STUD STOCK IMPORTATION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1237, 20 September 1911, Page 8

STUD STOCK IMPORTATION.

A SHIPMENT OF DEVONS. The fact that the steamer Kia Ora, duo from Lonini about September 22, was bringing a North Devon, bull anrt two heifers lor Mr. W. J. Birch, of Thoresby, Marton, was mentioned in this column recently. Particulars to hand indicate that tho consignment is ono which will bo a valuable acquisition to New. Zealand's purebred herds. The bull Claudius is from his Majesty the King's Windsor herd. Notwithstanding his being six months ypunger than his rivals, this bull carried oft third prize at the lato Royal Show at Norfolk. Tho heifers, llighneld China Cup and HigliSeld , Vanity aro from the well-known herd owned by Mr. C. Morris, of Highfield Hall, near St. Albans. They aro by , tho celebrated bull Pound Btllringer, and aro in calf to stud bulls. Tea North Devons, or "Red Rubies," aro well known in England as producers of tho highest quality of beef, and it is claimed by supporters of the breed that from experiments made, nino Shorthorns,consumed the Samo quantity of food as twelve Devons, and .that -the Devons were all sold out fat before the first Shorthorn was ready. Tho Devous can also show a very good milking record, so that it may bo said they are a good dual-purpose breed. . AYRSHIRE V. JERSEY. SOME INTERESTING POINTS. A correspondent writes as under to the "Agricultural Gazetto of Nov.- South Wales":—"Here is a point where local esporieiice contradicts theory. Tho Ayrshire is counted a poor-country, cow, tho Jersey a good-country beast. Inquiring ■front a score of- dairymen' from different parts of tho State, their verdict is to the contrary—tho Ayrshire a failuro except on good country; the Jersey standing hard times and poor feed better than any other breed." Replying to the correspondent', Mr. M. A. OCallaghan, Dairy Expert, says:—"Of tho various problems raised tho dairying one will probably afford most conflicting ' evidence, for tho simple reason that the information which any other person will/ receive on the point raised will bo given by farmers from their experience, not of purebred representatives of 'the breeds, but of merely crossbreds. The correspondent states that , the Ayrshire is looked upon as a cow suitable for poor country, while the -Jersey requires good country. As a matter of fact, 1 have never heard of any such statement .as the latter having been made by any person of experience. Neither breed i 3 the most suitable for rich country, and if bred on rich country for a number of generations, these breeds-would lose their special characteristics. They would become very- much larger in size, unless some artificial methods, such as early breeding, were 'adopted to restrain development. Both tho Ayrshire and the Jersey nre suitable for. light country , ; the difference bstween the two being that under severe weather conditions, the Ayrshire shows itself to be tho hardier breed.

. . . Provided'the grass is sweet and succulent, the Jersey will do well even on very light country,, and, wlien acclimatised and bred in cold regions for a number of generations, they naturally show themselves to be very much hardier than is the Jersey as it is known in the British Isles.