148 HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN CATTLE. 



cattle, fattened expressly for the Christmas market. Experts who have viewed 

 the animals declare that no such beef cattle were ever seen in this section. 

 They are as fat as they can roll, and will dress from 1,200 to 1,500 Ibs. They have 

 been fed for two years past for the holiday market, and are in the highest state 

 of perfection. 



Henry Stevens, of Lacona, N. Y., writes: I had a thoroughbred Holstein- 

 Friesian cow, five years old, that I fattened. She dropped her first calf at 

 twenty-two months old. Owing to her being over-driven, she never has bred 

 since. I milked her until about December 1, 1887. I then fed her until May 7, 

 1888, when I sold her to Mr. A. R. Cook, a butcher in our village. The morning 

 he took her away she had no grain or water. She was led to the village a dis- 

 tance of three miles and kept without feed or water until about four o'clock in 

 the afternoon, when she was weighed and then butchered, only being off from 

 hay eight hours and grain and water twenty-two hours. 



Her live weight was 1,240 Ibs. Her dressed weight was as follows: Meat, 

 690 Ibs.; hide, 72 Ibs.; tallow, 50 Ibs. Total, 812 Ibs.; shrinking 428 Ibs. or 

 about 33 1-3 per cent. This I consider a good showing when in view of the small 

 amount of tallow she had. 



Mr. Cook says he has butchered over fifteen years and never has had a nicer 

 carcass of beef in his market, or beef that gave better satisfaction to his cus- 

 tomers. This cow was a granddaughter of Dowager, No. 7 H. H. B., and gave as 

 high as 40 Ibs. of milk per day, after being in milk over two years. This is the 

 only thoroughbred I ever fattened. There have been several grades butchered 

 in my neighborhood and all gave good satisfaction. Grade Holstein-Friesian 

 calves have no superior as veal calves. 



There are many calves fattened in this section. All buyers say they find 

 nothing equal to them and I think that there is no cow of any breed, when not 

 giving milk, that will take on flesh as fast according to the amount of food con- 

 sumed as the Holstein-Friesian, and I see no reason why the Holstein-Friesians 

 do not compare favorably for beef with other breeds which are bred especially 

 for that purpose. When we take into account their great milk and butter 

 qualities, they in my opinion far excel any other breed as a general purpose cow. 



Gus Head, of Alton Junction, near Alton, 111., writes: " I sold three two- 

 year-old half-blood Holstein steers last week for Easter beeves, and they made 

 quite a stir in Alton as they passed through the bustling old city. One weighed 

 1,780, the second 1,640, and third, 1,570 Ibs. The leading butchers of Alton, who 

 killed nothing but the very best, say they were as fine beeves as they ever 

 handled. The steers were from common cows, were nearly three years old, had 

 been fed in an open lot, were never in a barn or had any extra care save plenty 

 of feed. " 



At this rate the Holstein-Friesians or their crosses approach nearer the "all 

 purpose cattle" than any other breed. 



Tyson Bros., Berlin, Ont., write : The meat is of uniform color, firm and 

 light in color, the fat white. They are invariably large for their age. We have 

 killed last season calves of 3| weeks old which weighed 120 Ibs. dressed veal, 

 and 4^ weeks old which weighed 140 Ibs. These were grades. We have also 

 killed quite a number of high-grade and half-bred heifers. They killed well and 

 dressed well, with very little loss in dressing, The meat is fine in the grain, 

 and the fat firm and white. Taking them as a class, they are, in my opinion, 

 far ahead of any of the milking strains, on account of their size and color of 

 beef and veal. The grade calves are very large and fat for their age, and, pro- 

 vided a calf is raised and does not prove a good milker, the animal is large 

 enough to make a good carcass of dressed beef, and bring a good price from the 

 butcher. 



William Burton, Brampton, Ont., writes: In reference to the Holstein 

 heifer I got from you last year, I beg to inform you that I was well pleased with 

 it, both as regards weight (862 Ibs.) and quality, it being one of the best I have 

 killed since I have been in this country. I have killed a great many of the same 

 breed in England, both as beef and veal, and always found them give good satis- 

 faction. Should you feed any more at any time, kindly give me the offer of 

 them, and I will give you the highest market value for them. 



R. Marshall, Edmonton, Ont., writes: A grade Holstein calf raised by me 

 in 1891 weighed 530 Ibs. at five months of age. He was a splendid feeder, and 

 took on flesh rapidly, evenly and economically. 



William Lang, Sundridge, Ont., writes: I have butchered several of the 



