations from Guernsey came 

 later and from 1830 to 1870 the animals were brought to Pennsylvania, 

 Massachusetts, and other points along the Atlantic coast. 



The cows rank high as milk producers, a yield of 5,000 Ib. a year is 

 easily averaged by a herd, and herds are reported averaging double this 

 amount. The milk is very popular with consumers, because of its 

 rich yellow color. The fat globules are large so that the milk creams 

 easily and gives a sharply defined cream line. 



As butter producers the cows have won special distinction. Owing 

 to the natural yellow color of the fat globules, the butter has a beautiful 

 golden hue that makes the addition of butter color superfluous. Some 

 yearly records of milk and butterfat production are given in Table 34. 



