AUCTION SALES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 197, 15 May 1920, Page 10

AUCTION SALES

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES. TO-DAY. Otaki Hart, 11.30: a.m.—Sale of furniture, etc. (G:' Anderson). Tawatai, Eketaliuna, 12.30 p.m.—Stock sale (Wrieht, Stephenson and Co.) TUESDAY Levin Yards. 11.30 a.m.—fitoek sale. JERSEY BREEDERS ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL REPORT.' The annual report of the New Zealand Jersey Caitle Breeders' Association states that during the year 12-1 new members were elected and only 36 names were removed from the register through deaths utkl the total membership now being 632, a net increase of 90 for tho year. The balance-sheet shows a net profit for the year of .£6lO is. As the entries for the next volume are not yet closed, it is impossible to show ilhe number of. animals whose pedigrees will appear in Volume 17, although, the figures at present are considerably in excess oi those received up to a similar date in any previous year. To date, the total number of males registered is 8053, and females 10,837. The transfers recorded during the year form a reliable index tn t.he demand .for Jerseys, and when it is mentioned that the transfers of bulls show ii 60 per cent, increase over those, of the previous year, and cows and heifers of at per cent., it will be admitted that tht claim that this 'has been a record yeai is amply justified. No fewer' than '130-: transfers of males were .'recorded, <u against 811 last year, and 1497 female* changed ownership, -'compared. with. 1151 during the same'period last year. Disappointment is again expressed a' the comparatively weak competition foi the subsidised prizes offered to dilreren A. and P. associations, for.semi-offieiallj tested cows. Tho medals offered to all A and P. associations for two-year-old heifer in milk, five exhibits or no competition again failed, in many cases, to bring oui the best, diss of competitors, and it i( time tho council considered'whether it i: worth while offering these inducement! to excellence through the A. and P. asso ciations. These systems have now had i fair .trial without commensurate benefit* being apparent. Semi-official test certi ,ficnte3 of record we'te awarded to 1-ti s cows, .considerably more than last year bringing the total number of certilicatec cows Tip to 717, wiith an average produc tion of milk of 7311.51b., and 40i%SSlb butteMat for the average of 310 days More satisfactory than the numerical increase is the fact that, tho average production of butter-fat showed an advance of I.Bolb. per cow, showing that the tendency is continually towards improvement Ninety-six cows earned t'he subsidy ol .£1 Is. grunted by the council for eacl 1001b. of butler-fat produced above l-h« amount required to qualify for a, C.0.8 The council is still willing to the nominators of cows for test, the some sum for every 1001b. of butter-fat produced above the amount necessary tc qualify. The most notable event of the year, so far os the breed is concerned, was the achievement of Sultan's Daisy. This cow by producing, under-the conditions of the semi-official test, ! no lees . than 963.221b. of butter-fat, established a..record that has not'been exceeded oi eqqualled by any Jersey cow in tho British Empire. Sultan's. Daisy: wins, for tho rst time, tho premium of 25 guineas offered to the nominator of any cow for semi-official test producing at least 8501b. of butter-fat during one testing period gho also won the sum of .£lO for exceeding the previous highest record in the class for mature cows. Although wo.can claim a greater number of tested cows •than the whole of the other combined breeds, yet the percentage (which is aotually 13 per cent.) of members who are testing tneir cows is altogether too small and us the existence of the Jersey entirely depends on -her milk and butterfat production, the council would seriously urge non-testing members to undertake this work and thus further demonstrate tho popularity of the breed and especially of their own cattle, which at present are not ihaving. due justice done to them. "When dealing with tho subject of semi-official tests, it is fitting that wo should acknowledge the courtesy and kiindly interest of - the officers of the Dairy Division of the New Zealand Department of AEgriculture, in whose hands the control-of the tests left nothing to be desired. In looking forward tq 'iic coming year it may be remarked that prospects- never appeared brighter. Few of our. exports have a moe stable future than those 61 which, butter-fat forms the basis, and in keeping with the modern trend towards specialisation; it is only natural that thare should bb a call for the best and most highly-organised means of production. Mr. E. H. Linnell intends-to move at the annual meeting that- it be a recommendation to the council that a prize of .£SO be given to every Jersey cow whfch produces over 10001b. of butter-fat under .semi-official test, and a further ,£2oo'be given to any Jersey cow breaking the world's butter-fat record. Mr. A, ,T. Chamey will move that the council take into consideration the desirability of subsidising the prize money offering in Jersey cattle sections at various agricultural shows throughout the Dominion with the .view to stimulating and adding incentive to breeders to exhibit their stock. Mr. P. lianford'has given notice of tho following motion:—That the attention of the Railway Department bo drawn to tho filthy condition of many of the-trucks supplied for the conveyance of valuable : pedigree stock to and from shows, and ■ that the Department lie requested to have this matter remedied.