Background:

These antique dairy farming prints feature popular breeds of cattle and cows in the late 1800s.  The prints were part of a guide on the "theory, practice and methods of dairy farming".  It was published to encourage local dairying by presenting methods for raising cattle and producing milk and related dairy products.

In addition to domestic (English) cattle, other prints portray "Continental" breeds (those found on the European mainland), architectural plans for the dairy, maps on soil types to be found throughout England, foraging plants and other animals on the farm - pigs and poultry.

In 1895 the United States Department of Agriculture used some of the information in this guide in an effort to improve the quality of American dairy products for both domestic and overseas markets.