A BREEDER’S UTOPIA

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 189, 8 May 1931, Page 11

A BREEDER’S UTOPIA

Jersey Island Conditions

ABSOLUTELY PURE STOCK Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, May 7. An interesting commentary on the conditions existing on Jersey Island was given by Mr. A. M. Perredes, a prominent Jersey Island breeder, who is at present visiting the Dominion, at a demonstration and field ilay at Buunythorpe yesterday, The gathering was arranged by the Manawatu Jersey Club and was held on Mr. J. O’Donnell’s farm.

Mr. Perredes said that there were 11,000 head of cattle on the island, which comprised about 30,000 acres. Last year 2000 head of stock was exported, half of which number went to the United States and Canada. The farmers on the island numbered about 1000, while the farms varied from eight to 25 acres. There were, however, several of 50 acres. The value of land leases was from £lO to £l5 an acre per annum, but some of the richer land was eagerly snatched up at from £l6 to £2O an acre. The value of the land was from £2OO to £3OO an acre.

Describing the farming methods pertaining on the island, Mr. Perredes said that all cattle were stabled, fed on mangolds and milked by hand. The farmers on the island did not -test their cows, for it did not pay to do so, while a more important reason was that Americans, who were the largest importers of the island stock, did not wish the animals they bought tested. > It was now 200 years, said Mr. Perredes, since a law had been passed preventing the importation of stock to the island. This meant that once an animal was exported it could not be returned under any circumstance whatsoever. The embargo acted as a preventative measure against an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease and furthermore kept the breed pure. There had been a lot of in-breed-ing mi the island, but.this had had no deteriorating effect on the strain. On the contrary, the Jerseys of .to-day were of improved type atid productive capacity.