THE IRISH CATTLE INDUSTRY. 363 



a short, broad face and nicely set horns, a broad level back, long deep 

 quarters, good flanks, and wide chest, a Dexter in good condition may be 

 termed a perfect specimen of a butcher's animal. While this is so, the 

 rrilking powers of the ordinary cows of the breed are indeed great. Many 

 of these small animals, not exceeding forty inches in height, give a milk 

 record of four gallons per day, and continue to do so for months after 

 calving. 



Being small food consumers, good milkers, and possessed of a quiet, 

 docile disposition, they have been often spoken of as " perfect villa animals." 

 With a wider chest and a stronger constitution than the Jersey, they are 

 gradually displacing the more delicate Channel Island cows in many subur- 

 ban districts in England. 



Their colour may be black or red, with white markings. 



**A most interesting and valuable experiment in the matter of cross- 

 breeding, or rather up-grading, has been carried out for 



Dexter Crosses. many years at Straffan House, County Kildare, Ireland. 

 Some thirty years ago Major Barton became possessed 

 of a small Dexter cow, and, the animal being a deep milker, her female calf 

 by a pure-bred Shorthorn bull was retained in the herd. From this foundation 

 a small herd of beautifully shaped deep-milking cattle has been bred, the 

 present-day specimens being Ihe fifth, sixth and seventh generations from the 

 original Dexter cow. The grading-up has been invariably carried out by 

 means of Shorthorn bulls ; and while the animals to-day have all the shapes of 

 high-class Shorthorns, they stand very little higher than the foundation Dexter 

 cow. As milking cattle they are, for their size, truly wonderful, several of 

 these small cows giving five gallons of rich milk per day when in full 

 milk."* 



* " Food Supply." Charles Griffin & Co., London, 1898. 



