UAIUY CATTLE THE DUTCH BREEDS. 753 



under two Amsterdam ells, (4 51-100 feet) ; the length of the body in pro- 

 portion to the height, the middle part of which is particularly developed, 

 the quarters fleshy, neck rather short than long, with a strong dewlap ; 

 head narrow and long, with the forehead slightly depressed ; fine horns 

 crooked forward, and large projecting ears. The withers arc often nar- 

 row ; the back, on the other hand, broad across the hips, which are not 

 very prominent ; the tail tine and long, with a good tuft of hair ; the posi- 

 tion of the hind legs strong and straight (not knock-kneed), the hind-(|uar- 

 tcrs broad and roomy, and the bag Avell developed. The lower part of the 

 legs above the hoofs is invariably white, which is regarded as a sign of 

 the pure unmixed breed. The live weight of the cows is 1.200 to 1,400 

 pounds; th;it of bulls reaches 2,000 i)ounds when full grown and fatted. 

 The cows are usually productive of milk, and give an average of 3,000 

 quarts and over per annum. 



A very excellent milch cow of the Amsterdam race, from the royal 

 cow stable in Eldena, which was brought with a few ethers to the Inter- 

 national Exhibition, took the first premium for milch cows of the 

 Netherland race at the International Exhibition of live stock at Stettin m 

 1865. This cow, fed in the stall only, gave in one year the great quan- 

 tity of (),142 quarts of milk, and kept up afterwards to 4,000 quarts in an 

 equal length of time. 



To the breed of North Holland are nearly related those of South Hol- 

 land and West Friesland, and differ perhaps only in that the latter are 

 larger-boned, and in general of not so pleasing a form. In regard to 

 their milk-producing qualities they are about equal. The manner of 

 keeping the stock, and the use of the milk, is also the same. viz. : the 

 manufacture of cheese, while the calves are raised and sold as young 

 stock at high prices. From these three provinces, the former two of 

 which suffered so much lately from rinderpest, milch cows are bouglil 

 for the best dairies in Germany. 



Holland cattle are well adapted to soiling, although at home they arc 

 accustomed to pasturage. They are kept profitably on the latter only 

 when its abundance facilitates grazing and makes corporal exertion unnec- 

 essary. Therefore a great error would be made in placing these animals 

 on a scant pasturage, and they are not at all adapted to the pasturage of 

 a light soil. The result of stall-feeding is more favorable, because proper 

 care and fodder can be given to the stock without its exertion. We have 

 received from no other race an equal quantity of milk with the same feed, 

 as years of observation in the cow stal)le of the Academy at Eldena has 

 shown. 



