298 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



STATISTICS OF BROWN SCHWYTZER CATTLE. 



REPORT BY CONSUL BYERS, OF ZURICH. 



In compliance with the Department's circular of July 18, I transmit 

 tabular statements as to certain Swiss cattle best suited for importa- 

 tion and breeding in the United States. 



In addition to these tables, I wish to offer some remarks that may be 

 of interest to cattle breeders who are intent on securing only the very 

 best breeds of milch cows. 



First, I would like to call attention to my report on " Swiss dairy thrift," 

 printed in Ko. 22, of Consular Reports ; also to my report on u Milk con- 

 densing " in Switzerland, in Consular Eeport No. 27. I refer to these 

 in order to save too much repetition of the same facts in the present 

 report, though some repetition will be necessary for convenience. 



The information contained in the tabular statements, I may premise, 

 are believed to be very authentic and trustworthy, as they are com- 

 piled for me by some of the best cattle-growers in the country. 



As remarked in a previous report, Switzerland has been famous for 

 the productions of its dairies for centuries. At the international cat- 

 tle show in Paris, in 1878, every Swiss cow exhibited bore away a prize. 

 The result of exhibiting Swiss cows has been almost as favorable at 

 other fairs in Europe, and < specially at the great cattle show of Ham- 

 burg, recently closed. The Brown Schwytzer race of cows has, within 

 a few years, or rather since Switzerland has commenced exhibiting at 

 international shows at all, borne away premiums from Holland, Eng- 

 land, Denmark, and other famous cattle-producing countries. 



These Brown Schwytzers are not a new race of cattle, suddenly dis- 

 covered to be of great value for the dairy. On the contrary they were 

 known for their good qualities long ago, and the breed has, in certain 

 districts, been kept pure for several centuries. The Brown Schwytzer is 

 a native of Switzerland, and has its name from the canton of Schwytz, 

 where the race has been bred longest, and where the purest blood is 

 found to day. 



The leading characteristics of this cow are 



(1) Its good milking qualities. 



(2) Its perfectly mild disposition. 



(3) Its adaptability to most climates and localities. 



(4) Its great beauty of form and color. 



THE BROWN SCHWYTZERS AS MILKERS. 



A good Brown Schwytzer will average, for three hundred and sixty- 

 five days in the year, not less than 10 quarts of milk daily, and that 

 on grass and hay alone. This is not the exceptional rate, resulting 

 from special care and special feeding, but the good average of thou- 

 sands of these cows, taken from whole herds. I shall avoid entirely 

 here any reference to special cases of extraordinary milk production, as 

 being useless and misleading. I take it that what our farmers wish is 

 facts as to what an average good Swiss cow will produce, not for a few 

 months only, but for every day in the year. 



Fortunately, there are some reliable records to be had, showing just 

 about what this average production is. I quote, first, from my report on 

 " Swiss dairy thrift," some statements based on recorded experience of 



