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it is rather difficult to milk them. They are generally pure black in 

 color, but sometimes they are found of a rich blood red. They 

 are docile, very hardy and active, can climb hills almost like stoats, 

 and will live and thrive where other breeds would die of starvation. 

 For their si/.e they are the greatest milkers of any of the dairy 

 breeds, often gi\ -ing four or live times their own weight of milk in a 

 single season. When crossed with other cattle they generally 

 degenerate as milkers, but the cross-bred stock show a great 

 adaptncss for laying on flesh which is of the finest quality. A few 

 of them have been introduced to Australia, but the prices asked for 

 their stock put it out of the reach of most dairymen to obtain them. 

 They are so admirably suited for the hilly country and poor districts 

 that it is a pity there are not more of them in the colonies. For use 

 in private families they cannot be surpassed and are very 

 economical to keep. 



As the breeding of pure-bred stock is not within the reach of 

 .all dairy farmers, the question will naturally arise as to what are the 

 best crosses, or what is the best breed of bull to introduce into a 

 herd ; so much depends upon the class of cattle that we already 

 possess that no hard and fast rule can be laid down, at the same 

 time certain lines may be followed with advantage. Thus, if the 

 cows are hardy and good milkers, and it is desired to improve the 

 quality, a cross with some of the Channel Island breeds will 

 probably have very good results. If the cattle are not very good 

 milkers and generally a weedy lot, the Ayrshire might be used ; or, 

 if small in size, a shorthorn from a good milking strain. A really 

 good all-round cross is that between the Ayrshire and any of the 

 Channel Islanders, they are good, useful, all-round dairy cows, 

 whose milk is fairly rich in butter fat, and suitable for either butter 

 or cheese. Some magnificent milkers have been the produce of 

 Jerseys and Holsteins, and are remarkably handsome cattle 10 

 look at. 



I have given up to the present a general idea of what the 

 characteristics of the various breeds of cattle are ; but even if pure- 

 bred cattle only are kept they will need most careful culling to keep 

 them up to the highest standard. Only the calves from those that 

 prove themselves by actual test ought to be kept, and those that do 

 not come up to the fair standard should be sold or got rid of at the 

 first opportunity. A good beast eats no more than a poor one, but 

 may give double the return in cash in a single season. Every cow 

 in a herd ought to be thoroughly and constantly tested, not only for 

 quantity and quality, but also for her staying properties. Some 

 cows will give, shortly after calving, a great quantity of milk for a 

 few weeks and then drop off until the yield is very small, while 

 others will only give a moderate supply at first, but will ke p it up 

 for months with little or no falling of. Any cow that does not give 

 at least 3*6 per cent, of butter fat is not good enough to keep, and 

 should be replaced with a better animal as soon as possible. By 



