FAMOUS COW.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 86, 12 April 1941, Page 5

FAMOUS COW.

BUTTERCUP DEAD.

HOLDER OF WORLD'S RECORD.

Buttercup, the world-renowned New Zealand pedigree Friesian whose full name was I otara C. R. Buttercup, champion lifetime butterfat producer for all breeds in Mew Zealand, is dead. She was the only cow in the Dominion with two records of over 10001b fat and she was holder ot three world records in heifer form.

Buttercup was the pride of her owners, the Piri Land .Company. Perhaps her parent-; may have had something to do with her butterfat performances, for father and mother respectively rejoiced in the names of Totara Pontiac C'lothildo Reformer and Cluny Princess Buttercup. So there was a dash of royal blood in the line somewhere or other.

Modest Cow. Buttercup was over 14 years of age : when she yielded up the ghost. She was] a modest person all her life. No one! would ever have thought that behind t that sleek black and white leather coat of Buttercup there was the greatest machine in the world for the manufacture of the golden globules that draw a guaranteed price from the Government. Buttercup was also a matron who supplied New Zealand with Friesian daughters who added to the family 11011l ours in the butterfat line. Her four i milking daughters collected between. | them 1G records averaging 634.181b of; ! butterfat as compared with their [mother's six records and average of 1936.361b. This is a wonderful family: jgroup effort with a total of 22 records! averaging 723.901b of fat. If you don't [believe this, ask any farmer. He is certain to know.

j As the story runs, it was some time j before it was discovered that Buttercup was a producer of extraordinary note, and her first calf —a young gentleman— went the way of all "bobbies." This, it appears, made Buttercup very, very suspicious indeed of the kindnese of i

humans, and she produced only one other bull calf in her long and useful life. With the loss of Buttercup the country | has suffered a major misfortune. She I produced her last calf at the age. of 13A j years —a particularly ancient age for ai cow. A woman who had to confers a| corresponding a.se would probably be about 74, or perhaps 102. [ There was only one thing that could: possibly have affected Buttercup in her; declining years —and even in those years she never declined to supply her butterfat quota—and that was the possible restriction on butter export. She had been seen chewing her ciul ruminative.lv, and it was noticed that the juciest clover paddock was not as attractive to lie r. After all, what's the use? In addition, it may be that she was dissatisfied with the guaranteed price and felt that she was being held cheaply.' There was only one mistake about' this famous cow. She was wrongly' •christened. Ilcr name should have been! Hutte.rfat."' I