82 DAIRY CATTLE AND MILK PRODUCTION 



tinct belt of white between coal black ends of the body, is 

 counted a most skillful work of breeding. 



In size, the Dutch Belted cattle rank about with the 

 Ayrshires. The general form and conformation is more like 

 that of the Holstein. The cows weigh from 900 to 1300 

 pounds; the bulls weighing from 1600 to 2000 pounds. 

 The dairy type is highly developed, being of a highly nervous 

 temperament and very quiet disposition. Their most dis- 

 tinctive characteristic is the presence of the belt around the 

 center of the body. This belt should extend around the 

 body from just behind the shoulders to just in front of the 

 hips. Otherwise, the body is coal black. 



Importation and Distribution in America. The first im- 

 portation of Dutch Belted cattle into America, of which we 

 have any record, was made by D. H. Haight in 1838. He 

 made a second importation in 1848. The animals from 

 these two importations were scattered throughout Orange 

 County, N.Y., where their descendants are found at the 

 present time. Robert W. Coleman also imported a large 

 herd to place on his estate at Cornwall, Penn. The cattle of 

 this breed in America to-day are nearly all descendants of 

 these two herds. In 1840 P. T. Barnum imported a num- 

 ber of Dutch Belted cattle for show purposes, but soon 

 sent the cattle to his farm in Orange County, N.Y. In 

 1906 one heifer was imported, but prior to this date none 

 were imported for a period of over 50 years chiefly on account 

 of the scarcity of the animals in their native land. Within 

 recent years, importations have been made into Canada, 

 Cuba, and Mexico. 



In the United States, cattle of this breed are found most 

 numerously in the Eastern states, especially New York, New 



