Guernsey Cattle for the Dairy.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 816, 21 October 1887, Page 18

Guernsey Cattle for the Dairy.

The islands of Guernsey and Jersey lie very near each other, yet there is a quite perceptible difference between the climates of the two. This is caused by the respective conformations of the islands. The highest land in Jersey is at its northern end, from which it slopes gradually to the south, while Guernsey presents an aspect directly the reverse, having a general northern slope. The climate of Jersey is consequently softer and milder than that of its sister island, with a higher average temperature. This climatic diversity has doubtless had some influence upon' the respective races of cattle, which are peculiar to the islands, though their different characteristics are mainly the result of breeding and selection. The Guernseys are larger and heavier than the Jerseys, and have a greater tendency to'put on flesh when they cease giving milk. The Jerseys are the finer race,, the Guernseys less finely built, and somewhat more hardy. The latter having no butter record to compare with the phenomenal performances of the Jerseys, yet they have proved very valuable as dairy cows. Their flow of milk is abundant and long-continued, and the milk is very rich in butter fats. When crossed upon the Shorthorns or common ‘native’ cows, the crosses and grades of Guernsey have been very successful as dairy cows. Hon. Lewis F. Allen, of Buffalo, N.Y., after having long been the hisiorian and recorder of the Shorthorns, showed his faith in the Guernseys a few years ago, bv establishing on his Grand Island farm, a dairy herd of cross-bred Guernsey and Shorthorn. The trial has proved eminently successful and satisfactory. There are so many points of affinyty between the two raees that the cross is a very natural one. Encouraged by Mr Allen’s success, others have bred the Guernsey Shorthorn cross, and in every case that has so far been made public, it has proved satisfactory. The cows for such a cross should be chosen from a milking strain of Shorthorns, rather than from a tribe especially distinguished for beef. '