STUD CATTLE SALE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 18 October 1924, Page 6

STUD CATTLE SALE.

INFERIOR. BULLS OFFERED. QUESTIONED DISCUSSED BY JERSEY BREEDERS. A question that has been exercising the minds of many of the leading men in the ranks of Jersey breeders is that of the large number of bulls of an inferior type being offered at the sales of stud cattle recently. Yesterday at the meeting of the Jersey Breeders’ Provincial Council the question was brought up by Mr H. C. Sampson, of New Plymouth. To allow of free discussion a motion was tabled by him to the following effect: “That the attention of the council of the New Zealand Jersey Cattle Breeders’ Association be drawn to the unsatisfactory position obtaining at present owing to the large number of inferior bulls that are being reared and offered for sale at stud stock sales, to the detriment of the breed and the dairying industry.”

Speaking to the motion, Mr Sampson said the time had arrived when action was needed to deal with the position. He said that many were offered showing neither a hacking of butter-fat records nor Jersey type. While this continued there -was no possibility- of increasing the average of fat, and there was no encouragement to breeders to -grow and sell, good hulls when they could not get a fair price to recoup them for their outlay. He instanced one case of many in which five young hulls from cows with records of 7001 b of fat had to he passed in at 20 guineas, and in which after much effort one was disposed of at 40 guineas. It would show the rotten position in which good breeders were placed when tie added that next day hulls without type or record behind them were getting oyer 30 guineas. _ Some bought these in ' the hope of increasing their average. Hie difficulty and seriousness of the position urged the New ’ Plymouth Club to insist on his bringing the matter before the council. They had previously endeavoured to increase the registration fees, but were defeated, and now believed the only way was to insist on compulsory inspection before registration'.' Thev ' must find some way to prevent inferior bulls being registered, and scattered through the country as purebred sires, with -the name of pedigree behind them. He was certain it would he a move in the right direction, and ought to set the Dominion Council thinking. Mr F. llanford said he was not prepared to say what was the way out of the difficulty, but constructive criticism was invaluable and they might he able to indicate a way to ' solve the difficulty. One way certainly was by inspection, and only by. the co-opera-tion of Jersey breeders could it be done. But it was hard to get committees of inspection, especially in widely scattered districts. Referring to testing, lie instanced, one district where the department sent a man who took three days to get there and might, he held up for days there. He said he realised that many animals submitted at sales were poor in condition and _ faulty in conformation and had nothing to' recommend them, hut they were pedigree animals. • The owners seemed ( to attach no importance to performance at the pail or in the show ring. They said they were just as good as many others. He believed a good deal could he done if the question were brought up at the annual conference till some improvement were effected. They must point out to breeders that it paid to cull even in pedigrees, and destroy calves that had no performance behind them. He hoped breeders would he public spirited enough to take a wide view and do their best for the sake of the breed. He thought poor prices would help to get over the difficulty, for it would not pay a man to have an outlay of £7 to £lO and get £5 for his young stock when offered. He strongly urged that everything should be done to put a stop to the practice and to see that all animals in the Stud Book held records of performance behind them. It would he in the interests of the breed in every way.

Mr Linnell drew attention to a remark of the - Dominion President that there were not enough hulls to meet, the demand, -and said that anyone who read the papers nowadays would see the position was very different. Mr Kurth said it urns a very big hurdle, and he believed legislation would be necessary befoi'e compulsory inspection could be put into, force. He knew many cattle offered had no backing, and referred to the expense of testing as an obstacle to progress.. He urged strongly that breeders before offering animals should see that they were in good condition, and said that this would kelp sales. Mr llanford said he believed legislation was not necessary, hut that the council could make any regulations desired or advisable.

In reply to Mr Nicolson, he said this was drill e on the Island, every pedigree animal as soon as horn being inspected, and again as yearling and two-year-old. They must have bntterperformances behind them. The motion was carried unanimously.