358 CATTLE 



The origin of the name " Holstein-Friesian " becomes pertinent 

 at this point. A quarter of a century ago cattle were brought to 

 this country under the names of " Holstein " and " Dutch Friesian," 

 being sold as different breeds and championed by different 

 breeding associations. The name " Holstein " has no application 

 in Holland, but refers to a small province in Germany between 

 the Baltic and North Seas, about a hundred miles east of the 

 Holland boundary, where black-and-white Dutch cattle are 

 found. The word " Friesian " is derived from the province of 

 Friesland, and the breed in America might with propriety be 

 called by that name alone, for no such breed name as " Holstein- 

 Friesian " exists in Holland. Inasmuch as all the cattle imported 

 to America from Holland were essentially the same, the breeders 

 and importers, representing two distinct Dutch cattle associations 

 in this country, met in joint session in 1885 and united their 

 interests and agreed to call the breed Holstein-Friesian. It is 

 interesting to note that while the use of the word " Holstein " is 

 illogical, in 1909 the British Holstein Cattle Society organized 

 but later adopted the name " Friesian " in place of " Holstein," to 

 conform to Dutch usage. The word " Holstein," now so universally 

 used in America, is as much a misfit as " Holstein-Friesian." " The 

 Netherland Rundvee Stambock of Holland," says the London Live 

 Stock Journal (February 28, 1919), ''has requested the Holstein- 

 Friesian Association of America to drop the word ' Holstein ' from 

 its hyphenated compromise name. The Yankee body has refused 

 the request. We are more up to date on this side apparently." 



The introduction of Holstein-Friesian cattle to America is 

 associated with the early Dutch settlement of New York. Mr. W. 

 W. Chenery of Belmont, Massachusetts, states * that the Holstein 

 or Dutch cattle were introduced into this country about 1625 by the 

 West India Company, and subsequently other importations were 

 made by the early Dutch settlers in New York State. Late in the 

 seventeenth century, when the Mohawk valley of that state was 

 settled by the Dutch, they probably brought cattle with them 

 from Holland. In 1795 the Holland Land Company sent two 

 bulls and six cows to John Linklaen of Cazenovia, New York, 

 who was an agent in charge of lands of the company there. As 



*A Private Holstein or Dutch Herd Book, 3d ed. (1869), p. 5. 



