St. Landry Democrat

GREAT MILK GIVERS.
The Holstein-Friesian Breed as Milk and Beef Producers.

The black-and-white cattle of Holland have already won for themselves an enviable reputation, and considering their comparatively recent advent among the pure breeds of cattle in America, they are already extensively disseminated throughout the country. Imported as pre-eminently dairy cattle, the Holstein-Friesian (the name adopted at the union of the Holstein and Dutch Friesian associations), traveled quickly to the foremost place as a milk giver, and such enormous and heretofore almost incredible annual yields as 16,000, 18,000, 21,000, and even 23,000 pounds of milk have been credited to them.

While their great milk yields were generally conceded, it was objected to them at first, and with some truth that the milk was not rich. The American pastures and abundance of feed, good care and selection, for the Holsteins have from the start fallen into intelligent hands, have developed some remarkable butter records to keep pace with their milk records, and monthly tests have been cited showing a yield of from 99 to 120 pounds of unsalted butter in thirty days.

For the cheese dairy the value of the Holstein-Friesian cow has never been contested. The breeders of these cows are now asserting the value of this breed of cattle as beef-makers, some of them satisfied if they can convince the public that the Holstein-Friesian cow, after serving her time of usefulness in the dairy, can be readily fattened and converted into good beef, and so with the male calves that are not fit to use as re-producers, while a few seem ready to undertake the impracticable task of proving that the Holstein-Friesian can meet and beat the leading beef breeds on their own ground, early maturity, rapid flesh-forming, quality and all.

The color of the Holstein, black-and-white, make it easily recognizable, and is one of its chief attractions. It is the largest of our dairy breeds, and the cows should possess the best points of the milch cow in a high degree; the wedge form, thin neck and shoulder, but sufficient fullness back of the shoulder to insure adequate lung and heart girth to make them healthy, good feeders, the narrow thighs, with plenty of udder room, good milk wells and milk vein, and good teats, well set on the udder.-National Live Stock Journal.