202 FARMERS' REGISTER— COMPARATIVE VIEW OF DIFFERENT BREEDS. 



smaller and more delicate ; and so anxious are the 

 inhabitants to preserve it in its native purity, that 

 there is an act oi' their legislature which prohibits 

 the importation of all foreign neat cattle whatever 

 — even Irom the neighboring islands — under se- 

 vere penalties of fine and confiscation, including 

 the destruction of the animal itself, which in such 

 case is slaughtered and distributed among the poor. 

 When exported, the same act directs that they 

 shall be accompanied by a certificate of their being 

 natives of the island ; but it is not easy to procure 

 those of the best (luality*. As tatting cattle, they 

 have but few good points ; being thin and hollow 

 in the neck, hollow and narrow behind the shoul- 

 ders, sharp and narrow on the bucks, light in the 

 brisket, and lean on the chine, with short rumps, 

 and small thighs ; but their flesh is fine grained, 

 high colored, and of excellent flavor. They are 

 also very large in the belly ; but this, as well as 

 some of the points already mentioned, is rather an 

 advantage to milch cows, to which purpose this 

 stock is usually applied in this country ; and their 

 vidder is well formed. 



The Alderney cows are ver}' rich milkers ; and 

 both on that account, and because of a certain neat- 

 ness in their appearance, notwithstanding the de- 

 fects of thir shape, they command high prices. In 

 this county, therefore, they are mostly in the pos- 

 session of gentlemen who, rarely keeping a regu- 

 lar breeding stock, the cows are consequently cros- 

 sed by any neighboring bull, and thus the pure 

 breed is preserved in the hands of but very few 

 persons. 



There is a very prevalent notion that they will 

 thrive on any kind of land, and they are therefore 

 not uncommonly kept on bare paddocks, with the 

 assistance of hay in winter. Like all light cattle, 

 they certainh^ do not require the same support as 

 larger animals ; but their native pasture in the 

 islands, is of the richest kind; and it is doubtless 

 owing to the less nutritive herbage on which they 

 are frequently fed in England, that the quantity 

 of their milk is not equal to its quality. In Jersey 

 they are also fed partly on parsnips, which are 

 found to improve the produce of the cows.j 



Such are the chief breeds of the kingdom; and 

 the description, being taken from the best authori- 

 ties, may be considered as accurate as possible, in 

 a general view. Bat it must be admitted, that 

 there are great de\'iations in many animals of the 

 same, and of the most approved stock; and there 

 are, besides, many crosses, and local breeds, dis- 

 tinguished by the name of the district, or the breed- 

 er, which it would be tedious to particularise. 



Comparative vino of the different breeds of neat 

 catlle. 



From the previous introductorj' view of the vari- j 

 ous species of neat cattle, the reader will probably 

 be enabled to form some estimate of the value of 

 the respective breeds therein described. The two 

 kinds, however, which are chiefly reared, are the 

 lon^-hnrned and the short-hnrned, and, concerning 

 their merits and demerits, there has long been a 

 difference of opinion among the most experienced 

 breeders; on that subject, therefore, it may not be 

 altogether useless to ofler a few comparative re- 

 marks to the consideration of the young grazier. 



* Quayle's General View of the Norman Isles, 

 t See Book II. chap. 2, note. 



It has been observed, by Mr. Culley, that "the 

 long horns excel in the thickness and firm texture 

 of the hides, in the length and closeness of the hair, 

 in their beet' being finer grained and more mixed 

 and marbled than that of the short horns, in weigh- 

 ing more in proiwrtion to their size, and in giving 

 richer milk; but they are inferior to the short horns, 

 in giving a less quantity of milk, in weighing less 

 upon the whole, in afiording less tallow when kill- 

 ed, in being slower fiieders, and of a coarser make, 

 and more leathery or bullish, in the under side of 

 the neck. In lew words, the long horns excel in 

 the hide, hair, and quality of the beef; the short 

 horns in the quantity of beef, tallow, and milk. — 

 Each breed has long had, and probably may have, 

 tlieir particular advocates; but, if I may hazard a. 

 conjecture, is it not probable that both kinds may 

 have their particular advantages in different situa- 

 tions? Why may not the thick, firm hides, and 

 long close-set hair of the one kind, be a protection 

 and security against those impetuous winds and 

 heavy rains to which the west coast of this island 

 is so subject; while the more regular seasons and 

 mild climate, upon the east coast, are most suita- 

 ble to the constitutions of the short horns? " * 



It should, however, be understood, that the pre- 

 ference above given by Mr. C. to the long-horned 

 species, on account of the superior quality of their 

 beef, applies only to the variety of that breed which 

 was selected, improved, and recommended by the 

 late eminent Mr. Bakewell, and which is described 

 in the introductory vie^v already referred to, under 

 the name of Dishley breed. In fact, Mr. C. is ol 

 opinion that " a breed of short-horned cattle might 

 be selected, eqiial, if not superior, even to that ver}'' 

 kindly-fleshed sort of Mr. Bakewell's, provided any 

 able breeder, or body of breeders, would pay as 

 much attention to these as Mr. Bakewell and his 

 neighbors have done to the short-horns." f 



This, as the opinion of an eminent breeder, is 

 entitled to great attention; and it has been corrob- 

 orated by a fact stated in the Agricultural Survey 

 of Northumberland, " that the long-horns had been 

 introduced into that country from the improved 

 stocks of the midland counties, at different times, 

 and by different breeders; but had, in most instan- 

 ces, given way again to the improved breed of 

 short-horns, and, at the time the first report was 

 published in 1804, had been totally abandoned by 

 every breeder in the country; the improved breed 

 of short-horns, from the stock of the Messieurs 

 Colling, having proved themselves much supe- 

 rior. "'| 



Since that period, continued exertions have been 

 made for the improvement of the short hornedbreed, 

 and the great weight to which the cattle an'ive 

 must always ensure them a high rank in the esti- 

 mation of those graziers who possess land of suf- 

 ficient staple to forward heav}^ beasts; but the opin- 

 ion of many of the best judges still continues to be 

 divided regarding their comparative merit with 

 that of the long-horns. 



An experienced firmer, who appears to have 

 examined both the breeds with great impartialit}', 

 states, "that the best of the short-horned bein^ 

 larger than any other kind require good keeji, and 

 more age than cattle in general: the oxen will im- 

 prove to the age of seven j-ears, and the cows to 



* Culley on Live Stock, p. 80. f lb. p. 81. 

 X Page"l40, 3d edition, 181.3; in which the assertion 

 remains uncontradicted. 



