CHAPTER V. 



HOW BREED WAS DEVELOPED SPREAD OF THE BREED IN EUROPE. 



This breed has been developed in the hands of these Holland dairymen, not 

 only through the general influences of care and feeding, such as we have 

 described, but also through appeals to the bovine instincts and provisions for 

 the comfort of their cows, that may seem to some insignificant or valueless. 



All of their milch cows are provided with blankets to be worn in the fields 

 in damp, stormy, chilling weather. They have many days of such weather in 

 spring and autumn. These blankets are made of heavy hempen cloth. They 

 are made to cover the upper parts of the animal from the forward parts of the 

 shoulder tops to nearly the extremities of their rumps. They are held in place 

 by cords, also made of hemp, about an eighth of an inch in diameter, fastened 

 to eyelet holes in the borders of the blankets. There are seven of these cords 

 and fourteen eyelet holes. One of these cords passes under each forearm, one 

 under each thigh, one around the rump and another forward of the chest at the 

 points of the shoulders. Thus they sometimes wear them night and day for 

 weeks at a time. 



If their cows are distant in the fields they go to them to milk them rather 

 than subject them to the fatigue of being driven to the milking yard near the 

 farmhouse. At such times the milkers are seen going and coming with large 

 pails suspended by yokes from their shoulders or drawing carts loaded with 

 cans. Their rnilch cows are never driven by dogs. They are rarely beaten or 

 subjected to other rough treatment. Not that these Holland dairymen are 

 marvelously good tempered, but they recognize the fact that such treatment is 

 poor economy; that tired or bruised muscles invariably result in loss, both of 

 quality and quantity of milk. They have also learned that all nervous excite- 

 ment of whatever nature lessens milk production. Hence not only in manage- 

 ment but in breeding they seek to perpetuate quietness of disposition. The 

 uneasy, fighting temperament that a class of American dairymen are trying to 

 exalt into a bovine virtue they regard as a great vice in a milch cow. Their 

 cows are rarely seen uneasily ranging their fields. They seldom have conflicts 

 with one another or display a disposition for mastery. They approach strange 

 cows with apparent desire to form a friendly acquaintance. They display 

 strong social tendencies. They love to be petted. Children caress them without 

 fear. And a strange person entering a herd is regarded with friendly curiosity 

 rather than with terror or belligerency. 



The practice of removing calves from the sight and hearing of their dams 

 immediately on being dropped is universal. It has been objected to as unnat- 

 ural, yet it is the kindest treatment possible in dairy husbandry. The calves 

 learn to drink with very little trouble, and the nervous strain on the cows, the 

 moaning and lowing that comes from parting after being together a few hours 

 or a few days, is avoided. There is another feature in such practice that is 

 deserving of our attention. When the calves are thus removed the instinctive 

 affection that cows have for their offspring is of ten largely transferred to their 

 milkers. How far this may affect milk production is a subject of much inter- 

 est. Within certain physical limits the will of the cow has much to do with 

 milk giving. She gives freely to an object of her attachment, less freely to an 

 object of her indifference, and sometimes largely withholds from an object of 

 her fear or hatred. It is possible that here lies one of the strongest influences 

 that has operated to make the cows of this breed such extraordinary milkers. 

 There is another fact connected with this subject. Other things being equal, 

 the cow gives milk according to the demands made on her. Such demands are 

 made known to her instincts by the frequency, rapidity and completeness with 

 which her milk is drawn. These Holland dairymen often milk their cows 

 three times a day, for a period of several weeks after dropping their calves. 

 Their milkers, men and women, generally have large, strong hands and milk 

 with rapidity and thoroughness. Thus the conditions for favorable appeal to 

 the maternal instincts are maintained. 



These breeders keep but few bulls. These are selected from their choicest 



