SHORTHORN SOCIETY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 26, 10 November 1934, Page 2

SHORTHORN SOCIETY

POPULARITY OF THE BREED. VALUE OF DAIRYINC. (Special to the “ Guardian.”) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Professor E. E. Alexander presided at the annual meeting of the Shorthorn Society of New Zealand, which was held at the Showgrounds yesterday. The report stated that Volume 27 of the Herd Book was in the printer’s hands. It would contain the records of 245 bulls, 691 cows and heifers jand 328 transfers of ownership. , The income and expenditure account for the year showed an excess of income of £52 6s lOd and the balance-sheet a surplus of assets over liabilities of £605 ,17s 7d. Professor Alexander said that the improvement in the finances was due mainly to increased entry fees and membership subscriptions. The membership now stood at 91, of which number 20 were life members. Since the last meeting the names of three new members had been added and four resignations had been received. “There is no need for me to stress the valuable qualities of the Shorthorn, but som« facts which recently came to hand are interesting in demonstrating the high regard in which they are held in other parts of the world, - ” said Professor Alexander.

In recent years Shorthorns had been exported from Great Britain to 35 different countries. The average annual number between 1922 and 1933 (both inclusive) was 388 head. The Herd Books of the Argentine showed total registrations of 306,855 cattle, and of these 230,707 were Shorthorns, As an indication of the value of the Shorthorn for crossing purposes, the post-war statistics of the Smithfiekl Club show, regarded as the world’s premier show of fat stock, disclosed that over 80 per cent, of the entries were of Shorthorn blood, and that the Shorthorn had been crossed with i 5 other breeds.

“From the dairying point of view it is perhaps unfortunate that the mors prominent of our herds have been of purely beef producing type,” said Professor Alexander. “This fact has given rise to a belief widely held that this, society! is not interested in the production of animals suitame for dairying purposes. This, as you know, is contrary to fact, but we have not perhaps stressed the value of our Shorthorns as dairying animals as much as mignt have been done. .... “Evidence as to the potentialities ot the true Shorthorn as a milk producer is not wanting and the time is perhaps opportune for this Society to consider the building up of a dairy Shorthorn register with the object of recording the production of our daily strains, said Professor Alexander.

Commencing with the 1933-34 season, the Herd Book would show tlie production of tlie dams of animals entered as “tested” cattle. This would give some information of value to a purchase!, but it would be much more valuable it the records could be brought togetliei in such a manner as to give the minimum of information without the necessity of undue searching. The following officers were elected: — President’, Professor R-. E. Alexander ; vice-president, Mr A. Hunter; council, Messrs A. Hunter, H. Gascoyne G. Hall, R. C. Murphy, W. G. Park, A. Turnbull (North Island), Professor Alexander and Messrs J. C. Chamberlain, John Deans, F. G. Bterndge G. H. W. Stoddai't and J. H. Stafford (South Island); secretary, Mr A. Mc•Kellar; auditor, Mr 0. M. Miller.