192 DAIRYING. 



shoulders, 51.8 -f inches; at hips, 53; length of body, 64.9 -f; 

 of rump, 21.4 — ; width of hips, 21.9 — ; at thurl, 19.6+; 

 girth at smallest circumference of chest, 75.6 -|-. These 

 are fairly representative of the breed, and describe what is 

 technically called the milk-and-beef form. There are ani- 

 mals of the breed of other forms, but in this respect must 

 be regarded as exceptional. The average weight of these 

 cows was 1262 -f- lbs. This is also fairly representative of 

 the breed. Rapidity of growth and earliness of maturity 

 are important characteristics of the breed. These may also 

 be shown by measurements. The entries in one of the 

 European herd-books from actual measurements taken 

 show that heifers reach their full height at between two 

 and a half and three years old, that each year for the fol- 

 lowing two years they increase one and three-fourths of an 

 inch in length of body, two inches in girth of chest, and 

 three-fourths of an inch in width of hips. After five years 

 old no increase is shown except what may be properly 

 ascribed to additions of flesh. Its calves are large at birth, 

 they take on flesh rapidly, and the veal is unsurpassed in 

 quality. In Holland nearly all cows are beefed at five and 

 six years old. On his return from an agricultural tour in 

 Europe Prof. I. P. Roberts in speaking of the quality of its 

 beef said, " I ate of it for three weeks, and the English beef 

 for two, and while not so fat as the Short-Horn it was to my 

 taste superior." * 



Another and very important characteristic is constitu- 

 tional vigor. No dairy breed probably excels it in this. It 

 enables the breed to resist disease, to endure climatic 

 changes, and its cows to endure forcing to enormous pro- 

 ductions. In the reign of Peter the Great, importations of 

 this breed of cattle were made into Northern Russia, into 

 the district of Kolmogory, within three and a half degrees 

 of the Arctic Circle. Other importations have continued 

 to the present time. All have acclimated without difficulty. 

 No greater test of its vitality can well be imagined. 



* Report of Second Annual Convention, N. Y. State Dairymen's Asso- 

 ciation, p. 58. 



