ARTIFICIAL BREEDING OF JERSEY CATTLE STARTS IN WAIKATO

Grey River Argus, 5 October 1949, Page 7

ARTIFICIAL BREEDING OF JERSEY CATTLE STARTS IN WAIKATO

P.A. HAMILTON, October 4. For the first time in the history of the Dominion, artificial semination of cattle was placed on a commercial basis to-day, when operations commenced with the artificial breeding of a group of cows in the Waikato. A technique for the artificial breeding for New Zealand conditions has been perfected at Ruakura animal research station, and the station’s part, in the present operations will be the supply of material for the work'. A similar group has been formed in Taranaki, and material from Ruakura will be taken there by air. The fact that artificial breeding is actually being carried out on a commercial basis is a great tribute to persevering and painstaking research work that has been carried out at. Ruakura. Administrative work in connection with the Waikato operations is being carried out by the Auckland Herd Improvement Association. A group which has been formed in the Waikato includes 12 herds in the Rototuna-Horsham Downs area of pedigree Jerseys, and three herds at Ngaruawahia. Although the areas are not continuous, the Ngaruawahia group was included becaus e it could be covered by’ one of the technicians who have been trained for the work.