CHAPTER VIII 

 HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN 



This breed is one of the oldest, of either beef or dairy 

 animals, represented in America. It had its beginning in 

 Holland, chiefly in a northeast province, Eriesland, and is un- 

 questionably the same which made the Hollanders famous 

 throughout the civilized world more than a thousand years ago. 

 Even back during the flourishing days of the old Roman Empire, 

 large, black and white oxen, and cheese were continually being 

 sent from the regions now known as Holland. A race of 

 cattle with many of the present characteristics of the Holstein- 

 Eriesians doubtless were being maintained practically pure 

 fully 2000 years ago and Holland has remained famous as a 

 dairy center during the centuries since. American Holsteins 

 are chiefly from this source. 



Though the parent stock has been kept pure, many off-shoots 

 and modifications have taken place in surrounding countries; 

 thus, modified Holland cattle are to be found in various parts of 

 Belgium, Prussian Holland, North Germany, Germany, and to 

 some extent in Normandy of France. This blood contributed 

 to the development of the early Teeswater cattle, now known 

 as Durham or Shorthorns, as well as having also furnished 

 foundation for much improvement effected of late years in 

 portions of Russia. 



Home Conditions. — The land upon which this breed of 

 stock has been pastured for many generations is largely of a low, 

 marshy order; in fact, much of the land is that reclaimed from 

 the ocean by the thrifty Hollanders, who diked across the arm 

 of the sea and literally pumped the water back into the ocean by 

 means of windmills. The land thus reclaimed is immensely 

 fertile but, being lower than the level of the ocean, continues 

 moist and comparatively cold. Grass grows luxuriantly, while 

 such crops as our American corn are not grown at all and small 

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