576 CATTLE AND DAIRY FAKMLNG. 



MEXICO. 



CATTLE-BREEDING IN NORTHERN MEXICO. 



REPORT j?r coxsrL-cj:xj-:i:AL srnvx, OF HATAMOROS. 



Preliminary. A detailed and reliable account of the "breeding-cattle 

 in Northern Mexico, as called lor in the circular and memoranda, is a 

 very difficult task. Xo previous data being available, I have had to visit 

 the ' ranches" and iii(]iiire directly of u rancheros." Having selected the 

 cattle 1 desired, they were photographed, measured, and weighed, and as 

 lull a description given as possible. 



Origin. In all the histories of .Mexico and of individual States which 

 I have examined, they are spoken of as the cattle of the country de- 

 scended from tho*e brought over by the Spaniards. 



Breed*. Ikoughly speaking, there is only one breed, but in this there 

 are variations, showing that at least three breeds were originally im- 

 ported, the Longhorns, the Shorthorns, and the Polled cattle. 



In Northern [Mexico the iirst is the most common, and is, so to speak, 

 the general class. In the same herds with the Longhorns are to be 

 found a considerable number of shorter-horned cattle, and occasionally a. 

 Jew J 'oiled cattle. The iirst are very large-boned, immense, gaunt 

 beasts. The Shorthorned are a little shorter and broader. The Tolled 

 cattle are nearly like the Longhorned in general build. 



Uses. These cattle, as a whole, are only good for and only used for, 

 beef and labor. Milk and cheese are only made in small amounts for 

 local consumption. 



Milk. In this city cow's milk i.-i sold along with goat's milk, and 

 rather exceeds the latter in quantity. In most of the other cities and 

 towns of Northern Mexico, cow's milk is usually scarcer and more goat's 

 milk is used. The increase of foreign population has increased the de- 

 mand for cow's milk. I know of no attempt to increase the milk-pro- 

 ducing qualities of cows. The cows are ' corraled " at night, milked in 

 tiie morning, and herded during the day on the open pastures. 



A fair average cow will give about 4 quarts of milk per day for three 

 months. After three months the amount diminishes and the quality 

 deteriorates, so that milking is finally stopped at about six or eight 

 months after the calf was dropped. 



The milk in good seasons seems 1o produce a light cream, and is rea- 

 sonably good if got pure and clean. Venders of milk sell it at so many 

 cnpfuls for o' cents. The. number of cups varies with the season, but 

 the price averages from 5 to 15 cents per quart. It lacks the taste and 

 quality found in good American cow's milk produced from the rich and 

 juicy grasses in the I'nited Slates. 



liuttcr. liiitter making is almost unknown, although there- are some 

 u ranchos" up-river where American kk rancheros' 7 have dairies and make 

 considerable, hutter for local consumption. 



(Jheexc. A small amount, of a soil of cheese is made and has a limited 

 sale, it is usually made into round llat cakes weighing about a pound. 

 It resembles what i.; loc.dly called <" ! Mitch cheese '' in some parts of the 

 United States. The general get up of the article was not inviting 



