INFORMATION CONCERNING THE HISTORY, CHAR- 

 ACTERISTICS, DISTRIBUTION, ETC., OF KERRY 

 AND DEXTER CATTLE. 



[Reproduced from the revised edition of ""Types and Breeds of Farm 

 Animals." bv Charles S. Plumb. Published bv Ginn & Company, Boston. 

 Mass.] 



THE KERRY. 



The native home of Kerry cattle is in southwestern Ire- 

 land in the county of Kerry. This is one of the wildest and 

 most picturesque sections of Ireland, with mountains rising above 

 three thousand feet and with the famous Killarney lakes in the 

 setting. The climate is moist and fairly temperate. Agricul- 

 tural conditions are inferior. 



The origin of the Kerry is as uncertain as that of other 

 British breeds. From time immemorial it has been bred in 

 Ireland, where it is known as the *'poor man's cow." The 

 opinion of British students is that this is a descendant from the 

 smaller type of aboriginal cattle of that country, of the same 

 character' as the dark-colored cattle of Britain. Nothing more 

 is known. The development of the breed has mainly rested with 

 the Irish farmers or tenants, who keep but small herds. 



The introduction of the Kerry to America was probably 

 first made in 1859 ^Y Sanford Howard of Boston, Massachusetts, 

 who imported for Arthur W. Austin a bull and five two-year-old 

 heifers. In i860 he imported a second bull, the first having died, 

 and two heifers. Since that period Kerry cattle have been im- 

 ported to the United States in a small way up to about 191 5. 



Characteristics of Kerry cattle. This is a distinct dairy 

 type breed, with the following special characteristics: The color 

 should always be a solid black, with no white on the body in 

 case of the bull ; with the cow a slight amount of white on the 

 udder or underline, while undesirable, does not disqualify. The 

 lean head of the cow carries upstanding, slender white horns 

 with black tips, which often turn back ; the bull's horns are 

 shorter than those of the cow, but are commonly erect, with the 

 tips turned back. The neck is slender and long, the imthers 

 fine, the back strong and well carried, the depth of body only 

 moderate, the runif^ tending to be somewhat sloping, the thighs 

 muscular, and the legs slender and comparatively long. The 



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