HERD’S GOOD RECORD

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31500, 14 October 1967, Page 9

HERD’S GOOD RECORD

The Pitcairns Friesian herd owned and milked by Mr and Mrs E. Adams and their daughters at Brookside has the honour of being the highest producing herd tested by the South Island Herd Improvement Association during the 1966-67 season and the first dairy herd in Canterbury ever to record a 6001 b fat average.

There were .41 pedigree Frieaians in the herd tor the season. AU but four of them, ranging in age from nine to 14 years, were bred in the herd itself, and the average credited to them was 14,4731 b of milk, 421 per cent test, and 6101 b of fat in 300 days. Contributing to this phenomenal average were four two-year-olds averaging 5331 b of fat, three three-year-olds averaging 6471 b, four four-year-olds averaging 6601 b of fat, 19 from five to 10 years averaging 6271 b, and nine cows from 10 to 14 years averaging 5611 b. This is the Pitcairns herd’s sixth average of more than 5001 b and follows averages of 5361 k, 5381 b and 5631 b in the three preceding seasons. Only five of the cows in the ranks of the herd failed to complete 5001 b fat lactations, and of tiie remaining 36 which produced more than 5001 b 14 did between 502 and 5991 b, 13 yielded from 6091 b to 6951 b, with nine

being credited with lactations from 70Mb to 7731 b at fat

Of the latter group five were daughters of Pukeroro Ism Imperial. His top daughter, Pitcairns PL Virginia, V.H.C., was also herd champion for both milk and butterfat for the season with a production of 18,4771 b of milk, 42 per cent test and 7731 b of fat in 303 days as only a four-year-old. For nine daughters of the Pukeroro sire the average production was 6621 b.

The 7301 b fat return of Pitcairns P.I. Ola creates what could be one of the highest merit ratings yet credtied to any cow in the country for her first three lactations. She has a plus rating of 6131 b of fat above E.L.P. for her first three seasons.

Among the cows producing more than 7001 b of fat were a dam and her two daughters. The former was the herd’s many times show champion Pitcairns Regina Emily, V.H.C, credited with 7061 b

of fat for her 13-year-old lactation, which raises her lifetime production to more than 66001 b of fat, while her two daughters were the second top producer, Pitcairns P.L Elisabeth with 7631 b of fat at tone years and the second highest four-yeareld Pltcalrns PX EUsa, H.C., with 7501 b of fat

Mr N. R. Roper, secretary Of the NOw Zealand Friesian Association, aaya that the Pitcairns herd was founded in 1951 with purchases from several Canterbury breeders and has gradually been converted to a straight pedigree stud by the use of carefully selected herd dree, the majority of Which have been home-bred. This has resulted in an increase of almost 3001 b of fat in the herd’s average since that time, as in the 1953-54 season It wu only 3151 b.

The Pltcalrns property, although mainly heavy land, dries out very quickly under the conditions usually experienced at Brookside and is therefore not ideally suited for dairying. In addition, no concentrate feeding is done and the herd is fed only on grass, hay and turnips. “Its current average, under such conditions, is therefore without question one of the most Impressive over recorded in the country.” says Mr Roper.