LECTURE NO. 38. 



BROWN SWISS CATTLE THEIR ORIGIN AND HISTORY, 



CHARACTERISTICS AND STANDARD POINTS. 



ORIGIN AND HISTORY. 



I. Switzerland has two distinct breeds of cat- 

 tle, and several minor breeds, which are chiefly the 

 offshoots of these two parent stems. 



(1) One of these, the Berner spotted, a large and heavy 

 breed, is found most numerously in the canton of Berne. 



(2) The other, the Brown Schwytzer, originated in the 

 canton of Schwytz, and it is now kept numerously in many 

 of the cantons of Switzerland. 



(3) Both breeds have been refined by many centuries of 

 careful treatment and intelligent breeding. 



II. The uniformity which characterizes the 

 Brown Swiss cattle has been brought about by a 

 long period of careful breeding. 



(1) The government gives encouragement to careful 

 breeding, and the cattle receive the best of care. 



(2) Every animal of the breed exhibited at Paris, in 1878, 

 was awarded a prize, but 



(3) It can scarcely be said that marked uniformity in type 

 characterizes the breed in the United States. 



III. Distribution throughout Europe. 



(1) The demand for Brown Swiss cattle in various Euro- 

 pean countries has been greater than the supply. 



(2) They stand high in favor in nearly all countries of 

 Europe to which they have been exported, but the greatest 

 demand for them has come from Italy, Germany and Russia. 



IV. Exportation to the United States. 



(i) The first importation of Brown Swiss cattle was 

 made into the United States in i86g^by Henry M. Clark of 

 Belmont, Mass. 



