MIDDLE-HORNED CxVTTLE DUTCH BELTED. 723. 



XX. Dutch Belted Cattle. 



The origin of this breed of cattle dates back nearly three centuries. 

 They are natives of Holland where they are known as Lakenfeld Cattle — 

 the name being descriptive, as ''laken" means a blanket or sheet about the 

 body. The characteristic color of this breed has been established by 

 scientific breeding, the white belt being now always a characteristic which 

 pertains to every true blood of that breed. 



There is little written historical data concerning the breed, bilt it is 

 known that their introduction into America dates back to 1838 when the 

 first importation to New York was made by D, H. Haight of that state, 

 and which was followed ten years later by a second large importation. We 

 are advised that P. T. Barnum, the famous show man, who had a genius 

 for advertising, imported a herd to gratify his ruling passion of doing 

 unusual things, and that other importations were made by R. W. Coleman. 

 They became well known and popular in southern New York and ulti- 

 mately found their way into New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, 

 Indiana, Illinois, and south to a considerable extent, especially in South 

 Carolina and Mississippi. There are a few herds in the Pacific coast states. 

 They are smaller in size than the Holstein-Friesian, which corresponds in 

 weight more nearly to the Ayrshire. The cows w^eigh from 900 to 1,250 

 pounds, while the bulls sometimes reach the weight of 2,000 pounds. 

 Some of the more noted animals have reached 1,200 pounds at three years 

 and a weight of 1,500 pounds of the bull should prevail. A number of 

 prize winning milch cows of this breed have weighed from 1,150 to 1,300 

 pounds. 



In color the cattle are invariably black, wdth a white band of varying 

 width about the body in front of the hips and behind the shoulders. This 

 band has in instances narrowed to a foot in width and again it has been 

 three feet wide, and has been transmitted from one generation to another 

 in that width for the full grown animal. The udder of the cow in its 

 fore part is often white. In udder formation and development these 

 cows are rather inferior, the size being comparatively small, the fore udder 

 being somewhat abbreviated and the tits too close together. 



Aside from being ornamental the principal value of this breed is its 

 dairy importance. The actual monetary importance of the breed aside 

 from its beauty does not really justify high praise. The record of one 

 premium winner, Lady Aldine, 124, is that of a production of 32 quarts 

 of milk a day on grass alone. Another similar record is that of Lady 

 Daird, 82. The best test record made by the breed was that at the Pan- 

 American Model Dairy in 1901 in which ten breeds participated. In this 

 trial the five Dutch Belted cows made the following record in 120 days: 



