GERMANY. 435 



CHAKACTEEISTICS OF SILESIAN CATTLE. 



The number of cattle in Silesia on the 10th of February last was 

 1,394,145. The breed peculiar to the country, known as the Silesian 

 race (Schlesisches Landvieh), has many excellent characteristics. The 

 cows yield a fair quantity of rich milk, and both cow and ox are highly 

 prized as draught cattle. They are hardy, of great endurance, easily 

 fed, and their flesh is palatable and nutritious. TJiey are essentially 

 the poor man's cattle, and a.re to be found in their original purity mainly 

 on the smaller estates. Their color is red, and red and white, and their 

 horns are similar to those of Ayrshires. With their long legs, broad 

 chests, and small haunches, however, they do not meet the demands 

 either of the cattle fancier or of the English butcher. 



An offshoot of this race, differing but slightly in appearance, but giv- 

 ing a still better quality of milk, though less in quantity, is called the 

 " Silesian mountain cattle " (Schlesisches Gebirgsvieh), also red, or red 

 and white, but usually white-backed. These mountain cattle have been 

 crossed with the Simmenthal (Switzerland) and the Algau (Bavarian 

 highlands) cattle with the best results. The few animals from the Eil- 

 lerthal, in the Tyrol, brought hither by some Protestant exiles many 

 years ago, have also been crossed with the Silesian mountain and the 

 Simmenthal breeds, but without any marked improvement. A cross of 

 the lowland cattle with the Shorthorn cattle, continued through sev- 

 eral generations, has produced abreed known as the Silesian Shorthorns, 

 combining the best qualities of both races. The Silesian cattle are thus 

 described: 



Silesian cattle of the plains. 



Name of breed : Silesian lowland cattle. 



Annual average'pounds of^milk : 5,000. 



Milk to pounds of butter: 14 to 1. • 



Milk to poands of cheese : 7 to 1. 



Size at maturity : Cow 1,40, bull and ox 160 centimeters high. 



Live weight at maturity: Cow 900, bull 1,200, ox 1,000 pounds. 



Age at maturity : Four years. 



Weight of meat at maturity: 600 to 700 pounds. 



Color : Red, and reef' and white. 



Description: Long legs, medium breadth, normal chest, small haunch, horns com- 

 paratively small. 



Origin of breed :_ Known only 'aa Silesian. 



Product: Oxen and cows esteemed as workers ; meat regarded as good : milk of ex- 

 cellent quality. 



Silesian mountain cattle. 



Name of breed : Silesian highland cattle. 



Annual average pounds of milk : 3,600. 



Milk to poands of butter: 12 pounds to 1. 



Milk to pounds of cheese: 6 pounds to 1. 



Name of country : Giant Mountains and county Glatz. 



Size at maturity: Cow 125, bull 140, ox 160 centimeters high. 



Live weight: Cow, 700; bull, 1000; ox, 900 pounds. 



Age at maturity : four years. 



Weight of meat at maturity : 500 to 600 pounds. 



Color : Red, andred and white, mostly white-backed. 



Description : Long legs, broad chest, small rump. 



Origin of breed : Silesia. 



Products : Good working cattle ; difficult to fatten, but meat considered good ; milt 

 of excellent quality. 



These cattle are highly valued by the small farmers in the mountain districts, 

 They are bardy, and can be kept at much leas cost than imported breeds, 



