"m '-"M SF 197 tlSA :J^*:¥*v^. {i'^ti-s^it-it^AlSrf MMmMHiSimMMl^iMim&iiiiMMi^^ LIBRARY NEW YORK STATE VETERINARY COLLEGE ITHAtfA, N.' Y. • Cornell University Library SF 197.R64 Cattle, breeds and origin- 3 1924 001 169 972 Date Due MB^is^md FEB 16 msi jPfM- g^-^4; ■^ mr Jfli? ^ * Library Bureau Cat. No. 1137 Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924001169972 oQcua^ (/Qrih^ CATTLE BREEDS AND ORIGIN FIRST EDITION By DAVID ROBERTS, D.V.S. PUBLISHED BY DR. DAVID ROBERTS, WAUKESHA, WISCONSIN, U. S. A. I Cotyrighl, igi6, By David Roberts W'^'^^'iZ'i author of "Practical Home Veterinarian" Former State Veterinarian of Wisconsin OFFICIAL VETERINARIAN "American Royal Livestock Show" — 1908 "National Dairy Show" — 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913 "International Dairy Show" — 1911, 1912 "Iowa Dairy Convention and Cattle Congress" — 1910, 1912, 1913, 1914, 191S To TOg Fath:er and TOnttrBr Who all their lives have dwelt among the fields CONTENTS PART ONE Introductory page Mary's Lamb: A Lost Opportunity 13 Popularizing Cow Knowledge 13 PART TWO Branches of Cow Study History of the Cow 23 Geography of the Cow 25 Arithmetic of the Cow 28 Bookkeeping with the Cow 33 Economics and the Cow 38 Industry and the Cow 40 Agriculture and the Cow : Her Relation to the Fertility of the Soil 43 PART THREE The Breeds of Cattle in America Map Showing Where Cattle Originated 51 The Dairy Breeds Holstein-Friesian 57 Guernsey 65 Jersey 71 Ayrshire 77 Brown Swiss 83 Red Polled . , . . : 87 Polled Holstein 92 Polled Jersey 93 Milking Shorthorn 98 Dutch Belted 99 French Canadian 104 Kerry and Dexter 105 The Beep Breeds Shorthorn 113 Hereford 119 Aberdeen Angus 121 Galloway 129 V vi CONTENTS The Beef Breeds — Continued page Polled Hereford 131 Polled Durham 136 Devon 137 West Highland 141 PART FOUR Selecting a Breed of Cattle 145 Selecting a Dairy Herd . . . 1 46 Selecting a Beef Herd 148 What is Registry? 149 County Breeders' Associations 150 How to Market Surplus Cattle 153 PART FIVE A Model Dairy Barn 157 PART SIX Feeding Dairy Cows 167 Let Your Banker Keep Your Books 175 CONTENTS vii AYRSHIRES Names of Animals Names of Owners Address Pace Value's Pride of Oak Valley (Cow) David Roberts Waukesha, Wis. 74 Roberts Cavalier (Bull) David Roberts Waukesha, Wis. 75 Ayrshire Herd David Roberts Waukesha, Wis. 76 Group of 3 Calves David Roberts Waukesha, Wis. 77 HOLSTEINS Olive Pontiac Colantha (Cow) David Roberts Waukesha, Wis. 54 King Hengerveld Pondyke (Bull) David Roberts Waukesha, Wis. 55 Holstein Herd David Roberts Waukesha, Wis. 56 Group of 3 Calves David Roberts Waukesha, Wis. 57 GUERNSEYS Johanna Cheve (Cow) Anna Dean Farm Barberton, Ohio 62 Langwater Advocate (Bull) Langwater Farms No. Easton, Mass. 63 Guernsey Herd W. W. Marsh Waterloo, Iowa 64 Group of 3 Calves (Wellesley Farms) . . . Chas. H. Jones. . . Wellesley Farms, Mass. 65 JERSEYS Gamboges' Altama Beauty (Cow) Hal. Hill Wickliffe, Ohio 68 Allendale Raleigh (Bull) Allendale Farm Shelbyville, Ky. 69 Jersey Herd Geo. T. Slade St. Paul, Minn. 70 Group of 4 Calves Bellevue Farms Southington, Conn, "ji BROWN SWISS Arline (Cow) /. P. Allyn Delavan, Wis. 80 My Own Boy (Bull) /. P. Allyn Delavan, Wis. 81 Brown Swiss Herd J. P. Allyn Delavan, Wis. 82 RED POLLED Millie of Jean Duluth (Cow) Jean Duluth Farm Duluth, Minn. 84 Elgin (Bull) Queechen & Son Genva, Ind. 85 Red Polled Herd Jean Duluth Farm Duluth, Minn. 86 POLLED HOLSTEINS Cornucopia Plum Johanna (Cow) Geo. E. Stevenson. . . Clark's Summit, Pa. 90 Napel Sir Pietje (Bull) Geo. E. Stevenson . . Clark's Summit, Pa. 91 POLLED JERSEYS Daisy (Cow) James R. Orr Cedarville, Ohio 94 Pride (Bull) James R. Orr Cedarville, Ohio 95 MILKING SHORTHORNS Janesville Rose 12th (Cow) H. H. Little Evansville, Wis. 96 Roan Clay (Bull) H. H. Little Evansville, Wis. 97 DUTCH-BELTED Newark's Beauty (Cow) H. A. Gutzner Elkhorn, Wis. 100 Idle Boy (Bull) H. A. Gutzner Elkhorn, Wis. loi viii CONTENTS FRENCH CANADIAN Finette 2d (Cow) Cap Rouge Experimental Farm. . . . Quebec 102 Dinis Lord (Bull) Cap Rouge Experimental Farm. . . .Quebec 103 DEXTER KERRY Gort Peep (Dexter) (Cow) Elmendorf Farm Lexington, Ky. 106 Gort Fred 3d (Kerry) (Bull) Elmendorf Farm Lexington, Ky. 109 SHORTHORNS Roan Queen (Cow) White & Smith St. Cloud, Minn, no Cumberland's Type (Bull) C. A. Saunders Manilla, Iowa in Shorthorn Herd J. A. Kilgour Sterling, III. 112 Group of 3 Calves Lespedeza Farms. .Hickory Valley, Tenn. 113 HEREFORDS Joan Fairfax (Cow) E. H. Taylor, Jr Frankfort, Ky. 116 Farmer (Bull) W. T. McCrays Kentland, Ind. 117 Hereford 0. Harris Harris, Mo. 118 Group of 3 Calves 0. Harris Harris, Mo. 1 19 ABERDEEN ANGUS Pride Petite (Cow) CD. & E. F. Caldwell, Burlington Jet., Mo. 122 Blackcap Star (Bull) CD. &■ E.F. Caldwell,Burlington Jet., Mo. 123 Aberdeen Angus Herd Chas. Escher &" Son Botna, Iowa 124 Group of 3 Calves CD. & E.F. Caldwell, Burlington Jet., Mo. 121 GALLOWAYS Daisy Dimple (Cow) Capital View Farm Topeka, Kans 126 Optimist (Bull) C. A. Hechtner Chariton, Iowa 127 Galloway Herd C A. Hechtner Chariton, Iowa 128 Group of 3 Calves C. A. Hechtner Chariton, Iowa 129 POLLED HEREFORDS Bulgaria 5th (Cow) Masson Boyd Co. Bobcaygeon, Ont., Can. 132 Bullion 4th (Bull) Renner Stock Farm . . .Hartford City, Ind. 133 POLLED DURHAMS Thankful Martha (Cow) A chenbach Bros Washington, Kans. 134 True Sultan (Bull) Steglin & Clonch . . . Straight Creek, Kans. 135 DEVONS Daisy Bell (Cow) James J. Hill St. Paul, Minn. 138 Langston King (Bull) James J. Hill St. Paul, Minn. 139 (Cow & Calf) WEST HIGHLANDERS West Highlander Herd ( Unable to obtain name of oivner. ) 1 40 TYPE OF ORIGINAL SPANISH CATTLE Long Horned Steer 51 TEXAS CATTLE Texas Steer Photographed Union Stock Yards, Chicago 51 PREFACE The object of this book is to bring before the boys and girls, as well as older people, the importance of the cattle industry. Inasmuch as the dairy cow is the foster mother of our nation, we should know where she originated, when she was introduced into America, and under what care and management she will do her best. I have endeavored to make clear that there are some twenty different breeds of cattle that are furnishing our nation with dairy products as well as meat. Perhaps there is no one line of industry that has so much to do with furnishing food for our nation as the cattle industry. The importance of paying careful attention to the breeding and raising of pure bred cattle instead of mixed breeds or grades has been especially emphasized in this book. I have also endeavored to set forth the origin and history of the different kinds of cattle, going as far back into history as to involve the savages of Africa, who first discovered the value of the flesh and milk of this animal. I also have described how the different kinds have been raised and carefully bred by their owners for many hundreds of years, until, at the present date, there are about twenty distinct breeds of cattle that will run into thousands of pure breds. Photographs have been taken of the very best type of the male and female and in some instances the herd of each breed, showing color markings and in an endeavor to describe their char- acteristics. These animals have been termed Pure Breds, owing to the fact that they have been carefully bred along their line of breeding for many generations so that the term Pure Bred means animals of unmixed breeding, with characteristics well defined and all breeds pure to the type in every particular, including confirmation, form, color and temper, and having the power to transmit the same to their offspring. 9 10 PREFACE A pure bred animal in order to be registered must have in the neighborhood of half a dozen crosses of its own line of breeding, and the sire and dam must have been recorded in the herd book of the breed it represents. Advanced registry animals are animals that are pure bred, registered and that have been given an opportunity to produce sufficient milk and butterfat to meet the requirements of the rules set down by the members of the Pure Bred Cattle Associations. Inasmuch as people have made a financial success of the breed- ing and raising of grade cattle, which have a limited value, it surely seems an easy task for any one to make a financial success in the breeding and raising of pure bred cattle, owing to the fact that they consume no greater amount of feed than did the grades and their value far exceeds the grade animal. I have endeavored to set forth the important points in select- ing a beef or dairy herd, as it is very important to select a breed of cattle that will be adapted to the locality and climate in which they are to be kept in order that the beef or dairy business be a success. PART ONE INTRODUCTORY THE QUEEN While o'er the sunny Southland King Cotton still holds sway, And in the North to great King Corn His people homage pay. Thru all the land, both North and South, Our bordering seas between, From mountain crown to river's mouth, We hail the cow as Oueen. MARY'S LAMB: A LOST OPPORTUNITY We are all familiar with the legend of Mary's Lamb, but perhaps most of us remember only that " Its fleece was white as snow, And everywhere that Mary went The lamb was sure to go." A sort of sentimental legend illustrating the animal's devotion. But we might have had a better and more instructive story if the teacher had not, as recorded in the third stanza, " turned it out " when it followed Mary to school. I have always thought that the teacher missed a great opportunity of gaining individual fame and the gratitude of posterity by ejecting the lamb. If the teacher had substituted the woolly visitor for superfluous books of reading, arithmetic, geography and history, he might have taught all these subjects with more interest and purpose and started something that we are endeavoring to forward today — the instruction of rural children in the branches of knowledge that most directly affect their immediate welfare and make for contentment and progress in farm life. The teacher should have known some of the possibilities that were wrapped up in friend Lamb; the number of pounds of wool it might be expected to yield from year to year, and what the wool would be worth; how much and what kind of cloth could be made from it, and its value when finished; how much mutton the lamb would net in case it were devoted to that purpose; all about the legendary or historical origin of its kind; the countries where the different varieties of sheep and qualities of wool were produced. Even the literature and religious symbolism of the lamb would have formed impressive topics of interest and instruc- tion for the older pupils. Think of it! Arithmetic, Geography, History, Literature, Religion, Economics, all expounded from the text of the lamb, 13 14 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN and without the pupils realizing that they had been studying any of these branches. Of course it would be requiring a good deal to demand that a teacher, who probably received not more than thirty dollars a month and boarded "'round the deestrict," should have the knowledge and capability to teach in that way; but how interesting it would have been had a study class been formed with the teacher as leader, to search out and circulate all the knowledge available on the topic of the lamb and its kind! Anyway, it is not too late for the modern teacher in city and country to make the best of such opportunities or to make the opportunities. School trustees are more indulgent than they were in the days when educational qualifications were determined by the number of times one had read thru the fifth reader, or " ciphered " thru the " third part " arithmetic. A little careful observation and some thinking while attending a country school is what prompted me to depart from the then com- mon courses of instruction and devote my time to the study of the living things that are the basis of farm life and farm prosperity, and are therefore vital to the welfare of the human race. Though the reasons were not then so clear to me as they are now, I reached the conclusion somehow that the most fundamental of all industries was the livestock industry, and the most important branch of that industry was the raising of beef and dairy cattle. To affirm this great fact and produce the proof is the underlying motive of this book. In my " farm-boy " experience, I had a feeling, which is now a definite conviction, that ideals of rural education and training were very much awry, if not actually wrong. We were never instructed in anything that had direct reference to the occupation from which all of us obtained our living and which provided the living for the rest of the world. Our advanced reading consisted of orations, poems or prose fiction. Our arithmetic did not teach us how to find the bushel contents of a corn-crib of given dimensions, nor how to determine the percentage of butterfat in one gallon of milk. Our geography showed us only the shapes of the continents and the political divisions that were determined largely by war- fare. No instruction was given regarding the adaptability of dif- ferent regions to various agricultural production. Our history was a mere record of national and international troubles, not a A LOST OPPORTUNITY 15 chapter on the advance of farming methods and machinery, or the improvement of the breeds of farm animals. - Of course, in the institutions of higher education things are now much changed. Agricultural courses are emphasized and the dignity of the occupation of farming is recognized, but the popular error, exemplified in the old system of country school education, " that the boy must learn those things that will lead him away from the farm to so-called higher pursuits " still persists in the fictional creations by which the popular mind is entertained. It is still quite common with story writers to begin with a farm boy here and trace his rise from the humble rural beginning to the higher plane of merchant, lawyer, educator, soldier, journalist, author or playwright. Almost any respectable occupation is regarded by this class of writers as superior to the business of pro- viding daily bread for the human race. But surely, if we estimate values on the basis of human service, there is no occupation for hand and brain more lofty or honorable than that of co-operation with the Creator in the production of the fundamental necessities of life. My own course in education, after the country school, was determined by my love for the animals of the farm, especially cattle, and a desire to know all that was to be learned about their improvement and their protection against disease. Dairy and live- stock courses in the universities were not then common, and the best thing available was therefore, a veterinary course. This I pursued and finished with the definite idea of devoting all my time and energy to the welfare of the cow. My enthusiasm for this most useful of living creatures was inbred and instilled by my father's life and example. Like many others of the early dairy farmers, he might have been accused by thoughtless persons of caring more for his cows than for his family, because of the fact that his dairy barn was more pretentious than his dwelling. The accompanying illustrations of his farm residence and his barn of fifty years ago might seem, on the face of the exhibit, to support the estimate of the critical ones. But the fact is that the log house was comfortable and plentifully supplied, and the thing that made that comfort and plenty possible was the ample pro- vision made for the shelter and care of the cows. Any sort of house, the very life of the family and the productiveness of the soil itself, depended largely upon what came from that barn. 16 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN Barn of Author's Father Built in the Sixties Let this be the answer to the city dweller who would place a disparaging interpretation upon the contrast between the little farm house and the large barn; that the barn is fundamental and must come first, and the size and comfort of the home is directly dependent upon the success of the business represented by the barn. Many large barns shelter non-profit producing herds, and the dwelling of the operator is very liable to reflect that condition. On the other hand, a less pretentious but more scientifically man- aged dairy plant may be accompanied by a farm house that would be an ornament to the residence section of a city. A comparison of a modern dairy barn and dairy farmer's resi- dence, shown on these pages, with those of fifty years ago will Author's Model Dairy Barn, Waukesha, Wis. A LOST OPPORTUNITY 17 pn *^^«L*&.- -> ='^ ^^Lk< *^ ^ y mis':'. JIJI JJ_.5 ^JlJ—i-JMUlU-.. J Ih ^^ Log House, Racine, Wis., Author's Birthplace indicate that tiie greater improvement in farm buildings has been in the farm residence rather than in the dairy barn. For to out- ward appearances, at least, the barn on page 16 does not suffer much in comparison with the barn of today, while the cabin and the modern farm residence present a striking external contrast; and the improvement in interior comfort and convenience is still more marked. This is not saying a great advance has not been made in the Author's Home, Waukesha. Wis. 18 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN Tuberculosis Demonstration Livestock Breeders of Iowa Addressed by Author A LOST OPPORTUNITY 19 construction of dairy and livestock barns. The important improve- ments do not show on the outside, but barn equipment, means of ventilation, cleaning and sanitation and methods of feeding have improved quite as much as have the provisions for health and com- fort in the farm home. The need of some definite scientific instruction concerning the care and protection of the cow, was ever present in my mind, and influenced me when I entered college, to specialize in the study of this family of farm animals. I determined to find, if possible, the means of prevention and treatment of the prevailing diseases that so seriously curtailed the profits of the livestock farmer and which exposed the beef and milk consumer to the dangers of infection. In my practice, both as private and official veterinarian, I have made it a point to give instruction, both by explanation and demon- stration, on the nature of diseases of cattle and the best means of combating or forestalling them. While state veterinarian of Wis- consin, at the State Fair, and at district and county fairs, I fre- quently conducted demonstrations, slaughtering animals that had reacted to the tuberculin test and showing the diseased parts to the farmers in attendance. These demonstrations made me realize the lively interest of the farmer in these topics which are of such vital importance to him. Although the average farmer has little time to devote to laborious study, he is usually willing and anxious to be shown. Later I was honored by a commission to accompany, as a lec- turer, one of the official dairy trains which the state of Iowa pro- vided for the benefit of its cattle raisers. While in this capacity I obtained another viewpoint of the immediate necessity of instruc- tion among practical farmers and of their eagerness to obtain it from reliable sources. These personal experiences led me to the conclusion that some way should be found to interest and instruct the rising generation in both city and country, regarding the economic value of the cow and the importance of preserving her health and increasing her productiveness. Although there are many institutions of higher education for the instruction of those who decide to pursue the occupation of scientific stock breeding and farming, and although the bureaus of animal industry of the United States and of the various states furnish an unlimited number of bulletins for the asking, I still feel 20 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN that a book upon the cow, comprehensive in scope and yet popular in its style, is needed. The introduction of courses of agriculture into the rural and city schools is awakening an interest in the possi- bilities of the development of the livestock industry even among our boys and girls. It is primarily for them that I wish to bring the cow into the school room in as intimate a way as possible, thus availing myself of the opportunity that Mary's teacher lost when the celebrated lamb was banished from the school room. They tell me that "correlation" is a popular word in modern educational circles. It certainly conveys a sensible idea to present Her Ladyship, The Cow, thus sponsored, and show her relation to arithmetic, geography, agricultural history, economics, and other branches of study, and I feel sure that if I can make plain to the younger people the facts I wish to impress, I shall not fail to interest their elders. DAVID ROBERTS. PART TWO BRANCHES OF COW STUDY HISTORY OF THE COW We are always intensely interested in beginnings. We are eager to know who invented and first used the epoch-making con- trivances of man instead of who was the first to utilize the various forces and provisions of nature about us. It would be a fascinat- ing pursuit, were it possible to reach the goal, to trace back to its beginnings the relation between the human race and the cow. Who was the first man and who were the first people that slaughtered the members of the bovine tribe for meat or utilized the milk? In what country, on what continent, was the beginning of the occupa- tion of grazing and the utilization of livestock products'? There can be no definite answer to these questions; but we may with some certainty assume that the flesh of the cow was eaten by men before the milk was used. For men were hunters before they were husbandmen, and there can be no doubt that our cow was once in a wild state in some country, perhaps in many, and was pursued in the chase as was our great American bison within the memory of men still living. Fortunate it is for us that her family was not rendered extinct by those early hunters. Legend affirms that our domestic cow originated in Africa, and the story proceeds somewhat in detail to record how her milk was first discovered. For ages, so the tale runs, the creature had been hunted and slaughtered for its flesh and its skin. The animals were slain without regard to age, the young being held in highest esteem for their tender flesh, until, eventually, one tribe made a practice of slaying the calves only. On one occasion, a band of huntsmen, were pursued by an infuriated mother cow. She was captured and the hunters noticed that a white fluid exuded from the sack she carried beneath her body. They had, of course, noted that the calves drew their nourishment from this sack, and human curiosity impelled them to taste the fluid. From that time forth this tribe made it a practice to capture and keep these creatures that they might supply themselves with delicious and nourishing milk, 23 24 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN as well as the flesh. In time they learned to utilize the skin for clothing and foot wear. Thus, according to tradition, began the occupation of keeping cattle, the livestock industry. While this story is but a legendary one, it is doubtless based on general facts. We have historical evidence that the cow was so greatly prized that she and her kind became objects of worship in Egypt. The Israelites, who were held in that land as slaves some hundreds of years were so influenced by this form of worship that they departed from the worship of Jehovah on several occasions to set up for themselves a golden calf or the image of a bull. Of course, we cannot be certain that the cow originated in Africa, and it cannot be established that she was the first animal whose milk was used for human consumption. The milk of the camel in all desert countries of the old world has been used for unnumbered centuries, as has the milk of mares among the Arab tribes, while in Lapland the reindeer has long been a source of the milk supply. The oldest branch of the cow family now in domestic use, of which we have a record, is the Zebu of India. This animal was also an object of worship, the males being known as sacred bulls. This Asiatic cousin of our own cow has some very distinct peculari- ties. She does not yield as plentiful a supply of milk as our own dairy cow nor is the flesh as palatable as that of our beef breeds, but she is proof against certain pests that infect our American cattle and render the cattle industry impracticable in portions of our southern states. The development of the highly specialized breeds of cattle for both beef and dairy purposes is the work of comparatively recent j'ears. Even in the European countries, from which all of our pure bred cattle are derived, the history of the characteristic breeds described in the part third of this volume runs back only a few centuries, and the breeds that are distinctly dairy animals or beef animals are developments of the last two hundred years. The description and record of development of these various breeds therefore constitute the modern history of the cow as we know her and prize her in America. We call her the foster mother of the human race, a designation that is no exaggeration. That primitive peoples of long ago, who did not think beyond the immediate sources HISTORY OF THE COW 25 of physical life, should have regarded her kind as superhuman and worthy of worship, is scarcely to be wondered at. Geography of the Cow It is said that war is the greatest teacher of geography. In this memorable year of 1916 we are furnished the opportunity to put that statement to the test, and we are surely confirming the truth of it. Every great newspaper is now an atlas showing the battle fronts of the great armies and the territories that are to be the bones of contention between the Teutonic peoples and the Allies. Day after day we are noting the location of Russian, Belgian and Turkish towns whose names we cannot even pronounce. We are tracing the course of the great rivers and mountain ranges, strange to most of us a year ago, but which now mark the battle fronts where nations are being destroyed and built, where the lines for new maps are being established, where history is in the making. But granting that war is the greatest teacher of geography it is not the only one. Its pre-eminence over other teachers lies in its appeal to the imagination. But may we not utilize the occupa- tions of peace to impress upon our own minds and the minds of those whom we would instruct, the importance and significance of localities in foreign lands'? As we expect to show in later chapters, no one factor in the peaceful progress of civilization is greater than that of the cattle industry. Upon it depends in great measure the food supply of the world, not to speak of less essential supplies. Let us, then, study geography from the viewpoint of one of the great agri- cultural occupations. Where did the great breeds of cattle origi- nate — the dairy and beef breeds now so well known and highly prized in America? What countries and what peoples contributed most to the improvement of these animals upon which every family in our land, in city or country, depends in so large a measure for its "daily bread'"? What countries, provinces, islands gave these breeds the names they bear? Of course the only way to study geograjAy intelligently is with a map. The one on page 48 was drawn for this special purpose, and although the circle is only six hundred miles in diameter and represents an area less than one five-hundredth part of the total 26 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN surface of the globe, it encompasses all the regions in which origi- nated the score of branches of the cow family as we see them in our great livestock shows and read of them in our magazines and journals. At first glance, no doubt, the average person today would say this may represent the western theatre of operations in the great European war. It is a striking co-incidence that a map for the study of such a profoundly peaceful subject as "The Cow" should cover the same region in which is staged the most gigantic opera- tions of war that the human race has ever seen. We place the point of the compass marking the center of the circle on the "Channel Islands" for two reasons: First because from this point we can include the regions desired within the smallest area, and second (a rather remarkable coincidence) two of the important breeds of American dairy cattle originated in these islands and are still bred there in their highest state of purity. Let us begin at the center in our study. The "Channel Island" group consists of Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney, three small islands in the English Channel near the coast of France, but belonging to Great Britain. Each one of these islands has given its name to a breed or tribe of dairy cattle, but the Alderney name, which was once applied in a general way to all channel cattle, has fallen into disuse. The Guernsey and Jersey breeds are now sharply dis- tinguished in important characteristics. The Guernsey family is large and well known in America, while their Channel neighbors, the Jerseys, are among our most popular dairy cows. It would be interesting here to speak of the tribal resemblances and of the family distinctions between those two divisions of the channel race of milkers, but those points are left for the chapters devoted to each particular breed, in part three of this volume. Let us now begin near the northwest border of our circle and proceed as we used to do in "bounding" a country, around the north, east, south and west. In making this jump from the center of the circle towards its circumference, we go from the home of two of the best known breeds to the home of two of the least known among the dairy cattle now recognized and registered in the United States. In Ireland, where we begin our swing around the circle, the little Dexter and Kerry cows had their origin. These two breeds are the smallest cattle known among pure breds and they are very much alike, so much HISTORY OF THE COW 27 so that the breeders in America interested in their importation and improvement are combined in their efforts under the name of the American Kerry and Dexter Cattle Club. Passing to the east and north we encircle Scotland where the two great polled beef breeds were first known and from whence we still import our best stock. The Aberdeen Angus and Gallo- way breeds are of ancient Scotch origin, and so old are they that it is said their fossil remains are found in that country, clearly show- ing that all hornless cattle were not originally produced from their horned relatives by modern processes of breeding, but are possibly even older than the horned tribe. Here, too, in bonnie Scotland, lives the long-horned, rough-coated Scotch beef cattle, known as the West Highland cattle, whose hardiness and capacity to resist the storms of winter and hustle for forage beneath the snow has made them so valuable in improving the range cattle on our west- ern plains. Among our best known dairy breeds we number the high-spirited and industrious Ayrshires, natives of the county of Ayr, a Scotch region celebrated in history, poetry and song. Leaving Scotland we must take an excursion back toward the center of our circle, down into pastoral England, the original home of the best known of our beef breeds and Milking Shorthorn. Every one who knows anything of cattle is familiar with the names Shorthorn and Hereford, both English breeds and long famous in America. Here also originated the Polled Durham and the Red Polled breeds. Other breeds, not well known here are popular in certain locali- ties in England, among which are the Devons, a general purpose animal that at one time promised to become an important addition to our American herds, but for some reason fell into disfavor a? compared with other breeds. In this isle of Britain, including England and Scotland, the first about the size of the state of Illinois, and the second not as large as Indiana, we have found the sources from which we Ameri- cans have procured the original stock of at least seven well known breeds of cattle, and including the Channel Islands and Ireland, about a dozen all told of the breeds recognized as the best. Indeed, there are only three breeds originating outside the domain of Britain that have gained sufficient standing in our country to be discussed in our Geography of the Cow. 28 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN One of these, the Holstein-Friesian, is native to the province of Friesland in the north of Holland, and a distant relative of this family; the Dutch Belted had its origin in the same country. The home of these two breeds is found near the rim of our circle on the northeast. Now we swing to the southeast and touch the little republic of Switzerland, where husbandmen must make the best of every foot of soil, and every facility for defense against more powerful peoples. These Swiss have originated a good many things, the first of which was a satisfactory and stable form of republican government. Among other things they produced a distinct breed of dairy cows worthy of the world's attention and now quite extensively utilized in American dairy herds. There ! we are only half way around our circle and yet we are through with the list of cows with whom, as Americans, we are familiar. Of course, there are other interesting families in Ger- many, France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and all countries where cattle raising is important. But for our immediate purposes we have covered the ground — only one-half of the five-hundredth part of the whole surface, less than one-three-hundredth part of the land surface of the globe. You will note the other half of this circle is in the open sea to the west and southwest, and while the east half of our inscribed area includes the lands of the origin of our American cows, the west half is the opening through which they can ship, as did the peoples of those countries in centuries past, to populate and enrich the new world. Arithmetic of the Cowr In dealing with the mathematical branch of our subject we must, of course, be as nearly exact as possible. So we shall confine our study to that part of the world concerning which we have definite facts and in which we have a direct interest, the United States of America. Arithmetic and all mathematics in the abstract are dry sub- jects, but apply them to concrete objects and a definite work in which we are interested, to the growth and progress of great indus- tries, to the creation and distribution of wealth, then the science of numbers becomes as fascinating as history or geography. HISTORY OF THE COW 29 We have seen in our outline of the history of the cow how we necessarily studied the geography of the countries in which the various breeds originated, and in the chapter on the geography of the cow we could not avoid the record of events. And as our his- tory and geography are inseparable, so our Arithmetic of the cow must be an intimate and inseparable part of her history and geog- raphy in America. Already we have defined, geographically, the boundaries within which we shall pursue our study of numbers as related to the cattle industry in the United States, and our tables of statistics will have to do, not only with the country as a whole, but with each of the states. And this study of political geography will lead us to the consideration of what is called commercial geography, the study of the localities from which our beef, dairy and other cow products are derived and in which are located many industries dependent upon this great cow industry. Numbers without relations do not appeal to us. If we are asked to multiply 21,262,000 by 140 and add 25 per cent of the product to itself, and divide the result by 100,000,000 there is little in the problem to arouse the imagination or hold the interest. But when we learn that there are 21,262,000 milch cows in the United States; that these cows yield a yearly average of 140 pounds of butter fat; that 25 per cent added to the total butter fat gives the total amount of butter possible to produce from these cows, that the 100,000,000 is the present population of our country; that the quotient the final answer (37.2), is the number of pounds of butter each person in the United States might have, if all the milk was used for butter making, and the product was divided equally among all, then the figures mean something to us. Besides these 21,262,000 milch cows, there are in the United States, according to the government reports, 37,067,000 other cattle. This includes all beef cattle, whether fat or feeding, calves, breed- ing stock, every animal of the cow kind outside milch cows. So altogether we have 58,329,000 cattle in this country. But of course none of us can really think in such large numbers as these. We can read the figures; we can multiply, add, sub- tract, divide them in millions, but we get no definite idea of what so many cattle would look like if in one great herd or all tied or stanchioned in one mammoth barn. 30 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN Turn to page 156 and notice the long rows of stalls in a modern dairy barn. Each of these stalls is about three feet wide, giving the cow ample room to lie down and get up, to turn her head about and "card" herself, and employ complete cow comfort. Now take your geography, or better, a globe. Pass your finger westward around the globe in the latitude of New York. From that city your finger will travel about 3,000 miles on land in America. Crossing the Pacific and reaching the continent of Asia, it will travel across that grand division and Europe to the western coast of France, a distance of about 7,000 miles more, or 10,000 miles altogether on land. Our 58,329,000 cattle would occupy a double row of three- foot stalls once across all these continents and back again across Europe and Asia to the Pacific Ocean, or four single rows across the land of the Eastern Hemisphere and two single rows across the United States. Our milch cows alone would occupy a single row of such stalls across all these continents and a second time across the United States. In spite of this excursion into the realm of geography we still may not have a distinct idea of the meaning of 58,000,000 cattle or even 21,000,00 milch cows; for we can no more see a row of stalls reaching around the world than we can comprehend millions of cows from mere figures. But we have had another point of view, and received a better impression as to the magnitude of the cattle industry of our country. A more intimate and human viewpoint may be had by com- paring the number of milch cows with the number of people in our country. In round numbers, we have 100,000,000 people and 21,000,000 milch cows, a few more cows than one to every five inhabitants. That is approximately one cow to each family. Here we have the clearest view obtainable of what 21,000,000 cows means to our nation of 100,000,000 people. Of the beef animals, there are nearly two to each family in the country. We may easily imagine that it would be a fine arrangement for each home to possess a family cow, but from a practical stand- point such a division is neither possible nor desirable. For, as we shall see in our study of the Cow and Industry, one great industry is the production of milk and milk products by those who make a HISTORY OF THE COW 31 business of dairying, and the distribution of these products to the people who do not and cannot keep cows. To bring our calculations nearer home to each student of the Arithmetic of the Cow, let us turn to the table of statistics on page 32 and determine, each of us for himself, how many persons there are to each cow in his own home state. If your state is Wisconsin, jou will note at once, and with pride, no doubt, that it has more cows than any other state. By dividing the number of inhabitants b)? the number of cows you will find about one cow to every one and one-half persons. If you live in Vermont, you will find that, while your state has less than one-sixth the number of cows credited to Wisconsin, you have more cows per capita, or one cow to every one and one-third persons. But this is not the best record. The student who claims South Dakota for his home can show us that there is about one cow to every one and one-quarter persons in his state. 32 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN Population of the United States in 1910, and number and value of dairy cows in each state in 1910 and 1915', according to United States Government Reports. Population 1910 Alabama 2,138,093 Arkansas 1,574,440 Arizona 204,354 California 2,377,540 Colorado 799,024 Connecticut 1,114,756 Delaware 202,322 Florida 751,139 Georgia 2,(100,121 Idaho 325,594 Illinois 5,6.38,591 Indiana 2,700,876 Iowa 2,224,771 Kansas 1,690,949 Kentucky 2,289,905 Louisiana 1,656,388 Maine 742,371 Maryland 1 ,295,346 Massachusetts 3,366,416 Michigan 2,810,173 Minnesota 2,075,708 Mississippi 1,797,114 Missouri 3,293.335 Montana .370,053 Nebraska 1,102,214 Nevada S1,,S75 New Hampshire 430,572 New Jersey 2,537,167 New Mexico 327,301 New York 9,113,279 North Carolina 2,206,287 North Dakota 577,056 Ohio 4,767,421 Oklahoma 1,657.155 Oregon 672,765 Pennsylvania 7.665,111 Rhode Island .542,610 South Carolina 1,515,400 South Dakota 5S3,SSS Tennessee 2,184,789 Texas 3,.896,542 Utah 373,351 Vermont 355,956 Virginia 2,061,612 Washington 1,141,090 West Virginia 1,221,119 Wisconsin 2,.333.860 Wyoming 145,965 United States 01,972,266 Estimated Estimated Estimated Estimated Value Number Value Per Head Cows Per Head 1910 1910 1915 1915 302,000 !f23.00 384,000 $31.50 4'^6,000 22.00 387,000 37.00 29,000 43.00 44,000 74.00 467,000 38.40 541,000 72.00 145,000 41.00 205.000 68.00 123,000 41.00 118,000 66.70 36,000 38.00 41,000 56.50 116,000 32.50 133,000 42.50 406,000 25.00 406,000 32.00 86,000 41.40 120,000 72.00 1,0.50,000 42.80 1,007,000 59.50 634,000 41.00 646,000 55.00 1,407,000 36.00 1,377,000 57.00 736,000 36.90 726,000 63.50 410,000 32.70 390,000 45.50 279,000 24..30 268,000 36.00 157,000 33.00 1.57,000 54.00 167,000 37.30 177,000 54.00 172,000 42.00 157,000 66.00 767,000 39.50 814,000 60.50 1,085,000 33.00 1,186,000 53.50 430,000 23.50 434,000 35.00 856,000 34.80 797,000 54.50 77,000 46.50 114,000 75.00 614,000 35.00 625,000 62.50 17,000 44.00 24,000 77.50 101,000 36.20 95,000 60.00 154,000 ■ 47.50 146,000 68.00 51,000 38.80 68,000 61.50 1,510,000 39.50 1,509,000 61.00 309,000 25.50 315,000 36.50 2.59.00O 33.90 339,000 61.50 905,000 42.80 895,000 60.00 531,000 31. .50 494,000 52.00 173,000 39.60 210,0011 63.50 934,000 39.00 943,000 59.50 23,000 43.80 23,000 71.00 1.81,000 28.90 185,000 .33.00 370,000 33.00 453,000 59.50 397,000 27.50 355,000 41.00 1,014,000 29.50 1,086,000 47..50 76,000 34.00 92,000 62.00 265,000 34.20 268,000 52.00 3.56.000 29.70 349,000 43.50 186,000 41.80 2.53,000 74.00 240,000 35.00 234,000 51.00 1,473,000 36.60 1,626,000 59..50 41,000 43.70 46,000 21,262,000 78.00 20,625,000 .$35.29 $55.33 Other computations of stimulating interest can be made from this table, such as finding the number of cows per square mile in your state or in others. As representing the extremes in this regard, Wisconsin will be found to have twenty-nine cows per square mile, while Nevada has only one cow to every four square miles. It is also interesting to note the difference in the value of cows in the various states. HISTORY OF THE COW 33 Of still more practical interest than the number of milch cows is the amount and value of milk produced. The butter fat content of milk is the common basis of estimating the value of milk. The United States government estimates that the average amount of butter fat per cow is 140 pounds, which means 175 pounds of butter per cow. At this rate the total number of pounds possible to produce from 21,262,000 would be 3,720,850,000. But if we cannot think in millions of cows we surely cannot get a clear idea of billions of pounds. By taking to our geography again we shall get other figures and other viewpoints that may help. A pound brick of butter, as sold in our grocery stores, is two and one-half by four and three- quarters inches. If 3,720,850,000 bricks of butter were laid end to end they would reach completel)^ around the earth at the equator eleven times. In other words, we should have a girdle ol butter around the globe sixteen and one-half inches wide and two and one- half inches thick. But all of the milk produced is not made into butter. A very large portion of it is sold and consumed " whole " or with the butter fat in it. An endless array of problems on the cow, involving all the mathematical processes from addition to cube root, might be pre- sented, but the one great problem that interests practically every one who is in the business of cattle raising or dairying is the problem of profits, and that has its place in our next chapter. Bookkeeping with the Cow Books are kept by business men for the purpose of determining profits or losses and maintaining a record of debits and credits, receipts and disbursements. The modern business man not only keeps accounts with the individuals and firms who buy from him and from whom he buys, but with his business itself and the depart- ments of it. If a merchant, he will be able from his accounts to determine what lines of goods are producing the largest profits and what lines, if any, are losing money. If a manufacturer, he can tell exactly which products are profitable and which unprofit- able. And of course, when he does determine these facts, he will discontinue the unprofitable lines or find some means of producing or purchasing them at a lower price. 34 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN Keeping cows is a business, and some men engaged in that business keep accounts as carefully as does the merchant or the manufacturer. But investigation proves that as a whole, this business is very carelessly conducted throughout the country. Care- ful estimates show that the average cow should produce about 200 pounds of butter fat. For purposes of comparison the cows were labor and cost of marketing the product. But, as we have seen, the average cow produces only 140 pounds of butter fat, so that count- ing butter fat at twenty-five cents per pound, there is an average loss of about five dollars per head, or a total loss of one hundred and five million dollars on our twenty-one million cows. Of course there is not that much actual loss. There would be if all milk was sold on the butter fat basis. But much milk is sold by the great dairies to consumers in large cities at five cents, eight cents, ten cents, and even more, per quart, thus realizing from two to six times as much as when sold by the hundred weight to creameries, cheese factories and milk stations. A very interesting investigation and study of profits and losses on the dairy cows of America was recently conducted by the dairy department of one of our state universities. By making tests with 1,000 cows in the state, the best, the medium and the poorest producers, it was found that the average for all was about 203 pounds of butter in order to pay her expenses, which includes feed, divided into three equal groups, and it was found that the best group produced an average of 6,765 pounds of milk containing 278 pounds of butter fat returning an annual profit of $26.82 per cow. The second, or medium group, produced an average of ?;,ooo pounds of milk containing 198 pounds of butter fat, returning an average annual profit of $7.85 per head, while the third and poor- est group produced an average of 134 pounds of butter fat and lost $7.25 each per annum. Extending the results and proportions of this investigation to the country's twenty-one million milch cows, they were divided into three herds of seven million cows each, the first or best of which returns a total annual profit of one hundred and eighty- seven million and seven hundred and forty thousand dollars, while the second or medium herd shows a total annual profit of fiftv- four million and nine hundred and fifty thousand dollars and the third or poorest herd loses each year fifty million and seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, making a net profit on all three herds HISTORY OF THE COW 35 of one hundred and ninety-one million and nine hundred and forty thousand dollars. That this is more than a fair presentation of the business methods of the average dairyman may be assumed by comparing the final result with the estimates of the United States Govern- ment, which, as we have seen, shows a net loss of one hundred and five million dollars. The difference in the two estimates thus amounts to nearly three hundred million dollars. Of course there are probably only a few dairy herds in any state that actually lose money as a whole. The poor cows, the medium and the good are found, more or less, in nearly all herds, and the profit on the best so far overbalances the loss on the " board- ers " that the owners realize a living income. But this is a poor business method, or lack of method, as com- pared with the accounting systems of modern mercantile and man- ufacturing concerns. As these business men determine the profits and losses of each department of merchandising and manufactur- ing, and eliminate the unprofitable branches, so the keeper of cows, if he would get the maximum of profits from his herd, must keep an account with each individual cow, and eliminate every one that does not return a profit. If we were keeping one cow and, by keeping track of all expenses, found that we could buy as much or more milk for the money spent than the amount derived from the cow, we surely would not keep the cow long. If we found in keeping two cows that one was losing money while the other was making a profit, we would be considered very unwise from a business point of view to continue feeding the profits of the good cow to the "boarder." It is not unreasonable to expect a herd of matured pure bred cows to produce 653.95 pounds of butter and 14,518 pounds of milk per head yearly, with good ordinary care and feed, such as the dair3'-man should give his cows in order to enable them to return a fair profit. The author's herd of pure bred Holsteins numbering about fifty head, show by their semi-official records that they are produc- ing at the present writing an average of 14,518 pounds of milk per cow. The milk is being sold at $1.80 per 100 pounds (an ordinary price), each cow in the herd thus averaging $261.32. There are approximately 22,000,000 milch cows in the United States and they are averaging 5,000 pounds of milk per year ; this 36 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN being sold at $1.80 per 100 pounds amounts to $90.00 per cow, while in round numbers if they were earning $261.00 a head instead of $90.00 per head they would be earning the difference between $1,980,000,000 and $5,742,000,000 which is a gain of $3,762,- 000,000 to the wealth of the nation. If the 22,000,000 milch cows referred to were grade animals and they produced 21,000,000 calves (allowing 1,000,000 for loss by premature birth) these calves would be worth $10.00 per head for breeding or for veal purposes, bringing approximately $210,- 000,000. On the other hand if the 22,000,000 milch cows were pure bred animals of any dairy breed, their 21,000,000 calves (male or female) would bring an average of $5'o.oo per head, a total of $1,050,000,000. This is $840,000,000 more than the grade calves would bring. Fifty dollars per head for pure bred calves of any breed is a fair average of their actual value when you consider that their dams are only producing 5,000 pounds of milk per year, but when you bring 3four dairy cows up to the point of productiveness where they average 653.95 pounds of butter and 14,518 pounds of milk per year the average valuation of their calves would be doubled. The advanced valuation of calves brought about by bringing their dams to a high point of productiveness would amount to $1,050,- 000,000. Adding this amount to $840,000,000 would increase the wealth of the nation $1,850,000,000. This seems like an unreas- onable sum but it is a perfectly conservative one for the reason that calves out of such high producing dams would easily bring from $100 to $300 per head. This would increase the nation's wealth from $2,100,000,000 to $4,200,000,000 without getting beyond reasonable figures in the way of increasing the productiveness of our dairy cattle that have been carefully bred during the past 2,000 years. But what is poor business policy in the keeping of two cows is no better in the management of a hundred. Indeed, the very fact that it is more difficult to pick out the "boarders" from a large herd than from a small herd makes it all the more necessary to keep strict accounts in order to determine the losers. The opportunity for profit, under a careful system of breed- ing for heavy milkers and of "weeding out" the unprofitable indi- viduals, is so great that the total possible net returns for the entire country seem fabulous. If all of our twent)'-one million Ameri- HISTORY OF THE COW 37 can cows returned an average profit equal to that of the seven mil- lion best (and $26.82 is surely not a large profit on a cow for an entire year) the total net profits would be close to six hundred mil- lion dollars. It is well to keep in mind that while this profit of $26.82 per head is the average of a great number of cows, the best from many herds in different localities, it does not represent the full possi- bilities of production. There are many large herds which, by care- ful management and selection, produce an average annual profit of $50 to $100 per cow, while the best records of individual cows show profits of several hundred dollars per head. An Official Butterfat Record Some wonderful records in the production of butter fat have been made by cows of all the great dairy breeds. The highest record has been held in turn bj^ individual cows of different breeds. The greatest production to date is that of Duchess Skylark Ormsby, No. 124514, a Holstein-Friesian cow owned in Minne- sota. This cow produced in 365 consecutive days 27,761.7 pounds of milk containing 1,205.09 pounds of butter fat, enough to make 1,506.4 pounds of butter. These exceptional records are given to show the extreme possi- bilities of production. But of course no dairy farmer can hope even to approach such figures with the average cow. It must also be borne in mind that the largest producers are not necessarily the most profitable, because profits depend upon the relation of pro- duction to cost of production, and cows of smaller breeds are found to be among the great profit producers, because of their high pro- duction in proportion to the cost of feed and other expenses. And here is the whole secret of success in the keeping of cows for profit: Keep books as carefully and persistently as in any other business. Have an account for each cow. Charge her with her cost price, then with her feed each day — at cost price if 3^ou produce it, at market price if you buy it, and charge her with her proportion of the labor. On the other side of the account the cow must be credited with the receipts from her milk, from her calves and from her sale when she is sold. By this method only can the " boarders " be eliminated from a 38 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN herd and the dairy business placed on the same plane with mer- cantile and manufacturing pursuits. Economics and the Cow Economics is the science that treats of the development of material resources, or of the production, preservation, and distri- bution of wealth, and the means of methods of living well, for the state, the family and the individual. — Standard Dictionary. For our purposes we may simplify the definition without impairing it by leaving off the first and the last clauses: for "the production, preservation and distribution of wealth" embraces or implies every consideration of human welfare that is based upon material things. When we seek to determine the place occupied by the cow in this branch of study, we find that she touches the subject at every point of economic activity. Let us divide the stud)'- into three parts in accordance with our definition : The Production of Wealth, The Preservation of Wealth, The Distribution of Wealth. The Production of Wealth Again we must seek a definition. Wealth, sa3'S our dictionary, is "the store of material things that men desire to possess and that have exchangeable value." Let us be clear in our understanding of what is wealth and what is not. Money is not wealth, but merely the token that represents wealth; the medium of exchange whereby one form of wealth is converted into an)' other form desired. The farmer who has a hundred bushels of wheat possesses real wealth. If he sells it for $100 in money he then has onh^ a token of the wealth he had before, but he may exchange this token for any other form of wealth he may desire- — houses, land, cloth- ing, furniture, food, or the machinery and labor for producing more wealth. The persons who supply all these things which the farmer may buy are also producers and possessors of wealth for which they accept money that may be exchanged for any and all forms of wealth which they do not themselves produce or possess. There are two classes of wealth: necessities and luxuries. We may distinguish them as fundamental and artificial forms of wealth. It is difficult to draw an exact line between these two HISTORY OF THE COW 39 classes of wealth, because what is a luxury for persons accustomed to certain habits of life and standards of living may be a necessity for persons with other habits and standards. But by contrasting the extremes of the two classes we may clearly see the difference in their characters. Wheat, beef and butter are necessities accord- ing to American standards. Yet a diamond weighing a fraction of an ounce will purchase a carload of butter, two carloads of beef and ten carloads of wheat. In spite of this fact it is plain that the diamond is not a fundamental or necessary form of wealth. Cow products are mostly, if not entirely, of a fundamental character. Next to the bread grains, milk, butter, beef and cheese are the most essential food products. Indeed, since milk is an indispensable part of the diet of the growing child, we may even place it in the vet}' front rank of human food necessities. But in whatever order of importance we classify the necessary foods, it is certain that no animal known to our civilization is the source of so many fundamental forms of wealth as is the cow. She is therefore a very important factor in the Production of Wealth. The relation of the cow to the production of wealth in forms other than foods is taken up under the head of "The Cow as an Industry." The Preservation of Wealth Since the relation of the cow to the preservation of wealth is almost entirely thru farming operations, the discussion of this branch of the Economics of the Cow is reserved for the chapter on Agriculture and the Cow: Her Relation to the Fertility of the Soil. The Distribution of Wealth Prosperity is frankly considered by the average citizen as a very desirable state of affairs. We are all seeking to succeed in some pursuit, and most of us wish to prosper in a material way. Wealth, although an important element of prosperity, in itself is not prosperity. We might define prosperity as wealth in motion. A good illustration of this occurred a few years ago when there had been a season of great crops and a consequent shortage of cars for shipping grain. It was winter, and the difficulties of the trans- portation lines in moving the grain to the markets were aggravated 40 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN by a succession of snow-storms. In the Dakotas, the immense wheat crops had been threshed in the fall, the granaries were filled and great pyramids of the surplus grain piled up in the fields. Here was an enormous amount of fundamental wealth in the hands of the producers, and yet the farmers were suffering for fuel, because they could not dispose of their surplus grain and purchase coal. On the other hand, around the coal mines in other states were piled up mountains of coal that could not relieve the poverty of the producers. Mines were closed, the miners out of employment and in need of the bread which the farmers had in overabundance. When the congestion and car shortage were remedied, both the coal and the grain went to market and prosperity took the place of poverty at both ends of the road. So we see that a surplus, with- out means of transportation and exchange, has no value; that wealth must move to produce prosperity. We conclude from these facts that the more rapidly the various forms of wealth exchange hands the greater the prosperity and our conclusions are confirmed by experience. The cow, and especially the dairy cow, is the greatest of all the accelerators of speed in the exchange of products. The result is the well-known fact that dairy districts are more consistently and continuously prosperous than any other agricultural regions. The grain farmer must work and wait for a year to realize on his crop. The feeder must wait until his fat stock is matured for the market. But the market for milk and butter is continuous, and the income is weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. Correspondingly, the dairy farmer is enabled to purchase and pay with more regular- ity than the farmer who depends wholly upon grain and meat production. So, while we have seen that the cow has a large part in the production of wealth, and as we shall see in another chapter, is an important factor in the preservation of wealth, she also takes a very important part in aiding the rapid distribution of wealth, the quick exchange of products that insures and increases prosperit}'. Industry and the Cow While agriculture is included among industries in the broadest sense, a distinction is commonl)^ made between industrial and agricultural activities. HISTORY OF THE COW 41 Under this topic then, we will consider the industries outside of agriculture, that depend for their activity upon the cow. These industries may be divided into two classes and distinguished as "Industries for the Cow" and "Industries from the Cow", the first including the industries that produce material, implements and equipment for conducting and improving the business of dairying and beef production, and the second including those that depend upon cow products for their raw material. Industries for the Cow To get a comprehensive and concrete idea of the number of industries engaged in providing equipment and machinery for the comfort of the cow, for the care of milk and the manufacture and protection of all food products of the dairy cow, one should visit a great dairy show. There may be seen acres of floor space devoted to the display of hundreds of articles, from a simple sediment test strainer, no larger than a soup ladle, to an immense bottle washing machine, or a completely equipped section of a dairy barn. There are sanitary steel cow stalls and stanchions, sanitary water supply systems with individual drinking cups for the cows, ventilating systems for cattle barns, litter carriers for convenient cleaning of barns, cork brick for flooring barns, electric lighting plants for barns, feed carriers to facilitate the work of feeding, successful milking machines, milk cans, testing apparatus, special sanitary milk pails, strainers, ice cream freezers, cream separators, milk coolers, bottling machines, washers, pasteurizers, power churns and machines for molding and wrapping butter, silos, ensilage cutters, feed mills; everything that man's ingenuity can devise to increase the wealth producing capacity of the cow and the health protecting safeguards of her products for human use. The list is not complete and it is impossible to add a last word, since every year brings out something new. But when we remem- ber that every line exhibited represents the employment of capital and of many skilled laborers, the consumption of great quantities of wood, metal and other forms of raw material, we begin to form an idea of the influence of the cow, especially the dairy cow, upon the industrial life of our country. If one cannot attend a great dairy show, the best substitute for such a visit is the study of advertising pages of farm and dairy 42 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN publications. To note and list the number and character of these articles and investigate their claims to superiority is no small factor in the education ol one who aspires to the ownership and opera- tion of a dairy farm. In addition to factories engaged in the production of equip- ment and machinery for dairy plants, there is a large number of mills throughout the country devoted wholly or in part to the manufacture of special dairy and calf feeds; also laboratories and veterinar)^ establishments that make a specialty of the study and treatment of diseases of cattle. Industries from the Cow We have seen that surplus wealth without means of trans- portation and distribution cannot be put to use and cannot produce prosperity. So the very first and most important industry from the cow is that of carr}nng and delivering milk to the consumers and to the creameries and factories that manufacture butter and cheese. The work of collecting, transporting and distributing milk alone constitutes an important industry, employing a large number of people and supplying the connecting link between the dairy farmer and the city consumer. Indirectly this industry influences and enlarges other forms of industry and employment. It con- stitutes a large item of freight and express for railroads centering in the large cities. It stimulates the business of the builders of vehicles, thousands of delivery wagons and auto trucks being manu- factured annually for milk distributing purposes. One might point to the milk cans, milk bottles and an indefinite number of articles the production of which is increased b)^ the demands of this industry. But the}' are all seen at the dairy shows or described in the dairy journals, and each interested reader can trace for himself the lines of influence that reach out from this industry and influence others. The production of butter and the manufacture of cheese are, in the order named, the next most important of the industries directly related to the dairy farm. These also have their influence upon other industries, creating demand for machinery, for means of transportation, for skilled and unskilled labor. From the beef growing branch of the cattle industry, arises an important part of the great packing industr}^; the production HISTORY OF THE COW 43 and distribution of meat. And this industr)? in turn calls for the manufacture of special cars for shipment of cattle to the livestock markets and other special cars for shipping the fresh meat to the retail markets in the cities and towns of our own country, and to the seaports for transshipment to other lands. Great stock yards, immense packing plants equipped with wonderful machinery and facilities for handling the beef animals and their products are employed. These interesting activities can be seen and appreciated only by visiting the great packing centers. The largest of these is located in Chicago, where an inspection of the Union Stock Yards is considered by visitors from all parts of the world as an important part of their study of great American industries. But second only to these industries that produce and deliver the food products from the cow is the great leather industry from the hides of the cow, which provides shoes for mankind, harness for draft animals, belting for the machinery of thousands of factories and mills, and many other forms of leather goods both useful and ornamental. Lesser industries utilize other parts of the cattle; the hair in mortar for plastering the walls of our homes; their horns for many forms of useful articles, such as combs, buttons and handles for small instruments, parts of their feet for glue and their bones and other parts of their carcasses for making fertilizers. There are many other still less conspicuous industries whollj^ or partly dependent for raw materials on the cattle industry. Students of the subject may with profit pursue this study into almost numberless branches of human activity at every turn acquiring a broader understanding of the important place occupied by the cow in the varied industries of America and the world. Agriculture and the Cow : Her Relation to the Fertility of the Soil The cow as a producer of fertilizer, is one of the greatest natural assets of the country. This is the text of many of the modern theses on agriculture. It doesn't take much of a farmer to take a piece of virgin soil, and, with favorable climatic condi- tions, to raise a bumper crop, but it calls forth the highest degree of skill and a knowledge of the principles of modern scientific agriculture to conserve the resources of the soil. 44 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN The soil, or "dirt" as it is often called, is not a dead thing; it is teeming with life, it is full of activities of the most complex and interesting kind. Agricultural soil is made up of small rock particles, soil water, soil air, decaying organic matter and living organisms. Most soils, capable of raising crops, have all of these constituents; any soil deficient in water, air, living organisms or decaying organic matter will not produce good crops. The rock particles in most soils make up 60 to 9^ per cent of its weight; the organic matter 2 to 5 per cent. The mineral matter furnishes the solid food and acts as a reservoir for holding the water. The size of soil particles affects the soil activities and therefore the crops that grow on these soils. For instance, clay, which is the soil having finest rock particles is excellent for tim- othy, whereas sandy soils, which are made of larger rock particles, raise the best garden crops. The chemical elements that are usually found in plants and animals are Oxygen, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Sulphur, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron Chlorin, Sodium and Silicon. Ages upon ages of time have been required to form the soil and make it productive. The great rocks have had to be broken into the finest particles and these at first could produce only mosses and lichens. After generations of these smaller plants had flourished and died, their material was added to the soil. Then it became possible for a higher type of plant to develop. For centuries trees, leaves and grasses have decayed to form the forest and prairie soils. These are the so-called rich virgin soils. In these soils the first farming was usually grain farming. Grain would be grown year after year, with no provision for keeping up the humus supply, either hj barnyard manure or by green manure. Little stock was raised to produce fertilizers, and that which was available was not handled to the best advantage. Consequently constant tillage exhausted the humus supply and the once rich soil became unproductive, although the change was so gradual that the farmer did not always realize it until it was practically exhausted. Thirty to sixty years will exhaust the rich- est soil, if some means is not taken to maintain its productivity. Often it is not until this point is reached that the farmer realizes that it is necessary to raise stock for the use of the manure, HISTORY OF THE COW 45 to plow under green manure, and even to use commercial fer- tilizers, to give back to the soil some of the elements which have been used and not replaced. The oldest and best fertilizer is barn}^ard manure, and when the farmer learns how to produce good barnyard manure and to use it sensibly, he will have mastered one of the fundamental lessons in agriculture. If any one of these first ten elements is lacking, the plants will die. Sometimes only a small quantity is required, but that little is essential. Experiments show that if a plant is given nine of these elements and the tenth is missing, it will not develop. The plant secures its food from both the soil and air. The oxygen and hydrogen chemically united to form water, are taken up by the roots from the soil. The carbon is obtained from the air by leaves in form of carbon dioxide. The nitrogen comes from the soil, except in the case of legumes, M^hich are able to take nitrogen from both air and soil. Since the ten elements are absolutely necessary for plant growth, the lack of any one in a sufRcient quantity, will cause a crop to suffer. Hydrogen and oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sometimes calcium are not always available in suffi- cient quantities for the production of good crops. Water is most frequently the factor that limits the size of the crop, but it can be conserved or increased by tillage and irrigation. If a plant has a light green color, the farmer realizes that it is an indication of a lack of nitrogen. Plants that have an abundance of manure, or nitrogenous fertilizers, are dark green, while those not having enough nitrogen are light green. A sufficient amount of nitrogen promotes growth and abundant foliage in plants. It would be a valuable object lesson to many an American farmer to see a pasture in Holland. Here a pasture, not much larger than a city lot, supports a dozen beautiful Hoi steins, who contentedly graze from early spring to late fall in a small space of ground that would scarcely support one cow in America. And what is the secret"? There are two reasons; first, the surrounding canals keep the ground constantly moist, and, second, every bit of manure produced is put back on the soil as fertilizer. The secret of the constant fertility of the soils in Holland, Denmark, Germany and the other rich agricultural regions of 46 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN Europe is the careful use of the manure produced by the barnyard animals. One estimate places the value of manure produced in the United States in one year at $2,353,000,000, which is one-third more than the value of the much vaunted corn crop for the same year. At the various Agricultural Experiment Stations, experiments have been performed which show conclusively that soils treated with manure produce increased crops, while those not so treated produce crops which decrease in volume and value from j^ear to }ear. The value of a manure is influenced by several factors. The manure is least valuable from young animals, from poor animals, from those producing rich milk and from hard working animals, because these animals usually digest their food fully. If the food is rich, the manure is improved, so that a varied and rich diet affects not onl}' the animal fed, but it produces a more valuable manure. From 65 to 75 per cent of the nitrogen, phosphorus and potas- sium fed to 'cows is recovered in the manure, while in fattening animals 85 to 95 per cent is recovered. It is certainly more profitable to produce fertility in the shape of feed for stock than to purchase it in the form of artificial fertili- zers. Some farmers feed sheep and beef cattle, not so much for the profit from the sale of the animals as for the manure they produce. It is better to feed grain to animals than to sell it, for not only is a profit to be made from the stock, but, notice this important point, each year the soil becomes richer on a well managed stock farm where the manure is carefully handled. The conclusion is that it is wise to feed animals to get a good manure rather than to depend upon the commercial fertilizers. In general it is safe to assume that three-fourths of the fertility of the feed is recovered in the manure, — providing, of course, that the manure is properly handled. A 1200-pound horse produces yearly about 11 tons of excre- ment. If this be added to the bedding, 14 tons of manure is produced. A cow averages about the same. It is estimated that for every thousand pounds of animals kept, one ton of manure per month is accrued. To furnish the amount of plant food in twelve HISTORY OF TFIE COW 47 tons of barnyard manure in commercial fertilizers would cost about $40 per year. The following table is a fairly accurate estimate of the quan- tity, contents and value in one year of manure per 1,000 pounds of live weight of animal : Manure with Phosphoric Excrement Bedding Nitrogen Acid Potash Value Per Year Per Year Per Year Per Year Per Year Per Year Tons Tons Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Cow 13.5 14,C. 137 92 140 $27.00 Horse 8.9 12.1 153 SI 1.50 24.00 Sheep G.2 9.6 175 ,ss 133 25.00 Pig 15.3 18.2 331 158 130 35.00 Fowls 4.3 4.3 293 119 72 55.00 These figures are onl)^ a broad general estimate. No exact values can be arrived at under present conditions of agriculture and statistical research. On a grain farm the value would be less than the figures in the table, while for market garden purposes it would be much higher than indicated. The value to eacli individual farmer depends on his proximity to market and the character of the product of his land. But from this rough estimate of average values, we can appreciate something of the value of the cow in her relation to agricultural activities. When the fertilizer she produces is properly handled and applied, she gives back to the soil a very large proportion of the fertility taken from it by the feed she consumes, and in addition produces direct prolits on milk and milk products. Under conditions prevailing in America about one cow to each five acres of the dairy farm should be kept to insure the best balance of sustenance for the herd and conservation of soil fer- tility. The use of some commercial fertilizers is necessary on even the best regulated farms, but the amount required is greatly reduced where all the barn manure is utilized to the best advantage. Our good friend, the Cow, not only does much to feed the people of the world, but also to feed the soil that feeds the plant that feeds herself and the rest of animal creation. Map Showing Where Cattle Originated 48 PART THREE THE BREEDS OF CATTLE IN AMERICA REGISTERED CATTLE IN AMERICA July 1, 1916, there were registered in America approxi- mately the following number of pure bred cattle: Name of Breed Males Females Holstein-Friesian 185,341 330,237 Guernsey 38,679 65,007 Jersey 143,312 360,078 Ayrshire 18,856 43,340 Brown Swiss 5,485 7,901 Red Polled 29,875 43,800 Milking Shorthorns (Included with Shorthorns) Polled Holstein 47 105 Polled Jersey 485 848 Dutch Belted 1,229 2,487 French-Canadian Kerry IS 59 Dexter 37 201 423,361 854,063 (Beef Breeds) Shorthorn 471,000 706,500 Hereford 220,242 342,453 Aberdeen Angus 89,511 118,989 Galloway 17,693 24,437 Polled Hereford 3,800 3,800 Polled Durham 13,740 17,633 Devon West Highland 815,986 1,213,812 There are fifty-eight million head of cattle in America and the above figures show that about five per cent of them are pure-bred and registered. 50 Texas Steer THE BREEDS OF CATTLE IN AMERICA America has no native breed of cattle, unless the American bison be regarded as such. But the bison, though near enough related to be susceptible of crossing with our domestic cattle, is scarcely to be classed in the cow family, belonging rather to the buffalo tribe. The cattle of the west and southwest range countries, known as native cattle, are not strictly indigenous to America, but are descended from the domestic breeds brought over by the Spaniards during their conquest and occupation of Mexico. 51 52 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN Our herds, then, like our human inhabitants, are immigrants or the descendants of immigrants, and are, after all, characteris- tically American, though not indigenous. For America is the land of all lands; a people of all peoples; a composite of the ideas, aspirations, cultures and civilizations of all nations. And in our domestic animals we have availed ourselves of the best to be had from the many lands where the development of distinct breeds for various needs has been followed for generations. The following pages are devoted to the illustration and description of the most prominent breeds in use and favor in America, together with a short history and characterization of each one. These various breeds are classified as dairy and beef breeds, and there is a third class that are good milkers, and at the same time produce good beef when fattened and for want of a better term are called dual purpose or general purpose breeds. One important purpose to which cattle have been devoted in America is not often dwelt upon in works on the subject, and that is the use of oxen in the early migrations and industries of our country. This theme is worthy of a special volume; for as a draft animal and beast of burden in the service of emigrants and farmers, in the early development of our lumber industry, as the fore- runner of the railways in transcontinental traffic and in hundreds of forms of service in which draft animals are indispensable, the ox must be honored as a pioneer and a most important factor in building up this great country in which his beef and dairy cousins now form such an important source of wealth. DAIRY BREEDS The Channel Cattle While the characteristics of the Jersey and Guernsey cattle are quite distinct in some respects, their origin and early history are so closely identified that one must, to avoid repetition, write much in common concerning them. Indeed, there was a time when all the cattle from the Channel Islands were called Alderney cattle. ( Alderney was another name for the whole group of islands and is still applied to one of the three most important islands. ) Then, for a time, all Channel Island cattle were called Jerseys or Alderneys by the world out- THE CHANNEL CATTLE 53 side the islands, although the Guernsey breed was well established and distinguished on its home island. It is not certain to which of these two famous breeds the first Channel cow imported to America in 1817 belonged, though the Jersey fanciers say she was "probably" a Jersey. The entire group of Channel Islands does not equal in area the smallest county in the agricultural states of America, Jersey com- prising about sixty-two square miles, Guernsey about sixteen square miles, Alderney six square miles, while Sark and the other lesser islands aggregate only a few hundred acres in extent. But measured by their hardy qualities, their peaceful and progressive history, their achievement and their influence upon the world's greatest industry, the people of this tiny group of islands must be accorded a high place. On the map on page 48 the Channel Islands are made the center of a circle with a radius of seven hundred miles, including within its circumference the native lands of all the popular breeds of cattle known in America. The history of the Island peoples is closely associated with English and French history. The people speak a French dialect, but are politically a part of Great Britain, though the}' have their own legislatures and are, practicalh', self- governing. When in 1066, William the Norman crossed the English Chan- nel and conquered England, the Channel Islands were a part of his domain of Normandy, and remained a part of the combined French and British realm over which William and his descendants reigned. When the sovereignty was again separated and Normandy returned to French allegiance, the islands remained under British rule. For many centuries wars have not disturbed the small domains of the hardy and frugal islanders, and yet they have their jealousies and rivalries among themselves. And it was the competition aris- ing from these rivalries that was responsible for the development of two distinct and famous breeds of dairy cattle. The superiority of the dairy cows of the Alderney or Channel Islands has been known for two centuries, and the people became so jealous of their reputation that they took measures to prevent the importation of cattle from other lands. Later regulations strictly prohibited importation of live cattle except for immediate slaughter. 54 u l-l w .S 'C +-> "o 55 56 The Holstein-Friesians While Julius Caesar was conquering France, invading Britain and making the first historical test of the fighting qualities of the Belgians — all this before the beginning of the Christian era, the Friesians, just outside the area of these activities of the great Roman Emperor, were living the pastoral life and producing butter and cheese for home consumption and inter-tribal traflSc. It is notable that the peoples and nations that have developed all of the important breeds of cattle are small in the extent of their dominion and conspicuously absent from recorded history- Friesland, now a province of the small kingdom of the Nether- lands, is the original home of what we in America miscall the Holstein-Friesian dairy cow. Our offense against history is the greater when we abbreviate the names of these cattle to Holstein, 57 58 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN because Holstein is a province of Germany and has no more claim as tlie originator of this great breed than has America itself. It simply possesses many fine black and white cows from Holland, as do we. The name, or rather the misnomer, by which we designate the THE HOLSTEIN-FRIESIANS 59 breed came about through some early American importers, either carelessly or mistakenly applying the name Holstein to their stock, while other importers, regarding their herds as a distinct breed, clung to the name Friesian, after the province from which they were directly imported. When it was shown on investigation that the two breeds were the same in origin, and were all really Fries- ian, the compromise on Holstein-Friesian was effected, but many Fearless Lassie writers on the breed believe that for the sake of historical accuracy the first half of the hyphenated name should be dropped. How- ever that may be, all admit that the great black and white cows of our American herds are the direct descendants of the cows of the Friesian dairymen of two thousand years ago. The Holstein-Friesians are the largest of the dairy cattle, and in addition to holding the highest records for milk production, lay claim to distinction as a general purpose breed. The calves are large and develop rapidly, with the usual care, into good veal animals. The mature animals, while necessarily conforming in a general way to the dairy type, still have some of the beef character- istics, and o-ive a very good account of themselves in the feed lot 60 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN King Superba and on the butcher's block. The Holstein-Friesian ox has a repu- tation as a strong and dependable draft animal. The distribution of Friesian cattle under different names is as general as the dairy industry. The pure Friesian breed, or a strain of it is to be found wherever dairy cattle are cultivated except where importation of foreign breeds is prohibited as in the Channel Islands. It is asserted, upon good authority, that the British importation of the Holstein-Friesians decidedly modified several of their shorthorn breeds, particularly the Teesdale breed. The early Dutch settlers of New York were the original Ameri- can importers and owners of Dutch cattle, and the black and white cattle owned in New England and the east for two centuries before systematic breeding was practiced in this country were undoubtedly from the Friesian stock, as it has been for centuries the favorite breed in all Holland. Perhaps the first importer for breeding purposes was the Hol- land Land Company, which sent over two bulls and six cows in THE HOLSTEIN-FRIESIANS 61 1795, to the agent in charge of their American lands. In 1810 William Jarvis imported a bull and two cows for his farm at Weathersfield, Vermont. Other small importers for private use are recorded up to the early seventies, when the first serious effort was made to establish the breed and spread its fame. The first Holstein herd-book was published in 1872. In 1879 the Dutch Friesian Cattle Breeders Association was formed, partly as a protest against the illogical word Holstein as designating Dutch cattle. In 1880, Volume I, of the Dutch Friesian Herd- book was issued, and the last issue, the fourth, appeared in 1885. In the last named year the two associations got together, and after some friction agreed to hyphenate their differences under the name of the Holstein-Friesian Association of North America. For the past twenty years importations of Holstein-Friesian cattle have been very limited, American breeders and dairymen depending largely upon the interchange of animals from their own excellent herds for the renewal of their stock. Some Holstein-Friesian Characteristics The largest of the dairy breeds. Black and white in color, black predominating with some fanciers and white with others. In essentials conforms to the dairy type, but broad and strong in back, loin and hips as compared with other dairy breeds. 62 63 64 The Guernsey At the time the skilled Jerseymen began breeding for the deli- cate refinements of the favorite breed to suit the fancy and supply the needs of the more aristocratic citizens of Great Britain, the sturdy democratic and conservative Guernseyman, so the historian relates, took issue with his neighboring islander and clung loyally to his yellow and white cow with the golden skin, the pink nose and the quiet temper. To him she was the farmer's cow, good enough in her characteristics, but of course capable of improve- ment and increased production. It is said that the mild disposition of the Guernsey cow is the 65 66 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN result of the kindness and consideration shown her for generations by the quiet affectionate people on the little ten-thousand-acre island of her origin. There are 36,000 of these kindly people in Guernsey, nearly four to the acre, but they live and thrive and create a form of wealth that reaches out to enrich the farms of dairymen in many other lands. Guernseys in America America has enjoyed a large measure of the benefits of Guern- sey qualities since the captain of a sailing vessel, in the year 1833, called at the island and took on a bull and two heifers, which he later landed at the port of Boston, Massachusetts. It was nearly forty years after this date that the first serious effort was made to establish the breed in America, but in the mean- time the descendants of this first importation were kept and prized in the private dairies of the older families in the Atlantic States. In 1872, Mr. James M. Codman, of Brookline, Mass., after- wards President of the American Guernsey Cattle Club, visited the Channel Islands for the purpose of investigating the two lead- ing breeds. His fancy turned to the color and character of the product of the Guernseys and he selected and imported a small herd. This first importation so appealed to the members of the Massachusetts Society for promoting Agriculture that more were demanded, and Mr. Codman imported other herds. THE GUERNSEY 67 This induced a number of Connecticut gentlemen to make furtiier importations. By the way this Massachusetts Society and their Connecticut followers seemed to be devoted to the "promo- tion of agriculture," in the dairy branch, largely for the benefit of the favored few instead of in the larger way practiced at the present time. For it is related that for many years these herds were jealously guarded on private estates. The first American registration of Guernsey cattle was in 1877, since which time, by the efforts of the American Guernsey Cattle Club and the distinctive merits of the breed itself, the larger Chan- nel breed has become widely distributed in America and recognized among the foremost of our dairy cattle. Within the past ten ^^ears Guernsey cows have disputed supremacy in butter production with all the other prominent dairy breeds, holding the record for individual production at various periods. The highest record for the breed is 1073.41 pounds of butter fat, equaling 1341.7 pounds of butter. 68 u m u 69 70 The Jersey It is said that the divergence between the two Channel breeds, Jerseys and Guernseys, began when, more than a century ago, the highly skilled Jerseymen sought to produce a small, beautiful and yet productive cow to grace the lawns and estates of the rich English gentry. Whether or not this is strictly true, they certainly succeeded in developing a dairy type which has not been surpassed 71 72 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN in milk, butter and cheese production, considering cost of feed and care of the cows, and which has found favor in every civilized country on the globe. That the butter production of Jerseys has been greatly increased we learn by comparing the records of a century ago with the present production. In 1801 from 225 to 340 pounds of butter per year was considered very good for a Jersey cow, while the latest records show that an individual Jersey cow produced 1175 pounds of butter in twelve months, and that whole herds have averaged above 400 pounds. American Jerseys The first Channel cow brought to America, "probably" a Jer- sey, reached this country in 1817. The first importation for breeding purposes was in 1850, when Messrs. Thomas Motley, of Massachusetts, John A. Taintor, John T. Norton and D. Buck, of Connecticut imported the foundation stock and made the first registrations. The records of the increase of Jersey herds and Jer- sey breeders may be found in the abundant literature published by the American Jersey Cattle Club. THE JERSEY Jersey Characteristics 73 As distinguished from her Guernsey cousin, the Jersey's nose is always black, whereas the Guernsey's nose should be pink if favor- ably marked. As to the other external characteristic of the breed the Jerseys are marked by softness of the various tints of fawn and gray in their coats of hair, with more or less white spots; their gracefully formed, deerlike limbs; their neat incurving horns, large limpid eyes, small heads and delicate noses; their bright, attractive and intelligent faces; their soft yellow skin, long tails and well-developed switches; their full rounded-out udders, straight backs and the fine proportions of their general conforma- tion. The Jersey cow looks the high-bred lady of the cattle race. Well developed male animals should weigh from 1200 pounds to 1500 pounds; and females from 800 pounds to 1000 pounds or over. Above all else. Jerseys attract notice by the " dairy " type of their bodily conformation, by their large and well-formed udders and prominent milk veins. In color they are of various shades of soft fawn, from red to silvery, with more or less white, broken color being unobjectionable except from the standpoint of indi- vidual taste. 74 75 76 Ayrshire Now we seem to have come to a great empire as the producer of a notable breed of dairy cows. But we have not done so. The British Empire did not produce the Ayrshire cow. Her origin antedates the British Empire. Not even Scotland, outside the county of Ayr, has any claims to the credit of originating the high- spirited, hardy cow now among the favored breeds with American dairy farmers. Among themselves the farmers of Ayr in southwestern Scotland conducted their keen rivalry of breeding on the basis of their native cows. It is said that in producing the present type of Ayr- shire, Teeswater Shorthorns were utilized by some breeders, Channel cattle by others, and even Dutch breeds were imported. But whatever the basis and blood influences, the Ayrshiremen on their less than 1,200 square miles of land, brought to a high point of perfection a beautiful and useful type. 77 i|78 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN True to her Scotch origin, the Ayrshire is frugal and thrifty, excelling all other dairy breeds in ability to utilize even the coarsest kinds of forage in her business of producing milk and butter. Though trim and aristocratic in conformation and carriage, the Ayrshire is robustly democratic in gaining a livelihood and can make good on provender that would deplete the production of other pure-bred milkers. Nevertheless, she responds freely to good care and scientific feeding, as has been proved by some remarkable records of yearly milk and butter production. She has disputed successfully^ the record title with other great dairy breeds. The introduction of the Ayrshires to America was probably through Canada, at the time the Scotch immigrants first formed settlements in the Dominion earh^ in the last century. As early as 1837 at least one Ayrshire herd was owned in the United States, that of John P. Gushing of Boston, Massachusetts. Their growth in favor was steady but not rapid and of the four distinct dairy breeds there are now fewer of the Ayrshires registered than any other. Recent years, however, have marked a verj^ large compara- tive increase of Ayrshire breeders and owners among Americans, especially in the middle west. Various associations for the promotion of Ayrshire breeding AYRSHIRE 79 have existed in Canada and the United States for the past fifty years. The organization that now represents the interests of the breed is known as the Ayrshire Breeders Association and is com- posed of members from both countries. The claims of the Ayrshire cow to favor, in addition to her milking qualities, are her great beauty, ruggedness and compara- tive freedom from disease, and her rank as a producer of beef among dairy breeds. Ayrshire color is red and white or brown and white. In the majority of cases, at least in America, the white color prevails, many individuals being marked with only red or brown ears. Some breeders, however, prefer the prevalence of the red or brown. 80 * ^..'^^.•k^t.^b& 81 'V Ih X in 0} • i-i c I 82 The Brown Swiss Switzerland, another one of the very small nations of Europe, has developed two distinct breeds of cattle, — the Simmenthal or spotted breed, and the Brown Schwyzer or Brown Swiss. The latter only is of interest to Americans, for the Simmenthal breed, though very popular in its native country, is not exported except in so small a way as to be inconspicuous. By some writers the Brown Swiss is classified as a general pur- pose breed because of its large size and adaptability to beet production, but generally in America it is regarded as belonging to the dairy class. In Switzerland some very creditable records of milk production have been noted. One of these records, reported by the American consul, is of 6,000 cows supplying the Anglo- Swiss Condensed Milk Company, which produced an annual average of 5,315 pounds of milk. The cows were in milk an average of nine months and had no feed but grass and hay. This is truly a good record considering the great number of cows and the character of the feed. At the Pan-American dairy test in igoi the Brown Swiss stood fourth in the number of pounds of milk produced, being surpassed by the Holstein-Friesian, Ayrshire and Shorthorns. But in the same test they stood fourth in total milk solids and eighth in profits in fat. In color the Brown Swiss has the general appearance of the darker Jerseys, a dark brown or mouse color fading to gray along the backbone to the end of the tail. The muzzle is black surrounded with a creamy ring. It is believed by admirers of this breed that a distinct place will be found for them because of their hardiness, their capacity for production without grain or concentrate feeds and their general purpose character. The Brown Swiss were first introduced to America by H. M. Clark of Belmont, Massachusetts, who purchased and imported seven heifers and a bull in 1869. Other importations followed and in 1880 the American Brown Swiss Breeder's Association was formed to promote the interests of the breed. 83 84 l-l w I— t o 85 86 ywiiMwT '"Jra^HnlH^HI^ 1 ^^mtti^Sr ^-' •^K R-P^^^^S^ i JHl i ™ ^^w(B^PfPP|^^^p^ fo-: ^ ^ - ^Afe*''i The Red Polled Polled means hornless or, in popular farm language, "muley." And the muley cow of the old farm herd was usually in favor as a good milker. More than a century ago William Youatt, a celebrated Eng- lish veterinarian of his time, recorded in one of his books that "the polled breeds were always favorites with English farmers." This opinion is confirmed by the fact that Great Britain is the original home of all the long established breeds of polled cattle familiar to American breeders and farmers. That polled breeds are also in high favor in America is proved by the prevalence of the practice among the farmers, breeders and feeders of dehorning their cattle and their efforts to produce polled types of the commonly horned breeds. The history of the Red Polled cattle, like that of most breeds, had obscure beginnings. Polled cattle were known in the county 87 88 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN of Suffolk, England, as far back as the history of cattle is recorded in that county, early writers speaking of them as "celebrated for dairy produce" and fattening "remarkably well, the flesh of a fine flavor." In the county of Norfolk, England, which is just to the north of Suffolk, the Norfolk Red Polled breed was developed from a type of cattle described by early writers as small of bone, blood red in color with white or mottled face, having horns, and "fattening as freely and finishing as highly at three years old as cattle do generally at four or five." But the Norfolk cattle with their fine beet characteristics possessed poor dairy qualities. In the year 1847 an American relief ship, the "Jamestown," took a cargo of provisions to famine stricken Ireland, and as a measure of appreciation a Mr. Jeffries presented the captain of the ship with a polled Suffolk heifer. She was delivered by him to the Boston people who had donated the cargo, and was sold at auction for the benefit of the Irish relief fund. She proved to be an exceptional milker, and crossed with Alderney ( as all Chan- nel cattle were called at that time) became the founder of a tribe of cattle known as Jamestown cattle, after the name of the ship. These cattle were greatly prized in the dairies of New England and it is believed that the muley cow so much favored by American farmers of the middle period of the nineteenth century, were derived from this tribe. THE RED POLLED 89 The first importation of the standardized Red Polled cattle of England was made by Mr. G. F. Tabor of New York in 1873, a shipment comprising a bull and two heifers. In 1875 he added a second importation of twenty-six head. The Red Polled breed is favored by a large class of farmers who seek the best milkers obtainable in animals that fatten freely. In the test of dairy cows at the Pan-American exposition at Buffalo, New York, in 1901, the five Red Polled cows entered in the contest exceeded the average production of the ten breeds competing in milk, butter and net profit. This performance did much to enhance the reputation of the breed as a " farmer's cow." The Red Polled Cattle Club of America, organized in 1883, has charge of the promotion and all the interests of the breed in America. In the later years of the eighteenth century a group of Nor- folk breeders including Jonah Reeve of Wigton, Richard England of Binham and a Mr. George began the improvement of the breed. By crossing with the Red Polled Suffolk cattle they secured the hornless type and improved the dairy qualities of the Norfolk cattle. This amalgamation gradually led to the development of a common type from the two breeds, hornless, dark red in color, heavy milkers and yet possessing high qualities as beef animals. These improved cattle were first known as the Norfolk and Suffolk Red Polled, but later, about 1882, the name was shortened to Red Polled. 90 91 Polled Holsteins The first polled, or naturall)- hornless, herd of Holsteins was assembled by Geo. E. Stevenson & Sons, Clark's Summit, Penna., during the summer of 1912. About 30 head, born naturally horn- less, were located, by inquiry, among the pure bred Holsteins. Their progeny to date, whether from horned sires on one side, or horned dams, or from polled sires and polled dams, have averaged 75 per cent hornless, and the herd now numbers between 60 and 70 head. In any herd of cattle there will appear an occasional polled or hornless individual, usually these are regarded merely as freaks. But the desirability of dispensing with horns, as shown by the growing policy of dehorning, has led such men as Mr. Stevenson to take a more humane method of dehorning — that is, by breeding the horns off of the cattle. Polled Holsteins are the product of polled " Sports " purchased and combined in a single herd with the purpose of perpetuating the hornless characteristics. They differ from the Holstein-Friesian only in that particular. There are a great many advantages in having a whole herd of cattle without horns. They can be housed in smaller space, they have less fear of one another, and naturally they will thrive better than those with horns. Polled Holsteins have advanced greatly in yearly records. This has been proven by Mr. Stevenson as he has a list of about ten pure bred. Polled Holstein cows that have been given 365 day records, and have averaged 18,429.3 pounds of milk and 840 pounds of butter. The very best pure bred Holsteins could not be obtained at first owing to the fact that the " Sport " or the hornless animal had to be used, whether it contained all the good dairy qualifications or not. After the horns are bred off, the good qualities and con- formation of the animals can be improved upon, and in the Polled Holsteins this has been wonderfully accomplished. 92 Polled Jersey The Jersey has been established as a distinct breed for a very long time. For at least two hundred years they have been kept from crossing with other breeds of cattle on their native island, to which no cattle are allowed to be imported except for immediate slaughter. This long maintained purity of blood has fixed the breed char- acteristics of the Jersey and given the race its renowned pre-potency — the ability to transmit to offspring the characteristics of the parents. On her native land the Jersey has for centuries been handled and cared for by women, in close domestic relationship, and this has fostered in the Jersey her great docility and gentleness of dis- position, and when it was conceived by some one to breed the horns off of the Jersey they evidently had in mind that this beautiful and gentle animal could be more docile and less harmful if deprived of its horns. In one effort to remove the horns from the Jersey cow a " Sport " was selected for breeding purposes and a certain per cent of her offsprings were polled, while a certain per cent had horns. The polled animals were naturally bred to polled sires and in this man- ner the horns were bred off of the Jersey breed of cattle. This breed, or tribe of dairy cattle, is in no essential feature different from the well-known Jersey cow, except in the absence of horns. They have not yet attained the high dairy production of the horned Jerseys because of the fact that in the beginning of the development of this variety, other qualities had to be sacrificed to the one characteristic of hornlessness, but this is true in the pro- duction of a polled variety from any horned breed. There is no reason, however, why the hornless cow may not, with proper breed- ing, reach the highest stage of productiveness and at the same time be less of a menace to her companions and her keepers than her horned cousin. 93 94 u W u l-i 95 96 l-l • I— I 00 c u o Id o Xi 00 c 97 Milking Shorthorns While the origin of the Shorthorn, like that of every other breed of cattle is veiled in obscurity, the development of the breed has been chronicled to an extraordinary degree. These cattle were found originally in the three northeastern counties of England, from whence they later spread to other parts of the country. The Shorthorn is believed to be descended in the main from the native cattle of these countries, with some infusion from stock imported from Holland. The history and characteristics of the Shorthorn breed are treated at some length in the Beef Cattle section of this volume. Some breeders in the early development of the Shorthorn breed, gave particular attention to milk production, with the result that certain families or tribes of Shorthorn cattle were and are highly prized for dairy purposes, especially in England. Thomas Bates, of Northumberland, began working for an ani- mal that would not only be superior as a producer of beef, but give a good account of herself at the pail as well. He was a pioneer of the cattle bookkeepers, at all times keeping careful record of beef and milk produced. From his herd are derived the best tribes of the dual purpose or dairy Shorthorn, now called the Milking Shorthorn. In the early history of America, Shorthorns were utilized for both beef and milk purposes, and in the dairy tests at the Columbian Exposition in 1893 and at the Pan-American in 1901, the Milking Shorthorns ranked well among the contestants. 98 Dutch Belted Cattle Dutch Belted cattle are a dairy breed and their native home is in Holland. The early history of this breed is not fully understood, but from the records obtained it seems that these cattle began to flourish about 1750, and no doubt the system of selection by which this marvelous color breeding was attained, dates back into the sixteenth century. One breeder says his father informed him that there were gentlemen of wealth and leisure near what is now called Haarlem, North Holland, who conceived the idea of breeding animals of all kinds to a certain color, chiefly with a broad band of white in the center of the body with black ends. These noblemen had large estates and it is said that for more than 100 years they and their descendants worked on the perfection of these peculiar color mark- ings, until they produced belted cattle, pigs and poultry. Dutch Belted cattle were first imported to America in 1838. D. H. Haight was the largest importer. He made his first impor- tation in 1838, and a later one in 1848. Robert W. Colman also imported a large herd to place on his estate at Cornwall, Pennsyl- vania. The Dutch Belted cattle in America today are entirely descended from these herds. In 1849 P- T. Barnum imported a number of Dutch Belted cattle for show purposes, but shortly placed them on his farm in Orange County, New York. The cows range from 900 to 1,300 pounds in weight, bulls often weigh 2,000 pounds. The best types of the breed represent a highly developed dairy form, having thin necks, small heads, straight backs, deep chest, hips and rumps high and broad, udders and milk veins well developed, mellow skin and soft hair, and withal, a high nervous temperament. They are very quiet in disposition. The most distinctive feature of this breed is the very wonderful pure white belt. The body is coal black and these combinations of color, so beautifully blended, are the wonder of all who see them. The Dutch Belted Cattle Association of America, formed in 1886, supervises the promotion of the Dutch Belted breed. There are about 5,000 head in America at the present time. 99 100 101 102 (L> U W c S ■-3 CO c cfl o X! o c v 103 French-Canadian If any breed can claim the distinction of being American in origin it is the French-Canadian dairy breed. But, as their name indicates, they were French in origin and Canadian in development. It is not known definitely from what part of France the ancestors of this breed came, and for this reason no attempt was made to locate the place of their origin on the map (page 48). But since all of France is within the circle, the ancestors of the French- Canadian breed are included within the limited area prescribed. They are medium producers of milk of good quality, but their chief claim to favor is their hardiness and their grazing qualities. Accustomed to a rigorous climate, they withstand exposure, find forage and maintain production under conditions that would not be possible for most dairy breeds. In distribution the French-Canadians are confined almost exclu- sively to the province of Quebec, Canada. Only a few herds are found in the United States, and they are confined to the state of New York. In passing through the country where French-Canadians are plentiful, your first impression from the train as you approach a herd of these cattle would be that they were Jerseys. Perhaps more on account of their conformation than color, although there are a great many Jerseys marked like the French-Canadian cow — black in color with a fawn strip along the back and around the muzzle. You would naturallj^ think that on account of the French- Canadian looking and being built like a Jersey that she could not stand the cold climate that she is in, but this breed of cattle is very rugged and can endure a great deal of hardship. They do not carry a great amount of flesh, but at the same time they scarcely ever get very thin in flesh. 104 Kerry and Dexter Cattle These are the smallest cattle known and probably the fewest in number of any established breed. Prof. Charles S. Plumb of the Ohio State University, member of the first executive committee of the American Kerry & Dexter Cattle Club, saj's that in 1913 the English herd book listed only eighteen herds of Kerry and twenty-six herds of Dexters in all England and Ireland, and some of these herds were so small as to attract but little attention. In America there are said to be some twenty owners, about a dozen of them being active members of the Club. With the outsider, the question is ever present: Is this com- bination Kerry and Dexter one breed or two"? Even the American club formed for the promotion of the breed, or breeds, declares in its articles of association that "The purpose of this club is to promote the breeding of pure bred Kerry or Dexter cattle in America, . . . and protecting the integrity of Kerry and Dexter pedigrees in America." Thus the ambiguity seems to be increased, but in article six it is made clear that the two breeds are distinct and are to remain so. It reads : "Kerry cattle will be kept classified by themselves, and Dexter cattle likewise, each forming an independent group. The product of a cross of Kerry and Dexter blood shall be regarded as a cross bred and ineligible for registration." There is no doubt, however, that the original breed was known as the Kerry cattle, named after County Kerry in southwest Ire- land, the place of their origin. The line Kerry is black, though red sometimes occurs in Ireland. The cow weighs from 500 to 600 pounds and the bulls from 800 to 1000 pounds. The "poor man's cow," as the Kerry is called, has been bred in County Kerry for an unknown period and is supposed to be descended from the original cattle of that origin. The breed has been developed by the small Irish farmers under adverse conditions and thrives on comparatively poor rations. And yet experience has shown that 105 106 107 108 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN these very small cattle respond quickly to better care and feeding and show remarkable gain in girth even in individuals when trans- planted to American soil and conditions. One breeder took the measurements of certain animals before shipping them from Liver- pool. After a few months in this country where they were supplied with nutritious food they were found to have increased just one foot in girth. Crossed with the beef breeds they produce beef of excellent quality, and with the infusion of Jersey or Guernsey blood their milking qualities are enhanced. But the pure Kerry cow gives a good account of herself at the pail, a record of 12,000 pounds of milk in one year being made. The Dexter adjunct to the name is derived from the name of a breeder, who nearly a century ago, either by selection or crossing Kerries on other stock, produced a type known as Dexter-Kerries, which are shorter of leg, heavier in hand and neck, and blockier than the true Kerry, in short, conforming more to the beef type. The color is mixed, being either black, red or roan, though the British herdbook specifies " whole black or whole red." It has been determined definitely that a Kerry cow was imported to America b)^ Mr. Reuben Haines of Germantown, Pennsylvania, though the first herd importation was that of Mr. Arthur W. Austin of Roxbury, Massachusetts, in 1859. The American Kerry and Dexter Cattle Club was organized in 1911. THE BEEF BREEDS When the human and bovine tribes of the eastern hemisphere were both wild, cattle were killed in the chase as were the bison of our plains by the Indians. As men became civilized and cattle domesticated the pastoral life developed and herds were kept and improved with a view to increasing the quality and quantity of beef as well as the production of milk. When or where man first made an effort to develop a distinct type by selection and breeding, nobody can say, but all of our American beef breeds trace their origin to the British Islands and their characteristics to a long line of English breeders who began their work early in the eighteenth century. A description in detail of the characteristics of the beef breeds and points wherein they differ from the dairy breeds is not essen- tial to enable the student to recognize them. Even the untrained eye will distinguish instantly the beef animal or the dairy type as they are now developed and as illustrated in these pages. The extreme dairy type of cow is angular, light in shoulders and hips with long, thin neck and delicate head and large barrel or feeding capacity. The beef type is the very opposite — round and blocky of build, broad in shoulder, back, loin and hip, short neck and even girth the whole length of body. The beef breeds of cattle have been bred for many hundred years and when they consume their food it is converted into flesh rather than into milk. Nature has provided for this wonderful transformation of food. The more you feed a beef animal the more layers of flesh will be laid all over the body, and the more you feed a dairy cow the more milk she will give, providing her feed is composed of a balanced ration, such as will produce milk rather than beef, even on a dairy cow. It is iriiportant to keep the beef and dairy cattle from mixing. The moment a beef producing animal is crossed with a milk pro- ducing animal, their offspring is neither a milk nor a beef producer, but a combination of both and a real failure in the end. 109 110 Ill u u a o t o M '^''•h :*•»* 112 The Shorthorn While the origin of the Shorthorn, Uke that of every other breed of cattle, is veiled in obscurity, the development of the breed has been chronicled to an extraordinary degree. These cattle were found originally in the three northeastern counties of England, — York, Durham and Northumberland — from whence they later spread to other parts of the country. The Shorthorn is believed to be descended in the main from the native cattle of these coun- ties, with some infusion from stock imported from Holland. While we might trace the history of the Shorthorn back several centuries, it is only in the past century and a half that scientific effort and experiment have been used to a marked degree in the improvement of the breed. About 1780 the Colling brothers of Durham began breeding to produce a superior butcher's beast. Their ideal was an animal that would take on flesh rapidly and come to maturity early, and they succeeded admirably in their- 113 114 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN efforts. The herds of these brothers were of exceptionally high merit, and became the parent stock of many of the leading tribes of the Shorthorn breed. A few years later Thomas Bates of Northumberland began working for an animal that would not only be superior as a producer of beef, but give a good account of herself at the pail as well. He was a pioneer of the cattle bookkeepers, at all times keeping careful record of beef and milk produced. From his herd are derived the best tribes of the dual purpose or dairy Shorthorns. About 1790 began the history of the Booth family in Short- horn breeding, when Thomas Booth of Yorkshire gathered a herd composed of Teeswater stock and some animals purchased from the Collings. From that time to the present, the Booths have done creditable work in improving the breed. With the men just mentioned should be included Amos Cruickshank of Aberdeen, Scotland, who, beginning about 1837, inaugurated the breeding of the tribes known as the Scotch Shorthorns, famous especially for their ruggedness of constitution, as well as for their qualities of rapid flesh production and early maturity. These cattle are now among the most popular of the Shorthorns the world over. The Shorthorn was first introduced into America in 1873 ^7 Gough and Miller of Virginia. It was not until 1817, however, that the first pedigreed bulls were imported. In this same year were brought over by Colonel Lewis Sanders of Kentucky, the parent stock of the tribe known as "the Seventeens." Since this time Shorthorns have become very popular and numerous in this country, up to the present over 1,177,000 being registered in the United States. The American Shorthorn Breeders Association, founded in 1882, promotes the interests of the breed in this country. The Shorthorn conforms with the general lines of the beef type, being of blocky build and especially well developed in the hind quarters. In size it is among the heaviest of all breeds, the cow averaging some 1400 pounds, while the bull averages from 2000 to 2200 pounds. The muzzle is broad and of flesh color, the head short, the horns short and yellowish in color. Shorthorn cattle vary in color more than any other breed, red, white, red and white, and roan (light or dark) — all being recog- nized as correct coloring. The Shorthorn is the only type of pure-bred cattle possessing the roan color. White Shorthorns are THE SHORTHORN 115 comparatively few in number, while the red are the most common. As a dairy animal the milking Shorthorn gives a good account of herself, ranking well in competition with the purely dairy breeds. The cow's udder is unusually large for a beef animal and the dam is fully able to nourish her calf. Of course the cow that is a good dairy animal cannot be the best butcher's beast, since its energy goes rather to making milk than building flesh, but the dairy Shorthorn cow, when she is out of milk, can be fattened quickly and fills out well. Most of the milking Shorthorns belong to the Bates tribes. ™ 1 g Ssi^cffyL' wj^ i 'i***l ^B^S^^^Bs^^^^SSm^ » ^^^ p f 116 0) u ■ »-l w u O U 0) m 117 118 The Hereford The original home of the Hereford is the little shire whose name she bears, situated in Western England on the Welsh border. The Hereford, believed to be the oldest breed in the land, descended in the main from the aboriginal stock of the island. These cattle were dark colored, and as a result the white markings of the modern Hereford have been subject of considerable specu- lation. Some have thought that they were due to infusion from stock imported from Holland, but a more logical theory accounts for them as resulting from breeding to the native white cattle of Wales. Early records, however, which reach back into the seven- teenth century, seem to show that the Hereford is descended in part from the ancient Chillingham cattle, which were white with red ears, imported to England over seven hundred years ago. The Hereford was bred as a draft animal until about 1650, and not until then was attention given to its qualities as a beef producer. Furthermore, the present uniformity in color is a matter of comparatively recent development. Between 1800 and i860 there was no agreement among Hereford breeders as to color, 119 120 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN some claiming that the best animals were dark with mottled faces and white backs, while others held that white faces and light bodies were better. Finally agreement was made upon the markings now obtaining. As far as is known, the first Hereford was imported in 1817 by Henry Clay for his farm at Lexington, Kentucky. From that time until 1840 importation of the breed was carried on in only a small way. After the latter date considerable numbers were brought over, but none of high merit until 1880. In 1881 the American Hereford Cattle Breeders Association was formed with the object of increasing the popularity of the breed in this country, and in 1883 the first registration was made. In January, 1915, there were 562,695 Herefords registered in the American herd books. The Hereford is essentially a beef animal, and as such stands in the very first rank. It is among the largest breeds, the greatest weight attained by a bull being 2900 pounds; by a cow 2200 pounds. On the average a bull should weigh 2200 pounds; a cow 1500 pounds. The fore parts are especially well formed, the shoulders being well developed and the neck smoothly joined to them. The hind quarters have been subject to some criticism as being insufBciently developed, but American breeders have largely removed this criticism. The color of the animal is red in varjdng shades, with head, bell)^ top of neck, and lower parts of legs and tail white. The coat of hair is thick, and the constitution very vigorous. In milk production the breed is somewhat deficient, nurse cows often being required to give the calf sufficient nour- ishment. The Hereford is a range animal, not adapting itself well to close confinement. 1 ^ 1 i^ wk «• ^^ p«( 1 1 w^ m B ^ k.,.^ ij s .■1 *s ■ji^^^^ ■ 1 H ^ff^ *Si ^^^^1 Hh 1 'i'^^,^^^! H n| r^^ss .„„ _ ^ 1 ^^L HHB n| |||H 9 1 K^^^^^H F 1 2 B H B 1 B^P L- J " vH0 flB Hi Hh II if ^^H' '- "^- 1 W^ ■1 "^- ^^ MM ■m 9 I ,'^V-"-r ■■ -f--'"'^- ^-"'" ^^ ^^^■^ ^ |lfc' " ~- ■'w. The Aberdeen Angus The Aberdeen-Angus breed was first developed in the coun- ties of Aberdeen, Kincardine, and Forfar, in northeastern Scotland, where they have been known as "Buchan humlies" and "Angus doddies," the words "humle" and "dodded" meaning polled or hornless. Of their origin nothing is really known, some think- ing that they are descendants of the wild while polled cattle of England, while Scotch writers incline to the theory that they are a sport branch of the native black horned cattle of Scotland. The improvement of the breed began at a comparatively late date, in 1815. Hugh Watson of Forfar, filled with ambition through a visit to the Shorthorn country of England, became the Colling of the Aberdeen-Angus breed. He bred in and in, keeping families separate, and made great improvements, producing an animal which matured earlier and was blockier and better fleshed than any found in the breed before. One of his cows was a wonder, living to the age of thirty-six years, and dropping twenty-five calves. As Watson's successor we may consider William McCombie of Aberdeen, who improved upon the work of this pioneer. McCom- bie is regarded by many as the greatest breeder in Aberdeen-Angus history. He was the originator of the Queen and the Pride tribes. The most important modern breeder is Sir George Macpherson 121 122 123 124 THE ABERDEEN ANGUS ■125 Grant of Ballindalloch, who, since the dispersal in 1880 of the McCombie herd, has had the greatest herd of the breed in Scotland. There was no importation to America of Aberdeen-Angus cattle until 1873, when George Grant of Victoria, Kansas, brought over western range cows. In 1878 Anderson & Findlay of Lake Forest, Illinois, imported five cows and one bull. One of the most famous American herds was gathered in 1882 by T. W. Harvey at Turlington, Nebraska, which was in charge of William Watson, son of the famous Scotch breeder, until its dispersal in 1892. In 1883 the first animal of the breed was registered in America, and in July, 1916, about 89,511 males and 118,989 females were registered in the herd books of the American Aberdeen- Angus Breeders' Association. The Aberdeen-Angus has a polled head, which tapers at the poll. The eyes are wide apart and the muzzle is broad. The body is cylindrical, compact and deep; the leg short. The loin is somewhat more curving than that of the Shorthorn and the Here- ford. Due to its compactness, the animal is much heavier than it appears, the male weighing from 1800 to 2500 pounds, the female from 1200 to 1800 pounds. Its weight dressed is from 600 to 800 pounds, and the beef is of very high quality. The breed is celebrated for its "baby beef," since the anim.al matures rapidly and makes an excellent market beast at the age of two years. In color the Aberdeen-Angus is almost universally black, rarely red. In America, males red or marked with white are not eligible to registry. Red is not objectionable in the female, however, and a white udder and white markings on the head will not bar her from registration. As a milker the cow does very well, although records do not warrant her being classed as anything but a beef animal. ^WS^ U > to a 126 127 -.i!i«aK.^''--:vi<-i*15-'/.»/"(^?'^:.- .*^> .-' ■.^■',, ' ' .:p 128 The Galloway The home of the Galloway is the ancient province of that name in southwestern Scotland comprising the modern counties of Wig- ton and Kirkcudbright, together with parts of Ayr and Dumfries. The origin of this breed is as obscure as that of the Aberdeen- Angus. It is known that in 1750 some cattle in Galloway were polled, although most of them had horns. Some authorities hold that the Galloway is a sport from the West Highland stock, the chief difference from the latter being the hornless characteristic. Others, however, assert that the Galloway was always a polled animal. The improvement of the breed began some time in the eigh- teenth century, the names Murray of Broughton and Herring of Corroughtree figuring among the earliest improvers. It seems like Galloways, unlike the Aberdeen-Angus, were not bred in and in, but were developed through careful selection without reference to 129 130 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN family. About 1840 dairying became popular, and the Ayrshire largely supplanted the Galloway, the latter suffering severe neglect. Only a few breeders kept up interest in the Galloway, until the breed came again into favor, which was not until 1877. It is not known when the first Galloway was brought to Amer- ica, but one was seen in Philadelphia in 1837. In 1853 Graham Brothers of Vaughan, Ontario, imported a number, as did Thomas McCrae of Guelph, Ontario, in 1861. The latter did much to improve the breed. The first recorded importation to the United States was in 1870, when the Galloway was introduced into Michi- gan, whence the breed slowly spread over Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Missouri. The first animal was registered in America in 1872, and in July, 1916, there were 17,693 males and 24,437 females regis- tered in American herd books. In 1882 was formed the American Galloway Cattle Breeders' Association, which promotes interest in Galloway cattle in the United States. The Galloway is a polled animal, the poll tapering less than in the Aberdeen-Angus. The ears are well back on the head, are broad and fine pointed, covered with long hair, and point upward and forward. The body is longer and flatter of rib than that of the Aberdeen- Angus. The legs are short; the hind quarters well developed, especially in the lower part of the thigh. In weight the Galloway is less than the Shorthorn and Hereford, although the male has been known to reach 2400 pounds and the female 1900 pounds. The color is black with a brownish tinge, white or any other color disqualifying. The animal matures slowly, but its flesh is of very fine grain and flavor, being marbled, fat and lean well mixed. The breed is of the hardiest, its coat of long, silky hair protecting it against severe weather. The hide is especially valuable, making an admirable substitute for buffalo in robes. No records of the Galloway cow as a milker have been kept, since she is not a dairy animal. She is well able, however, to nurse her own calf. The Polled Hereford The possibility of ridding Herefords of their horns, a long recognized source of danger and loss, was first conceived in 1889, when a hornless calf, having Hereford color and Shorthorn shape, was dropped by a Hereford-Shorthorn cow bred to a pure-bred Hereford bull. As an immediate result of this accident the work of breeding "single standard" Polled Herefords was begun. Later a "double standard" was established, hornless sports of pure Herefords being used in breeding off horns. As in other breeds, it was found that hornless bulls had a high prepotency in repro- ducing the polled feature when used upon horned cows. The Polled Hereford differs from the regular Hereford only in that its head is polled. Scurs, or soft rudimentary horns, are not considered objectionable, since they in no way reduce the power of the animal to produce hornless offspring. The American Polled Hereford Breeders' Association was organized in igoo by breeders of the single standard Polled Here- fords. Later, on the discovery of the double standard polled Here- ford, breeders of this strain affiliated themselves with this associa- tion. Two separate herd books are maintained, one for the single standard and one for the double standard. Contrary to the pre- vailing idea, double standard does not mean that both the dam and the sire must be polled, but that the animal itself must be registered both in the American Hereford and the American Polled Hereford records. A double standard animal may have a polled dam and a polled sire, or a polled sire and a horned dam. The double registry is what determines the standard. The first Polled Hereford animal was registered in America in 1901. Since then approximately 3800 males and the same number of females have been registered. The heaviest weight of a matured male now on record is 2800 pounds; of a female, 1800 pounds. The average weight of the dressed animal is about 700 pounds. 131 132 133 134 135 The Polled Durham The Polled Durham is simply the Shorthorn with the horns bred off. In the case of the "single standard" strain this state- ment must be slightly modified, as it comes originally from mullej' cows of the Shorthorn type bred to pure-bred Shorthorn bulls. These animals are eligible to registration in the Polled Durham herdbook. Excepting the original animals thus bred, a Polled Durham to register must be descended from an animal registered in a Polled Durham herdbook, and one registered in a Shorthorn herdbook. In this way the "single standard" is constantly approaching pure Shorthorn blood. The work began some thirty years ago, when the dehorning movement became popular. Among the pioneers were Miller, Clawson, Crane and Shafer of Ohio, Miller of Indiana, Burleigh of Illinois, and Dunham of Iowa. To the "double standard" Polled Durham the original state- ment applies literall}^ since it is simply a pure-bred Shorthorn naturally minus horns. It is eligible to registration in both the Polled Durham and Shorthorn herdbooks. Hornless sports formed the basis of the "double standard" strain, and were found to possess great prepotency in transmitting the polled feature, some ninety per cent of the offspring of a polled bull out of horned cows proving to be naturally hornless. This prepotency, furthermore, has been found to increase from generation to generation. The first herd of pure-bred Polled Shorthorns was bred by W. S. Miller of Ohio, referred to above, out of two cows and a bull, all polled offspring of the accidentally hornless Shorthorn cow Oakwood Gwynn 4th, bred by W. S. King of Minneapolis. Miller began this work in 1880. The Polled Durham is gaining rapidly in popularity, especially throughout the Mississippi Valley, and a number of the strain have been exported to Argentina. Polled Durham interests are pro- moted by the American Polled Durham Breeders' Association, organized in 1889. 136 The Devons The counties of Devon and Somerset, in the south- western peninsula of Eng- land, are the native home of the Devon. The breed has existed in this district, with no marked change, from prehistoric times, and ' clear reference is made to these cattle by early writers. The Colling of the Devon was Francis Ouartly, who began his work of improve- ment about 1793. The Devon was probably the earliest breed of cattle to be brought over to America from England, its introduction dating far back into colonial times. It is not unlikely, in fact, that the Puri- tans brought Devons with them, since their home was in the Devon country. The first importation of pure-bred registered Devons, however, occurred in 1851. The color of the Devon is a very bright red, light or dark, while white marking may occur on the under parts, but not farther for- ward than the navel. The head is rather more lean than that of the standard beef animal, the horns are long and gracefully curved — upward with the female, forward with the male. The body is of blocky build and medium size, the male weighing from 1500 to 2100 pounds, the female from 1300 to 1500. Besides the beef Devon, which comes especially from the northern part of Devon- shire and from Somersetshire, there are the milking Devons from the southern coast, said to possess an infusion of Guernsey blood. These cattle are very fair milkers, and their milk is about as rich as that of the Jersey. 138 139 140 The West Highland The home of the West Highland or "Kyloe" breed is the highlands of Perth, Inverness, and Argyll, and the Hebrides off Western Scotland. It is commonly supposed to be descended from the native wild white cattle of Britain. Very few West Highlanders have been brought to America, only a few being imported at intervals since 1883, chiefly for show purposes. The animal is of blocky build, but rather small, the male weighing about 1200 pounds, the female about 900. The color varies greatly, yellow, red, black, brindle and red and black being found. The body is covered with very long shaggy hair, and on the face is a veritable mane. The horns are very long, curving upward and forward. The breed matures slowly, but the meat is unsurpassed in quality, the grain being exceedingly fine, and the fat well mixed with the lean. In the London markets. West Highlanders stand at the very top. This breed has not been tested as milkers, but the cow is amply able to raise her calf. In rugged- ness of constitution the West Highlander is second to none, win- tering on the range in the Scottish Highlands, and thriving on what it is able to find, often under the snow. Due to its mode of life, it is very wild and independent. This breed should do well in the mountainous sections of this country, and on the northwest- ern range where the winters are rigorous. 141 142 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN Figure 1.— Teeth of calf at birth, showing the first two incisors, milk teeth. Figure 2. — Teeth at two weeks old, showing four tem- porary incisors. Figure 3. — -Teeth at three weeks old, showing six in- cisors. Figure 4. — Teeth at one month old, showing eight in- cisors, or full set. Figure 5.- — Teeth at six or eight months old, showing wear on first two, or central teeth. Figure 6.— Teeth at ten months old, showing absorption in first two pair of teeth, and wear of two outside pairs. Figure T. — Teeth at twelve months old, showing absorption in all the nippers, except out- side pair, and wear in these. Figure 8. — Teeth at fifteen months old, showing absorption and wear in all the temporary nippers. Figure 9. — Teeth at eighteen months old, showing two first permanent incisors (1-1) and next two pairs (2-2) and (3-3), growing and pushing upwards toward the surface; also (4-4, 5-5 and 6-6) showing absorption. At (8-8) is shown the alveali, or cells for the teeth. Figure 10. — Teeth at two years old past, showing four permanent incisors, and four temporary ones, absorption nearly complete ; also marks of wear on two first pairs. Figure 11. — Teeth at three years past, showing six i)ermanent nippers, and two outside temporary ones nearly gone ; also wear on two central pairs. Figure 12. — Teeth at four years past, showing eight permanent incisors — the full mouth — and complete complement; also wear on all but outside teeth. Figure 13. — Teeth at five years past, showing wear and dark marks. Figure 14. — Teeth at ten years old, showing permanent spaces between them ; also shape from natural wear by use. PART FOUR SELECTING A BREED OF CATTLE SELECTING A BREED OF CATTLE In regard to selecting a breed of cattle, this must be left entirely to the one who intends to invest his money and spend his time in the care and breeding of them. The market sometimes enables one to decide just what breed of cattle to go into. For instance: if there be a great demand for high testing milk, it is important to go into such a breed of cattle as will produce this quality. On the other hand, if the market calls for a large produc- tion of milk and does not require a high percentage of fat, there are breeds of cattle which will produce this commodity. If the market be such as demands a reasonable quantity of ordinary percentage of fat, there are breeds of cattle which will meet these requirements. It is very important when selecting a breed of cattle to choose the breed which will prove profitable, as when cattle are profitable the owner is inclined to think a great deal more of them, and con- sequently will give them better care and attention than he would otherwise. Perhaps the most economical manner in which to go into the pure bred breeding of cattle is to purchase a pure bred sire to be placed at the head of the herd. In this manner the entire herd can be graded up so that at the end of a few years they will look like pure breds, and have a great tendency to be an improvement over their dams. It is also advisable to obtain pure bred females and permit the pure breds to crowd out the grades. In this manner at the end of a few years a pure bred herd will have been established at practicall)^ a small expense to the owner. It is not advisable to use a grade sire at the head of any herd, regardless as to whether the calves are intended for raising, or veal, as many farmers will pay more for a nicely marked, high grade heifer calf for breeding purposes than can be obtained if sold for veal. When selecting a herd sire, it is very important to select one with excellent breeding back of him, and one whose sire and dam alO 145 146 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN are not only well bred, but of splendid dairy conformation, as by so doing, and breeding this animal to a good grade individual, you will obtain heifers which are superior to their dams. The object of raising pure bred cattle in preference to grades may be looked upon from different standpoints, but it is a fact that pure bred cows should produce more than grade cows, owing to the fact that their ancestors have been bred with this object in view for generations back while oftentimes grade dairy cows are crossed with the beef breed, thereby naturally diminishing their milk production. The breeder of pure bred cattle has two crops to market — milk and calves; milk at a market price, and calves at an advanced price, over the grade calf which is usually sold for veal. With this object in view it is natural for the average live stock owner to have an ambition to become a breeder of pure bred cattle, for which although there are a goodly number throughout the United States, there is still a steady increasing demand. As long as the population of the United States increases there will be an additional demand for the best dairy products, and in order to meet this demand, it behooves the livestock owner to be prepared with a constantly improving herd with which to meet this demand in our greatest national industry. Selecting a Dairy Herd Select a pure bred registered bull of the breed you like best; one that is of good size, with a proud, masculine bearing, an intel- ligent head, broad and full between the eyes. Select one, if possi- ble, whose sire is out of a yearly record dam, and whose dam, grandam, and great-grandam have yearly records. In this way you will be assured of an animal with a producing ancestry that will be very noticeable in his offspring when they mature. You should select an animal that is nicely marked, with a smooth, soft, velvety coat. A dairy cow is a machine that turns feed into milk and cream. So we must look for one that will convert the greatest quantity of feed into the most milk and cream. The type of dairy cow we want is a cow weighing about 1,000 pounds. She must have a lean head and neck. Her eyes should be clear and large, indicating health and temperament. Her body should be narrow over the shoulders, and broad at the hip and SELECTING A BREED OF CATTLE 147 rump. She should have a large chest, indicating vitality. Her pouch or belly should be large, showing that she is able to consume a large amount of rough feed. She should have a set of large, branching milk veins leading to a well developed udder on which are placed four good sized teats. She should carry very little flesh. Her head should be comparatively long from eyes to base of horns; decidedly feminine in appearance. Her forehead should be broad between the eyes and well dished. The outlines of the face, especially under the eyes, should be fine, showing facial veins. Length medium, with broad muzzle. The ears should be of medium size, thin and finely shaped, covered with soft hair. The eyes should be moderately full, large and mild. The horns, if she has any, should be set comparatively narrow at base, fine, oval, well bent, inclining top line slightly curving, of good length, moderately thin, excellent in bearing. The shoulders should be fine and even from top, lower than hips and moderately deep. The chest should be low, deep and broad. The chin should be straight, broadly developed and open. The barrel should be well rounded with large abdomen. The loin and hip should be broad, full, long and level. The rump should be high, broad and level, with roomy pelvis. The thurl should be high with great width. The quarters should be long, straight behind, roomy in the twist, wide and full at sides. The flanks should be fairly deep and full. The legs should be short, clean, tapering, with strong arm, in position firm, wide apart; foot of medium size, round, solid and deep. The tail should reach to hocks or below, large at setting, taper- ing finely to a full switch. The hair and handling should be fine, soft and mellow, skin of moderate thickness, secretions oily and of rich brown or yellow color. The mammery veins should be large, long, crooked, and branched with extension entering large orifices or milk wells. The udder should be capacious, flexible, well developed, both in front and rear; teats well formed, wide apart, and of con- venient size. 148 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN Selecting a Beef Herd Select a pure bred registered bull of the breed you want. Select a bull that is of good size, with a proud, masculine bearing, a good intelligent head, broad and full between the eyes, a short face, and strong clear eyes, yet with a quiet expression, as a nervous excitable animal will never fatten to good advantage. He should be broad and straight across the back with smooth even hips. He should have well sprung ribs, heavily covered with flesh. The beef cow should be broad, deep and massive; top line and under line straight. The quality of hair should be fine, skin pli- able, evenly fleshed, deep meated, especially in the valuable cuts. Her forehead should be broad and full; her eyes should be bright, clear and large. Her face should be short with a quiet expression. Her muzzle, or mouth, should be large, jaw wide and a large nostril. Her ears should be of fine texture and medium in size. Her horns, if she has any, should be medium in size, fine in texture and waxy. Her neck should be short and thick with no loose skin. Her shoulders should be well covered with compact flesh on top and bottom; shoulder line should be filled out so as to make a smooth connection with the neck. The brisket should be prominent, showing well forward of the legs viewed from the side. The dewlap should not have a surplus of loose skin. The legs should be short and straight, arms full and smooth. Body, or chest, should be full, wide and deep, and large girth. Ribs well arched and thickly fleshed. The back should be straight, broad, smooth, evenly and deeply meated. The loin should be broad and thick. The flank should be deep and full, making a straight underline. The hindquarters, or rump, should be long, wide and smooth, no bunches of flesh at base of tail. The hips should be smooth and well covered with meat. The pinbones should be far apart but not prominent. The thighs should be deep, wide and full. The tail should reach below the hocks, with a full switch. SELECTING A BREED OF CATTLE 149 What Is Registry? Registry is the admission of an animal to record by name and number in the herd book of its breed. In order to be eligible to registry an animal must show a pedigree or line of ancestry from parents admitted or eligible to registry. Of course there had to be a beginning when some one decided arbitrarily what animals were eligible to registry when the herd books of the various breeds were established. The selections were made by the associations of the various breeds when those associa- tions were formed, and animals were admitted to registry upon whatever evidences of ancestry and conformity to type were considered sufficient by the authorities established within the associations. At the present time in America no animal is eligible to registry that does not spring from registered ancestry, but in Great Britain this rule is not quite absolute. The name of an animal used in registration may be chosen arbitrarily by the owner, but, as in the human race, family names are usually retained and modified. Great sires and great dams have their names and characteristics pridefullj' perpetuated in their offspring. Of course a bull or cow may be descended from registered ancestors and have no particular individual merit. The chances are in favor of the pure-bred, but there are some degenerates. So in order to distinguish individual merit officially most of the Dairy Breed Associations have what is called Advanced Registry. In order to attain to the distinction of Advanced Registry a cow must not give less than a specified amount of milk of standard quality within established test periods. The amount of production required differs among the various dairy breeds. A bull is admit- ted to advanced registry on the basis of the quantity and quality of milk production by his daughters. It is clear that advanced registry means much to buyers of breeding stock for dairy purposes, since a warrant of individual merit is added to the assurance of pure blood. A number always goes with the name in registration, the figures indicating the number of cows or bulls registered up to date in the herd book of the breed. In the herd books of the long established and more popular 150 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN breeds in America these numbers now reach into the hundred thou- sands while in the records of the recently organized associations a few hundreds cover the entire list of registered animals. ^to' How to Register Cattle (A form used by one of the associations) Apply to the secretary of the association representing the breed of cattle you desire to have registered. Upon receipt of blanks which in most associations have an outline of an animal facing both ways so that the color markings can be placed upon the right and left side of the animal for iden- tification, the required fee is usually designated on the blank and must always accompany the Application for Registry. The sex of the animal should be designated as male or female and the name that you wish to give the animal should be inserted and should not contain more than thirty letters in most associations. Give the date of birth, the color markings and the name and number of the sire and dam. Also the signature and address of the breeder, the owner of the dam at the time the calf was born, and the signature and address of the applicant for registry. How to Transfer Cattle (A form used by one of the associations) Apply to the secretary of the association for transfer blanks. Then insert the name and address of the seller and the name and address of the purchasers. Give the sex of the animal, the name and number of the animal in the herd book, the date of sale and the date of delivery. If later than date of sale give the seller's signature. County Breeders' Associations For the advancement and improvement of live stock breeding, county associations will be found exceedingly beneficial. In igo6 the writer had the pleasure of having all breeders interested in the breeding of pure bred Guernseys meet with him at his ofBce at 152 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN r E N T L L t V A T 1 O N • IHBH IBflH m SB m as - j.g Bm HJiMi fcrti am iBiga Miia_MtK_h iTiiininsrw^'^iirMi /111 L LtV ATIO^^ r L o o / SELECTING A BREED OF CATTLE L53 Waukesha, Wisconsin, and organized what is known as the Waukesha County Guernsey Breeders' Association. Two years later the author issued invitations to all of those interested in the breeding of pure bred Holstein cattle to meet at his office, at which time the Waukesha County Holstein-Friesian Breeders' Association was organized. Each of these Associations has created a demand for good cattle, which naturally has increased their valuation, as well as encouraged new breeders. Marketing Surplus Cattle When the breeders in a community have raised more pure bred cattle than they wish to keep, it will be found practical to form a company, build a sales pavilion and hold consignment sales, adver- tising both the sale and cattle thoroughly in the leading live stock journals for at least a month prior to the date of sale. In this manner buyers of pure bred cattle will be attracted from other states knowing that they can purchase enough animals to make up a carload, if that many is desired. This method has been practiced in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, for a number of years, and recently a permanent sales pavilion was erected as shown on page i 52. There is no danger of raising too many good cattle so long as this method of marketing them is carried on in an honorable and businesslike manner. All cattle offered for sale should be good individually, sound and free from tuberculosis, and should be guaranteed by their con- signors to be free from diseases on date of sale. It is often difficult for the prospective buyer to examine an animal thoroughly in the sale ring. For this reason in offering cattle at a public sale, every blemish, defect, fault or peculiarity connected with the animal offered for sale should be announced by the consignor so that the purchaser will know just exactly what he is buying. A satisfied purchaser will be back at the next sale and will bring other buA^ers with him if he is convinced that the sale was conducted in accordance with the Golden Rule. PART FIVE MODEL DAIRY BARN 156 CATTLE, BREEDS AND ORIGIN The Author's Model Dairy Barn, Waukesha, Wis. Interior View of the Author's Model Dairy Barn, Waukesha, Wis. A MODEL DAIRY BARN The reader has doubtless observed, when riding through the country, groups of buildings which look more like a small village than a properly arranged plan of farm buildings in which to house live stock and to store farm products and machinery. Has it ever occurred to you to question whether the arrangement and equip- ment of these buildings have proven satisfactory to the owner in a measure proportionate to their cost"? It is safe to say that ninety per cent of the owners of such buildings would change their plans, owing to the fact that they had experienced inconveniences, necessitating many unnecessary steps in the course of their daily duties in caring for the live stock on the farm. Perhaps the first improvement suggesting itself to the mind of the live stock owner would be to convert a number of small unhandy buildings into one large, well-ventilated barn, insuring greater economy in construction and operation. The second thought would be the elimination of the foul, dark, dingy, disease-breeding basement, b}^ providing an abundance of sunlight through numerous windows, and ample ventilation and good drainage. Light and ventilation are as essential to the health of farm animals as they are to human beings. Every farmer should make such changes in his old buildings as will provide these necessities in abundance. By studying the detailed description of barn con- struction in this book, valuable suggestions along these lines may be obtained for the purpose. While the writer was a boy on the farm, it was generally thought by the people in that locality that the barns were quite modern and up-to-date; but with the passing years improvements have been made in every line, and the plans of barns have also been greatly improved upon. Having conducted a veterinary practice in Waukesha County for more than twenty years, and having visited many parts of the 157 Si a » ? o fl S SJ p. be — o is I be - So ^ rd aj.ji I 3 w OS : I) a t^ its ;:: c & e -^ ft . O Ml ,Q _ ft C3 -• -o ^ §■= a a s-s P,— ^ a. a =^ « 0) " o o "^ .2 S>"'§ " ^ O !* »H V V a M c^'m to c ^ e «) be >- (-< rt ■Sg| s c » ci « d © p o eg o 13 ftj3 OJ ft w N C! If w'5 "^ (u d u o pl -^ P. •^t'^ to 61 S.2 s « o =3 p. tn ti " brS ^ ■ f-5 d Wi £*■§"£ .era »1S -r 5 42 b " -" o-g a S C3 L^ f^ o S"" M- 3'" p (U fi £-3 " o 0) r -S do) go •= 3 •^ '^'■^ w> t.. "^ d £? e8 o) 'd rf ^ ■*^