GERMANY. 447 



It takes 10 liters of their milk to make 1 pound of butter. According 

 to a comparative trial made in Saxony the Allgauercows produced 29.38 

 liters, the Holland cows 25.26 liters, and the Saxon cows only 23.16 li- 

 of milk to every 100 pounds of hay, or its equivalent^ consumed. 

 The meat of the Allgauer breed, on the other hand, is less valuable than 

 that of the other breeds mentioned, its fiber being coarse, dry, quite 

 red, and very tough. 



THE LIMBURGER BREED. 



Under this title two breeds exist, one originating in the province of 

 Limburg, in Belgium, the other, and the one which this report more 

 properly concerns, in the neighborhood of Schwiibisch Hall, in Wurtem- 

 berg. This latter breed is found most in use in the vicinity of Gaildorf, 

 Aalen, Gmund, and on theestates of Count von Rechberg and Baron von 

 Wollwarth. Their color is tawny-yellow, pea-yellow, and silver-yellow 

 (silberfalb), mostly without any marks; the skin is fine, so that it not 

 only tails in graceful folds upon the neck, but also frequently in trans- 

 verse folds. As distinguishing marks of the race may be mentioned 

 yellow horns and hoofs; as well as flesh-colored and almost hairless skin 

 around the eyes. The head is long, narrow, light, and in many cases 

 with curved profile ; the horns fine, round, and in most cases projecting 

 upwards and forwards. The chest is but little- developed; the shanks 

 generally flat, with but few muscles, and ungainly in shape. It is a 

 light country breed, giving a good yield of milk, and, moreover, notice- 

 able on account of the fine fiber of its beef. The cows are very small in 

 comparison with the oxen bred from them, weighing only GOO to 700 

 pounds, while the oxen weigh as high as 1,600 to 1,600 pounds on the 

 hoof. The cows give about 1,800 liters of milk per annum, 10 pounds 

 of the milk giving about 1J pounds of butter. 



/ 



THE NECKAR BREED. 



This is a race special to Wurtemberg, having its origin in the neigh- 

 borhood of Heilbronn on the Neckar, whither, as long ago as the end of 

 the .last century, bulls were imported from Bern for crossing with the 

 native stock, but later this crossing was carried on in such a manner 

 that an especial value came to be attached to the thoroughly red cattle, 

 resulting in the development of an intermediate breed, rarely parti- 

 colored, which now widely exists in the counties of Heilbronn, Neckar- 

 sulin, and Leonberg. It was formerly much easier to obtain cattle of 

 the single color from the Simmeuthal region, inasmuch as here, as 

 everywhere, the effect of prevailing fashion in cattle-breeding made 

 itself f<'lt, though, of course, limited somewhat with reference to the 

 animal's usefulness. Thus, for instance, Kychner relates that formerly 

 in the Canton Bern only red cattle were in demand, while later, a de- 

 mand suddenly sprung up for parti -colored ones, even though the latter 

 were prejudicial to trade. Formerly only delicately made cattle were 

 sought for ; afterwards they could not be found coarse enough. For years 

 past the Neckar breed has maintained its pure red color, with a large and 

 somewhat heavy body and low belly. Its form, as regards the head and 

 horns, is lighter than is found in the breeds sired from Swiss bulls. 

 The folds of the flesh are thick ; the breast finely developed, and the 

 haunches regulai, with a much better caudal bone than is found in the 

 Simmeuthalers. The bones are short, the hind legs somewhat curved, 



