For general or all purposes, the Dutch-Friesian cow is not excelled.
She may be equaled, but where is her superior? We use the name
Dutch-Friesian because it expresses precisely what we mean--the black
and white cattle of Friesian origin which have been bred pure in
Friesland or North Holland, and not the cattle called "Holstein" in
this country, which have been picked up promiscuously in the different
provinces of Germany, because of their peculiar markings, but without
reference to their breeding. Some of these may be pure bred, but they
are liable to disappoint the honest purchaser, who buys them for and
pays the price of pure bloods. The Dutch-Friesian cow is large, readily
takes on flesh when not in milk, and therefore makes splendid beef.
She is hardy, docile and easily cared for. No other breed equals her
in yield of milk. Her milk is of average richness, and she gives so
much of it that it makes her valuable as a butter cow. Microscopists
say the fat globules in her milk are very small. This makes it somewhat
difficult to separate the fats from the milk for the purposes of butter
making. Though the fat globules are quite uniform in size, it requires
a long time to raise the cream by the ordinary methods, and the
separation is not complete; but this makes the skim-milk all the more
valuable for cheese making, feeding, or to market. With the centrifuge,
there would be no difficulty in getting out all the cream. For market,
or family use, or for cheese making, the milk of the Dutch-Friesian
cow, because of the slowness with which the cream separates from the
milk, is superior. It is rich in caseine, and therefore very valuable
for cheese making. We could not recommend any other breed with greater
confidence. Dutch-Friesian grades--the result of using pure-blooded
Dutch-Friesian bulls on common or other stock--make very valuable dairy
stock.
[Illustration: Dutch-Friesian Bull, MOOIE, 26 D.F.H.B.
Property of the Unadilla Valley Stock Breeders' Association,
Whitestown, N.Y.]
[Illustration: Dutch-Friesian Cow, JACOBA HARTOG, 2 D.F.H.B.
Property of the Unadilla Valley Stock Breeders' Association,
Whitestown, N.Y.]