e 



^ 



64 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



^ 



The Matchless Cow.— Believing, for a year past, that I have a cow possessing extraordinary 

 qualities for milk, butter, and stock, I resolved on giving a short history of her productions : The 

 cow is of the native stock, large, perfect in form, and is seven years old. On the 23d of March she 

 cast a pair of calves, male and female; they had all the milk of the cow for three months, except 

 what was wanted in the family. From that time to the present, (.January 10th,) we have made 

 280 lbs. of butter, besides supplying a family of four persons with buttermilk and cream, of which 

 no account has been kept. We make from seven to nine pounds per week at this time, besides 

 supplying the family. The cow has had no other food but good pasture and hay. She gave, in the 

 leafy month of June, from 65 to 70 lbs. of milk per day for several days in succession, from which 

 were made 3J lbs. of butter per day. This is the cow that produced the famous native steer, 

 weighing, when just two years old, 1865 lbs. The twins are large and fine, and will weigh 1150 

 lbs. If any one can beat this, I should like to hear from them. S. N. Frankun. 



Heavy Oats. — ^Tliis day I was shown oats, of which two bushels, fair measure, weighed ninety- 

 nine pounds. Can any Genesee Valley farmers produce oats that will beat this? N. North.— 

 Aneaster, 0. W. 



# 



U^' 



THE STRUCTURAL FORMATION OF VARIOUS BREEDS OF CATTLE. 



(condensed from the north BRITISH AGRICULTURIST.) 



The Ayrshire Breed.— The milk-producing breeds of cattle are more -svidely diffused than 

 the flesh-producing ones. Much of the soil in this country (Scotland) is naturally so inferior, 

 or is kept in such poor condition, that the herbage is inadequate to sustain, profitably, the fat- 

 secreting breeds ; hence those breeds which yield a return in the form of butter and cheese, 

 are pret^erred to those which require richer pastures. Among the many valuable breeds for 

 the dairy, the Ayrshire takes a prominent place ; and, as a milk-producing breed, is inferior 

 only to the Alderney. By some it is considered equal— by most dairy farmers m Scotland 

 even superior. When the'butyraceous deposit is stopped by the cows becoming dry, they are 

 easily fattened. Oxen of the Avrshire breed, when well fed in youth, grow to good weiglits 

 at two and a half to three years" old. If crossed with the Short-horn, they are valuable ani- 

 mals for the grazier. The Ayrshire breed, for these qualities, is therefore more widely spread 

 over the country than any other. 



The origin of this valuable breed can not now be traced. It would appear to be the result 

 of a cross^'of the West Highland with some less hardy breed. This breed has, we believe, 

 within these few years, slightly duteriorated, having become more delicate in constitution. 

 This is not willingly admitted by breeders, but we think there is no doubt of the fact. Proba- 

 bly this delicacy of constitution can be traced to the change of form produced by breeding 

 in-and-in, as many of the most esteemed herds have a close affinity with one another, and 

 many breeders never introduce a change into their stock. The breeding of them simply ior 

 their milk-secreting cjualities has produced a smaller animal, with a somewhat contracted 

 chest, and enlarged pelvis. The bull is selected more from being the calf of a good milker 

 than 'from symmetry of form, or pedigree— indeed, the last appears to be little regarded. 

 The qney calves of the best milkers are also reared to supply the place of their dams; hence 

 the milk-secreting powers are proi)agatcd more by heredit^iry qualities, than either by selec- 

 tion of animals frctn particular herds, or the selecting of animals of a peculiar formation. 

 There are, however, certain forms indicative of certain qualities, which are so far a guide in 

 judging of such milk-prodnciiig breeds as the Ayrshire; and these should he more carefully 

 studied by breeders in general. 



Lately a genOcman named Francois Guexon, a Frencliman, professed to have iound by 

 close observatic)! that certain distinguishing marks were unfailing signs of quantity, quality 

 of milk, and the jtoriod a cow would retain her milk-giving qualities after calving. The sub- 

 ject wiJs taken up by several agricultural societies in France, and opinions pronounced highly 

 favorable to the theory. We'eaii not, without a series of cuts, explain the distingnishing 

 marks; but they are such as are commonly observed by those Avho come in close contact 

 with dairy stock. We have seen both keepers of cows, as well as dairymaids, point out neariy 

 the same signs which M. Gtexon has done, in judging the milk-giving qualities of an animal 

 with which they Avere not familiar. ^ • ^ e 



We will, in proceeding to describe the most ])romiiient features of the best kind of cattle 



---^ 



dSl 



