THE BROWN SWISS 



471 



The largest two-year record in milk was 10,464.3 pounds by 

 Betty of Allynhurst 4539, and the largest yield of butter fat 

 454.24 by Scallotta K. 3993. Ninety-four cows and heifers aver- 

 aged 10,805.4 pounds of milk and 431.91 pounds of fat. 



Brown Swiss cattle as beef producers rank well in Switzerland 

 and produce an excellent class of meat. Brown Swiss veal is 

 of superior quality when well fattened. As seen in the Swiss 

 markets, the carcasses show more waste than occurs with the 

 better-fed carcasses in 

 England or the United 

 States. Weights of 400 

 to 600 pounds at four 

 to six months old are 

 given as common, and 

 the steers dress out 5 5 

 to 60 per cent. But 

 very few fat Brown 

 Swiss cattle have been 

 seen in America. Pro- 

 fessor R. S. Shaw 

 reports on a two-year 

 steer at the Michigan 

 Agricultural College 

 which had a live weight 

 of 1589 pounds and 

 dressed 60.6 per cent. 



Two yearlings weighing 940 and 980 pounds each dressed respec- 

 tively 57.07 and 58.67 per cent. Regarding the yearlings Professor 

 Shaw says 1 : "The hides were unusually thick and heavy, and 

 the bones large and joints prominent. One of the most striking 

 features noticed was the great depth of natural flesh covering the 

 entire region of the back, and the massive development of the hind 

 quarters. The steers were three and four inches wider at the thurl 

 than at the hook points." It is not likely that cattle of this type 

 will ever become popular in the American beef-cattle market. 



The distribution of Brown Swiss cattle is rather widespread, 

 especially in eastern Europe. Prior to the World War extensive 



1 Breeders' Gazette, January 25, 1905. 



FIG. 211. A prize-winning Brown Swiss heifer 



owned by I. Burgi & Son, Arth, Switzerland. From 



photograph by the author 



