CATTLE HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF BREEDS. 767 



One thing that undoubtedly has had great influence in 

 reducing the size of the Jerseys is, that they breed very young, 

 it being quite common for the heifers to drop their first calf at 

 fifteen months old, and if allowed access to the bull, they will 

 usually come in at from seventeen to twenty months old. While 

 it is admitted that the size has been reduced by this trait, it is 

 nevertheless a valuable one, for the Jerseys will never be grown 

 as a beef animal, and if they can be made to pay their way 

 from the time they are fifteen or eighteen months old, it is cer- 

 tainly better than to keep them a year longer unproductive for 

 the sake of adding one or two hundred pounds to their weight. 

 I am now milking a three-fourths Jersey who dropped her second 

 calf when thirty-one months old, after having been milked a 

 year, and I estimate that her milk and butter alone paid all the 

 expense of raising her up to the time she dropped her first calf 

 at seventeen months old. 



We describe the Jersey as follows : The head muzzle fine, 

 the nose either dark-brown or black, and occasionally a yellowish 

 shade, with a peculiar mealy appearance, light colored hair run- 

 ning up the face into a smoky hue, where it gradually takes 

 the general color of the body; the face is slightly dishing, 

 clean of flesh, mild and gentle in expression ; the eye clear 

 and full, and encircled with a distinct ring, the color of 

 the nose ; the forehead bold ; the horn short, curving inward, 

 and waxy in color, with black tips ; the ear, sizable, thin, and 

 quick in movement. The whole head is original and bold-like 

 in appearance, more so than in almost any other race of cattle, 

 reminding one strongly of the head of the American elk. The 

 neck is somewhat depressed would be called ewe-necked by 

 some but clean in the throat, with moderate or little dewlap ; 

 the shoulders are thin and somewhat ragged, with prominent 

 points running down to a delicate arm, and slender legs ; the 

 fore-quarters stand rather close together, with a thinish, but well- 

 developed brisket between ; the ribs are flat, yet giving sufficient 

 play for good lungs ; the back depressed from a straight-line ; 

 the belly deep and large; the hips tolerably wide; the rump 

 and tail high; the loin and quarter medium in length; the thigh 



