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“Eight Principal Types of Milch Cows” From American Agriculturist, October 1883
Courtesy of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities |
| In the 1800s, people thought rich milk with high cream
content provided better nutrition for good health. The
brown Jersey and Guernsey cows gave creamier milk than
the black-and-white Holsteins, which are more common
today. The types of cows illustrated include: 1. Milking
Short-horns; 2 and 4. Channel Island Cattle; 3. Ayrshires;
5. Friesian Cattle; 6. Red Polled Norfolks; 7. Swiss Cattle;
and 8. Common Cows. |
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| COWS FOR MILK |
| Rocky,worn-out New England
farms in the second half of the
nineteenth century had a difficult
time competing with mid-western
farms. New England cities burgeoning
after the Civil War gave
new life to nearby farmers who
could provide perishables like milk,
meat, fresh fruit, and vegetables.
Still, making a profit came hard. |
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“Milk-farming is poor farming....The depreciation
on the value of the cow herself, the time of men and horses,
the wear and tear of wagons and harnesses, and the heavy
losses on cans....The constant production and sale of milk
is...nothing more or less than selling the farm itself, by the
gallon or by the pound. |
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— HENRY C. ALVORD, “WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH MILK?”
ADDRESS BEFORE THE MASSACHUSETTS BOARD OF AGRICULTURE, 1882 |
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