290 CATTLE AND DAIRY -FARMING. 



that these cows average 21 pounds of milk daily, or 7,665 pounds each 

 during the year. This is a maximum record for an entire herd, and re- 

 quires liberal winter feeding on grain, roots, &c., which is rarely prac- 

 ticed by the rural farmer. It will also be noted that these cows are 

 stabled throughout the year, and, except during a few days in October, 

 after the last grass is cut, they never graze. 



The records of several well-conducted dairies in the wide basin be- 

 tween the Jura and Bernese Alps, where three hundred milking days 

 are counted to each year, show an average yield of 23 pounds 14 ounces 

 of milk per day from each cow, or 7,162 pounds for the year. These 

 statistics have been carefully collected, confirmed, and published by 

 Mr. B. Baumgartner, member of the cantonal council of Soleure, and 

 president of the agricultural association, whose long and intelligent 

 labors for the improvement of Swiss stock and the general advance- 

 ment of agricultural interests make him a high and recognized author- 

 ity on such subjects. 



In richness of milk, the Spotted race also ranks well. In the Alps, 

 where the grass is savory and richest, 25 pounds of their milk yield a 

 pound of butter 5 in the valleys, the quantity required for the same 

 purpose varies from 28 to 30 pounds. Ten pounds of milk yield a pound of 

 cured cheese, and besides this, in mountain dairies the herdsmen usually 

 skim enough cream to make 1 pound of butter from each 100 pounds of 

 milk without sensibly affecting the quality of the cheese. This so- 

 called "Vorbruch butter "has, however,, a strong animal flavor, and 

 sells usually for 2 or 3 cents per pound less than ordinary butter from 

 the same district. Something, of course, depends upon the quantity 

 and the quality of grass upon which the animals are fed, but the above 

 figures may be accepted as standard for well-bred Bernese cows kept 

 on farms where meadows are manured, and irrigated in dry weather. 



THE BERNESE (SIMMENTHAL) AS BEEF CATTLE. 



As beef cattle it will be accurately inferred from the foregoing that 

 the Bernese race holds the first place among the breeds of this country. 

 They grow rapidly and are mature in their fourth year. They are of 

 enormous size, compactly and cleanly built, and their flesh is fine- 

 grained, tender, and savory. As such it is readily distinguishable, either 

 in the butcher's stall or at table, from the coarse-grained, stringy beef 

 which is produced by most of the imported " scrub " cattle with which 

 Switzerland supplies the deficit in her meat produc.t. Finer beef than 

 is produced here from the stall-fed Simmenthal oxen I have never seen, 

 either in England or the United States, and it may well be doubted 

 whether better exists anywhere. 



PRICES OF FINELY BRED BERNESE CATTLE. 



The present market values of finely bred Bernese cattle, such as would 

 naturally be selected for export, are indicated by averages of sales at 

 several fairs during the present autumn, as follows : Calves, six months 

 old, $40 ; yearlings, $80 to $100 ; cow (four to five years old), $130 to 

 $145; bull (two to four years old), $130 to $150. 



A competent buyer, familiar with Swiss dialects and methods of 

 " dickering," could go among the farmers and buy equally good cattle 

 at perhaps 10 per cent, less than the above prices, which are the values 

 current among dealers. 



