CHAP. i. IRISH BREEDS OF CATTLE. 77 



mountains ought not to be neglected by individuals or public associa- 

 tions. The breed is yet the best that is reared over a large extent of 

 country, from its adaptation to the existing state of agriculture and to 

 the humid mountains and bogs in which it is naturalized. Were it to 

 be reared with care in a good district, the form would be gradually 

 more developed, and the Kerry breed might then bear the same 

 relation to the mountain breeds of Ireland that the Castle Martin 

 does to those of Wales, or the West Highland to those of the North 

 of Scotland." 



At the first Conference of the British Dairy Farmers' Association, 

 held in Dublin, Professor Carroll, of Glasnevin, pointed out that 

 there exists in Ireland a race of cattle eminently suited to dairy 

 purposes. In the county Limerick there may be found cows second 

 to none in respect of yield of milk of good quality. These cows 

 are suited to land of the best quality. Unfortunatel} r , the system of 

 breeding in the district is not calculated to produce animals of 

 uniform excellence, so that it cannot yet be said that Ireland possesses 

 a distinct breed of large cows. In individual cases these cows have 

 yielded 1,000 imperial gallons of milk per annum. The cattle of 

 the extreme south have a large proportion of Ayrshire and Dutch 

 blood. In the beginning of the present century a large number of 

 animals of those breeds were introduced into the south of Ireland. 

 For a considerable time the Longhorn cattle had an important position 

 in Ireland. They were considered to be valuable for dairy purposes. 

 The Holderness breed was imported, but it was found that the Long- 

 horn was a better dairy cow. The Shorthorn breed was introduced at 

 an early period of its existence, and Irish breeders of Shorthorns hold 

 some very valuable animals. The Booth tribe was the variety which 

 gained a footing in Ireland. There can be no room for doubt that 

 the introduction of Shorthorns conferred considerable advantage upon 

 Irish agriculture ; they revolutionised Irish cattle, and enabled the 

 country to supply stores as well as to produce some grand fat cattle. 

 It is, however, to be regretted that the Bates variety was not tried in 

 the dairying districts. It will be seen that in Ireland the cattle must 

 be of a heterogeneous character a mixture of Ayrshire, Longhorn, 

 Holderness, Dutch, and Shorthorn. The ancient varieties of cattle 

 have been to a large extent swept away from the midland and 

 eastern counties, but there is in the south-west a remnant of the 

 old breed. 



The Kerry breed, now coming so prominently into notice, is in every 

 sense the dairy cow for poor land. Of hardy constitution, the Kerry 

 will live where other breeds would starve. The cows yield, according 

 to their size and feeding, a larger quantity of rich milk than any other 

 known variety. They are good cattle for grazing purposes, producing 

 beef of excellent quality. The cows will fatten readily if they are not 

 too old. Several attempts to improve the Kerry by crossing have 

 failed to produce an animal superior to the native for its mountain 

 home. What is required is a careful, systematic, and scientific breeding 

 of the Kerry, so as to found a true breed and type. It is satisfactory 



