122 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 



breed are now represented by the American Ayrshire Breeders' As- 

 sociation. (F. B. 106.) 



GUERNSEYS. 



Origin and History. The island of Guernsey is the second in 

 size of the Channel Islands, and lies farthest to the west in this group. 

 It is triangular in shape, being 9 miles long and about 4 in greatest 

 width, with rough, rocky coasts, containing 16,000 acres, and has a 

 population of 35,000, half of whom live in the principal town, St. 

 Peters. Market gardening is the chief occupation of the country peo- 

 ple and dairy cattle form a secondary interest. There are only about 

 5,000 cattle owned upon the island. By a long-continued policy of 

 excluding all live cattle from without its limits, the stock of this 

 island has been built up into a distinct breed. 



It is difficult to say when Guernsey cattle began to come to the 

 United States, but a few are known to have been owned near Phila- 

 delphia prior to 1850. In America, as in England, all Channel 

 Island cattle imported were long called "Alderneys," irrespective of 

 the island from which they came. Pure as they were at home, each 

 within its own limits, the distinction was not properly preserved after 

 they reached this country. But between 1870 and 1875 the Guern- 

 sey became recognized here as a breed, and for forty years importa- 

 tions have been made nearly every year. The breed has steadily in- 

 creased in numbers and as steadily has gained in favor wherever 

 introduced. 



Characteristics. Guernseys are larger than Jerseys, stronger- 

 boned, and a little coarser in appearance. They are claimed to be 

 hardier and larger milkers. They are generally very handsome and 

 attractive cows. 



The head of the Guernsey is rather long, the neck slender, the 

 body large, deep, and rangy, the rump prominent, the flanks thin, 

 thighs incurved, and twist open and roomy. Altogether the animal 

 is at once recognized as businesslike and belonging to the pronounced 

 dairy type. They are light in color, yellow and orange predominat- 

 ing, with considerable white, usually in large patches on the body 

 and on the legs. Darker shades, approaching brown, are found upon 

 some cows and are quite common on bulls. The muzzles are almost 

 invariably buff or flesh-colored, surrounded by a fillet of light hair. 

 A characteristic of this breed is a very generous secretion of yellow 

 coloring matter, which pertains to the whole skin, but is seen especi- 

 ally where the hair is white, in the ears, around the eyes, and about 

 the udder. This gives a richness to the animal which is very notice- 

 able and causes the butter produced to be of a higher color at all 

 seasons of the year than that of any other breed. The udder and teats 

 are large and admirably shaped. 



The Guernsey possesses a nervous temperament, and yet the 

 cows are extremely quiet and gentle when properly handled, and less 

 trouble is reported in the management of aged bulls than with Jer- 

 seys of like age. 



Milk and Butter. The cows of this breed produce liberal quan- 

 tities of milk, and it is of uncommon richness in butter fat and in 

 natural color. They are to be especially recommended for butter 



