

California Agriculturist and Live Stock Journal. 



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same rings with short-horns at English fairs, 

 and the small anionnt of food they require to 

 keep iu good condition and their grazing qual- 

 ities are urged as reasons for their more es- 

 2)ecially answering the wants of the practical 

 farmer and grazier. Our experience or knowl- 

 edge in regard to Herefords amounts to little 

 or nothing. It has sometimes been said that 

 they would keep fat where a Short-horu would 

 starve and a Devon grow thin ; and wo are 

 told by a gentleman who has bred all three, 

 that from his experience, he has no reason to 

 doubt the truth of the assertion. 



We consider the Devon as occupying the 

 same relative position among cattle that the 

 Southdown does among sheep. He is the 

 hardy, active, square-bodied, compact little 

 beast that stands between the giants and the 

 pigmies, requiring little nursing and able to 

 take care of himself, and yielding, yearly an 

 ample return for all the food he consumes. 

 They are of a dark red color, with wide- 

 spreading, straight horns, breed and mature 

 earlier than the larger kinds of cattle, and 

 are particularly desirable on poor pasture 

 lauds, where activity is necessary to enable 

 an animal to earn his daily food. Their flesh 

 is said to be supeiior for beef, the lean and 

 fat being well-mixed; and they frequently en- 

 ter the lists in England in competition with 

 Short-horns and Herefords, and carry off 

 their share of the prizes. 



There are many other kinds of English 

 cattle more or less esteemed, such as the 

 West Highlanders, Polled Galloways and Sus- 

 sex; but few of these have found their way 

 to America, and do not stand in the front 

 rank with those already mentioned. 



DAIRY BREEDS — THE HOLSTEIN OR DUTCH COW. 



Although there seems to be some difference 

 of opinion existing between the breeders of 

 this stock in the United States upon the sub- 

 ject, there is no doubt that it originated in 

 North Holland, and that most of the animals 

 known as Holsteins were imported from that 

 section of country. This breed has long been 

 famous for .its milk-producing powers, and 

 pome of the accounts which come to us of 

 their performances at the pail border upon 

 the marvelous. They consume large quanti- 

 ties of food and carry little flesh when iu milk. 

 When dry, it is said, they lay on fat with 

 rare rapidity, and for this reason should ex- 

 actly suit the milk dairyman, who buys his 

 cows in milk and sells them, when dry, to 

 the butcher. The Holsteins are large, well- 

 turned cows, with crumpled horns of medium 

 length, large udders, and are usually black 

 and white in color. The number of Holstein 

 breeders in the United States is comparatively 

 small. It is only of late years that much at- 

 tention has been given to this useful kind of 

 dairy animals, but if all we hear of them be 

 true, the time is not far distant when they 

 will become the most popular and generally 

 distributed milk cattle in the country. A 

 Herd Book for the record of Holstein pedi- 

 grees is published under the auspices of the 

 Association of Breeders, in Massachusetts. 

 Should any of our readers desire further in- 

 formation on the subject, they can obtain it 

 by addressing W. W. Cheney, of Belmont, 

 Massachusetts, the President of the Associa- 

 tion. 



AYRSHIRES. 



The Ayrshire, if not tha best dairy cow, is 

 certainly the most fashionable and popular 

 just now. She is the result of intelligent 

 breeding, long continued in the not(!d dairy 

 district of Ayr, Scotland, and it is claimed 

 that her milk will produce more cheese to the 

 jiound than that of any other breed of cows. 

 The quantity, of course, varies with circum- 

 stances; but all things being equal, her ad- 

 mirers assert, with show of reason, that she 

 will yield more milk to the amount of food 

 consumed than any of her rivals. Ayrshires 

 are nuiliuin-sized, wedge-shaped cattle, ordi- 

 narily red or brown and white, with line 



heads, upright horns slightly curving in, and 

 broad, straight backs. Their udders should 

 be square, running well forward, and teats 

 set widely apart. The shortness of the teats 

 has been frecjuently urged as a strong objec- 

 tion to the lireed; a defect, however, which 

 would not amount to much if the flow of 

 milk is constant and in sufficient quantities. 

 Ayrshire steers fatten readily and make good 

 beef. While not prepared to compete with 

 Shorthorns or Herefords, they command good 

 prices in the market and make a fair return 

 for what they consume. An Ayrshire cross 

 upon native stock would result in decided im- 

 provement, and when the produce is intended 

 for general purposes we would highly recom- 

 mend it. 



JERSEYS OR ALDERNEYS. 



It has not been very long since, when, to 

 have advertised the merits of these little ani- 

 mals whose distinctive name we have just 

 written would have secured a laugh of deri- 

 sion from an audience of western breeders. 

 Alderney was synonymous then, and is still 

 to a certain extent, with self-satisfied, would- 

 be wiseacres, with everything little and ill- 

 shapen and scrubby in the cattle line. "Them 

 little yaller cattle," as they are derisively 

 termed, have nevertheless, by dint of sheer 

 merit, pursued their way along the line of 

 emigration till individuals of the breed are 

 owned and esteemed from the Atlantic to the 

 Pacific. 



The Jersey is small, bony and active. She 

 varies in color from almost black to brown, 

 gray, faun and light red, these colors being 

 variously mixed with white in various animals. 

 She is hardy, very prolific and matures early. 

 She is noted for a deep yellow skin and 

 stands unrivaled as the butter-maker of her 

 kind. Jersey bulls crossed upon native cows 

 produce the best family cows, all things con- 

 sidered, to be had. They grade up rapidly, 

 and it is frequently difficult to detect any dif- 

 ference between a half or three-quarters bred 

 animal and a thoroughbred. As "little" and 

 as "yaller" as they are, they admit of no ri- 

 valry in their chosen sphere. They have 

 generally been derided by beef breeders since 

 time immemorial for their inaptitude to carry 

 flesh, a high recommendation to any one who 

 has studied intelligently the characteristics of 

 good dairy cows. By some the Jersey has 

 been compared to a goat, who gives a quart 

 of rich milk and is otherwise good for noth- 

 ing — a quart of rich milk is better than a 

 quart of blue milk, at any rate — but a little 

 enquiry will satisfy the most incredulous that 

 modern Jerseys not only produce an un- 

 equaled quantity and quality of butter, but 

 that their flow of milk is quite as large as 

 that of the other breeds, in comparison -with 

 their size and the amount of food they con- 

 sume. A recent letter from B. F. Johnston, 

 the old and reliable correspondent of the 

 Country Gentleman,, calls attention to the fact 

 that Jersey milk is, more than that of any 

 other breed of cows, devoid of casine, the 

 most indigestible ingredient of milk. He 

 draws from this fact the conclusion that for 

 the use of families, and especially of chil- 

 dren, it should be preferred to all others. In 

 the vicinity of large citiies, towns and villages, 

 wherever the great desideratum is a fair quan- 

 tity of rich milk at little cost, the Jersey cow 

 will "pay." The grades, as already said, are 

 excellent family cows, and are fast supersed- 

 ing natives where their good qualities arc 

 known and apitreciated. It is as well to state 

 here as elsewhere, that in breeding cattle we 

 must set aside partialities and fancies and se- 

 cure what we know will answer our wants, 

 without regard to the opinions, so 

 strenuously asserted, of men who have run 

 in their ruts till they can't see over the sides. 

 It would 1)(^ asking too much to expect a gra- 

 zier or butcher to ailiuire a Jersey, asit would 

 bo to expect a dairyman to look for his milk 

 supply from u Texas steer. It is well to re- 

 member that animals bred for special pur- 

 poses are more apt to accomplish special ends 



— jacks of all trades are good for none. The 

 Jerseys, Alderneys and Guernseys differ in no 

 material respect. They are the same race of cat- 

 tle, coming from the three islands, Jersey, 

 Alderney and Guernsey, as indicated by their 

 names. By far the greater proportion of 

 these cattle in the United States hail from 

 Jersey; in fact, the American Jersey cattle 

 club, by whom the matter of pedigrees is reg- 

 ulated, will admit none that cannot be traced 

 back to animals imported from that island. 



SWISS CATTLE. 



The cows of Switzerland have long been 

 noted for their superior dairy qualities, and 

 have, in a few instances, found liberal ad- 

 mirers who have imported them to this coun- 

 try iu small numbers. Several fine herds are 

 owned iu New England, and judging from the 

 soil and climate of their native counti-y, we 

 should consider them particularly well adapt- 

 ed to that part of the United States. Our in- 

 formation concerning their success in Amer- 

 ica is limited, for the reason that their owners 

 have taken no pains to make the public ac- 

 quainted with their merits. They should be 

 profitable in the broken and rather mountain- 

 ous sections of this State.-^jl/issouri Acjricul- 

 lural Eepurt, 1874. 



Live Stock at the Centennial. 



It is understood that the Centennial Com- 

 mission has concluded to have the live stock 

 display at the International Exhibition within 

 the months of September and October, 187(5, 

 the period devoted to each class and family 

 being fifteen days and the division as fol- 

 lows: 



Horses, mules and asses, as one class, from 

 September first to fifteenth. 



Horned cattle, of aD varieties, from Sep- 

 tember twentieth to October fifth. 



Sheep, swine and goats, as one class, from 

 October tenth to twenty-fifth. 



Poultry will be exhibited as a permanent, 

 and also as a temporary show, the first com- 

 mencing on the opening of the Exhibition, 

 the latter from October twenty-fifth to Novem- 

 ber tenth. 



Animals must be of pure blood to be quali- 

 fied for admission (trotting stock and fat cat- 

 tle excepted), and even those of pure blood 

 must be highly meritorious. 



The exhibition being open to the whole 

 world, it is of the first importance that we 

 bring forward the best of their kind only, as 

 the character of onr stock will be judged by 

 the general average of those exhibited. 



Exhibitors will be expected to provide for 

 feeding their stock. 



All forage and other food will be furnished 

 at cost prices at depots conveniently located 

 within the grounds. 



Exhibitors will also be expected to furnish 

 their own attendants, on whom all responsi- 

 bility of the case of feeding watering and 

 cleaning the animals, and also of cleaning the 

 stalls, will rest. 



Though the Commission will erect ample 

 accommodation for the exhibition and protec- 

 tion of live stock, contrilnitors who may de- 

 sire to make special arrangements for the dis- 

 play of their stock will be aft'orded facilities 

 at their own cost. 



All animals will be under the snpcrvision 

 of a veterinary surgeon, who will examine 

 them before admission to guard against infec- 

 tion, and who will also make a daily inspec- 

 tion and report. 



In case of sickness the animal will be re- 

 moved to a suitable enclosure, specially pre- 

 pared for its comfort and medical treatment. 



Rings will be jirovided for the display and 

 exercise of horses and cattle. 



It is highly important that all who design 

 exhibiting should now make apjilication, us 

 the extent of preparation necessary can only 

 be ri'gulab'd by an estimate based upon ac- 

 tual (lemands. 



Iiuiuiries may be addressed to the Chief of 

 the Bureau of Agricultme, Philadelpeia. 



