HOLSTEIN-FRIESIANS 29 



the stable, which is separated by a door from the living room 

 of the family, about the first of October, and remain there as 

 a rule constantly until about the first of May. The stables 

 and the cows are kept in a condition beyond criticism from 

 a sanitary standpoint. If an animal becomes soiled with 

 manure, she is washed and cleaned carefully before milking. 

 The feed is mostly hay, with a small allowance of linseed or 

 other cake. 



In the summer season the cattle are kept on the pastures 

 and not brought to the barn. The milkers carry the milk 

 from the pasture rather than fatigue the cows by driving 

 them. If a cold wind blows up, the cows are at once blanketed 

 in the pasture. Great care is taken in raising stock only 

 from the best animals. Only a few bulls and about one fifth 

 of the heifers are raised, and these from the best milkers only. 

 The surplus calves are sold for veal, and the cows as a rule 

 are sold for beef at an age of eight or nine years. In Fries- 

 land the milk is used largely for butter making and in North 

 Holland mostly for cheese making. 



Importations and Distribution in America. A few were 

 imported as early as 1795, but were not kept pure. The 

 first importations that were kept pure were made into Mas- 

 sachusetts in 186 1. 1 Only a few were brought over before 

 1875, but from this date until 1885 about 10,000 were im- 

 ported. From these are descended most of the animals of 

 this breed now in America. After 1885 none were imported 

 until about 1903, partly on account of the high fee required 

 for registering imported animals and on account of the preva- 

 lence of foot and mouth disease in Holland. 



The first breed association, called the Holstein Herd Book 



1 Houghton, Holstein-Friesian Cattle, p. 17. 



