40 The Guernsey Breed 



"The value of the Isle of Wight cattle depends almost exclusively 

 upon their being good milkers: for the purpose of the butcher, many 

 of them are of little value, on account of the generally received 

 opinion, that a cow which has an aptitude to fatten is a bad_ milker. 

 The farmers rarely breed from a cow which has good points for 

 grazing." 



It will be noted that in both of these quotations the 

 cattle from the Channel Islands are classed with the cattle 

 of the Norman, coast and are spoken of as Norman. 



In another history of the island, published in 1830, the 

 only reference to the cattle of the islands is this : "The cattle 

 of the islands are Normans and are noted for their rich yel- 

 low milk." 



In a little guide to the islands, published in 1840 and 

 called "The Privileged Islands," on page 14, the writer makes 

 mention of the cattle on the Island of Alderney as follows: 



"The Alderney cow, so famed all over the United Kingdom. I 

 have been told in the other islands that in this island alone I should 

 find the true breed, black and white: but I did not find that the 

 Alderney people adopt this criterion of purity of breed; red and 

 white, and brown and white I found equally common; and the 

 best specimens I saw were of a white and reddish chocolate colour. 

 The natives look more to the short, curved horns and prominent, 

 sparkling eyes than to the colour. I found it, however, generally 

 admitted that there is but very little distinction between the Alderney 

 cow and the best specimens of the Jersey and Guernsey." 



This bare mention is all the author gives of the cattle of 

 the Islands of Jersey and Guernsey. 



The following is from the Guernsey and Jersey Magazine, 

 Vol. v., 1831, page 269, republished from Penny Magazine, 

 September 2. 1837, on "Guernsey, Sark, Herm, and Jethou." 



"Alderney has given name to the beautiful little cattle of the 

 Channel Islands, and of which their natives are so proud. Special 

 laws, both in Jersey and Guernsey, protect the purity of the breed. 

 The importation of foreign cattle is strictly prohibited under heavy 

 penalties; and there is considerable rivalry between Guernsey and 

 Jersey as to which produces the best and purest specimen of the 

 Alderney cow. The greater number of Alderney cows known in 

 England are exported from Jersey; but a Guernsey farmer would 

 not admit a Jersey cow upon his grounds. 



"The prevailing opinion seems to be that the Guernsey breed is 

 really better than the Jersey: and the Guernsey butter, which is 

 better than that of Jersey (both are excellent) is appealed to in 

 support of the opinion. Yet, as is very natural, the people of Alderney 

 athrm that their cow can only be produced, in all of its handsomeness 

 ot figure and excellence of quality, on its own native island, and that 

 the Guernsey and Jersey are deteriorations. Some judges are of this 

 opinion; and ,t is state^.^t^^at,^h^. AM^ey cow can only be dis- 



