GEKMANY. 435 



CIJARACTEftTSTirS OF SILESIAN TATTLE. 



The number of cattle in Silesia on the lOtli of February last was 

 1,394,145. The breed peculiar to the country, tuowu & the ^ilc^ian 

 race (Schlesisches Landvieb), lias many excellent cbaracterieties. The 

 cows yield a fair quantity of rich milk, and both cow and ox are highly 

 prized as draught cattle. They are hardy, of great endurance, easily 

 fed, and their flesh is palatable and nutritious. They are essentially 

 the poor man's cattle, and are to be found in their original purity mainly 

 on the smaller estates. Their color is red, and red and white, and their 

 horns are similar to those of Ayrshires. With their long legs, broad 

 chests, and small haunches, however, they do not meet the demands 

 either of the cattle fancier or of the English butcher. 



An offshoot of this race, differing but slightly in appearance, but giv- 

 ing a still better quality of milk, though less in quantity, is called the 

 "'Silesian mountain cattle" (Schlesisches Gebirgsvieh), also red, or red 

 and white, but usually white-backed. These mountain cattle have been 

 crossed with the Sirnmenthal (Switzerland) and the Algau (Bavarian 

 highlands) cattle with the best results. The few animals from the Zil- 

 lerthal, in the Tyrol, brought hither by some Protestant exiles many 

 years ago, have also been crossed with the Silesian mountain and the 

 Simmenthal breeds, but without any marked improvement. A cross of 

 the lowland cattle with the Shorthorn cattle, continued through sev- 

 eral generations, has produced a breed known as the Silesian Shorthorns, 

 combining the best qualities of both races. The Silesian cattle are thus 

 described: 



Silesiau cattle of the plains. 



Name of breed : Silesian lowland cattle. 



Annual average pounds of milk : 5,000. 



Milk to pounds of butter: 14 to 1. 



Milk to pounds of cheese: 7 to 1. 



Size at maturity : Cow 140, bull and ox 160 centimeters high. 



Live weight at maturity: Cow 900, bull 1,200, ox 1,000 pounds. 



Ago at maturity : Four years. 



Weight of meat at maturity: 600 to 700 pounds. 



Color : Red, and red and white. 



Description : Long legs, medium breadth, normal chest, small haunch, horns com- 

 paratively small. 



Origin of breed: Known only as Silesian. 



Product : Oxen and cows esteemed as workers ; moat regarded as good : milk of ex- 

 cellent quality. 



Silesian mountain cattle. 



Name of breed : Silesian highland cattle. 



Annual average pounds of milk: 3, (500. 



Milk to pounds <;' butter: 12 pounds to 1. 



Milk to pom-, is of 6 pounds to I. 



Name of country: Giant Mountains and county Glatz. 



Size at maturity: O>w 1^5, hull 140, ox 160 centimeters high. 



Live weight: Co\v, 700; bull, 1000; ox, DUO pounds, 

 at matnritv: four years. 

 Jit <>f juc.-it at matnritv : 500 to 600 pounds. 



Color: Red, and red and \\!iit<>, mostly whit 



iption: Long legs, broad chest, "small rump. 



Origin of breed : Silesia. 



Products: Good working cattle ; difficult to fatten, but meat considered good; TCJlk 

 of excellent quali:y. 



These cattle are highly valued by the small farmers in the mcnntain dis f 

 They are hardy, and can be kept at much, less cost than imported bresdfl* 



