No. 12. 



The Galloway Cow. 



377 



THE GALLOWAY COW. 



This cut contains the portrait of a beautiful GalloWay cow, belonging to Mr. Gurney. 

 There is, perhaps, no breed of cattle which can be more truly said to be indigenous to the 

 country, and incapable of improvement by any foreign cross, than the Galloways. The 

 Short-horns, elsewhere, have improved the cattle of the districts to which they have tra- 

 velled; they have, at least in the first cross, produced improvement, although the advan- 

 tage has not often been prolonged much beyond the second generation ; but even in the 

 first cross, the Short-horns have done little ^ood in Galloway; and as a permanent mix- 

 ture, the choicest of the Southern bulls have manifestly failed. The breeders in that 

 county, are now, therefore, perfectly satisfied that their stock can only be improved by 

 adherence to the pure breed, and by care in the selection. It has been remarked in this, 

 as in other breeding districts, that cows and heifers of good quality, are to be met with 

 everywhere, but that it is difficult to find a Galloway Bull free from defect. Too many 

 breeders have become careless from this circumstance, and have contented themselves 

 with a bull of moderate pretensions; and the form and value of their cattle have thus 

 been depreciated, yet not to the extent that might have been expected, for the imperfec- 

 tions of the sire do not always appear in the progeny; the sterling characteristics of the 

 Galloway cattle often breaking through, although obscured in one generation; and forming 

 a strong argument in favour of that grand axiom in breeding — ■" dam the best." 



The Galloway cows are not good milkers; yet, although the quantity of milk is small, 

 it is rich in quality, and yields a large proportion of butter. A cow that yields from 12 

 to 16 quarts of milk per day, is considered a very superior milker, and that quantity will 

 produce more than a pound and a half of butter; but the average milk of a Galloway, 

 cannot he reckoned at more than six or eight quarts per day, during the five months after 

 feeding her calf; while during the next four months, she does not give more than half 

 that quantity ; and for two or three months she is dry. The Galloway cattle are straight 

 and broad in the back, and nearly level from the head to the rump; round in the ribs, and 

 good between the shoulders and the ribs, and the ribs and the loins; broad also in the loin, 

 without any projecting hook-bones; in roundness of barrel and fulness of rib, they will 

 compare with any breed whatever; and when viewed from above, the whole body appears 

 beautifully rounded, like the longitudinal section of a roller. They are also long in the 

 quarter and rib, and deep in the chest, with less space between the hook, or hip-bones and 

 the ribs, than in most other breeds ; a consideration of much importance, the advantage 

 of length of carcass depending on being well ribbed home, or as little space as possible 

 lost in the flank. 



