CHAPTER IX 



GUERNSEYS 



The Guernsey breed of cattle is one of comparatively recent 

 recognition, not that aoiimals of the present Guernsey characteris- 

 tics have not been in existence for a considerable time, but rather 

 that since their qualities and adaptations were so similar to those 

 of the Jersey, the two breeds were, during a considerable part of 

 the last century, considered as one breed and both in England and 

 America were spoken of as " Aldemey " cattle, from the group 

 of Aldemey or Channel Islands to which the islands of Jersey 

 and Guernsey belong. 



Origin. — The foundation stock for this breed was undoubt- 

 edly very similar to, if not practically identical with that used on 

 the island of Jersey. Animals probably from ITormandy and 

 Brittany were, during a very early period, taken to the Island of 

 Guernsey, which is the second largest of the Channel Island 

 group. Here they have been bred for hundreds of years. During 

 the earlier period it is highly probable that some mixing took 

 place, especially with the animals from the Island of Jersey. 

 But the interchange of animals between the two islands had to 

 cease in one direction, in 1763 when the residents of Jersey for- 

 bade the introduction of breeding stock, and in the other direction 

 in 1819, since when animals on Guernsey Island have been kept 

 pure, even from Jersey influence. In that year the Guernsey 

 Islanders passed laws similar to those in operation in Jersey, 

 prohibiting the importation of animals other than for slaughter 

 (Fig. 21). 



Although doubtless related particularly in respect to founda- 

 tion stock, considerable difference now exists between the Guern- 

 sey and the Jersey. Professor Low, writing in 1841, seems to 

 consider the cattle from the two islands as essentially one breed, 

 yet goes on to describe those on Guernsey Island as larger and 

 more highly marked with orange yellow skin, and as yielding a 

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