DOMINION’S HERDS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 3 December 1924, Page 7

DOMINION’S HERDS.

“BEST IN THE WORLD.”

AN EXPERTS COMPARISONS

During his recent visit to America, Mr C. E. Robertson, of Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co., made an inspection of the leading pedigree dairy cattle herds of both Canada and the United States. Prominent American and Canadian breeders, importers, and judges, as "well as officials of the pedigree stock x-egistration societies, offered the visitor every hospitality and entertainment, and were extremely anxious to exchange views regarding the aims of breeders in the respective countries.

In the course of an interview, Mr. Roberston informed a Dominion representative that New Zealand was particularly well known in the dairying industry, especially in Canada, while the prominent pedigree breeders of the United States held the achievements of New Zealand breeders in the highest regard. A majority of these American breeders are planning, on their next trip abroad, to visit New Zealand, in order to see at first hand the stock of the country and the methods fob lowed by breeders. The breeders’ registration societies were tremendous organisations, with incomes running into thousands of pounds. These societies each maintained an executive department, whose special work was to advertise the merits of their particular breed. The incomes of these particular 'societies were enormous, and some of the leading officials received salaries ranging from £3OOO to £6OOO. , AMERICAN HERD STANDARDS.

Regarding the standard of the herds and the reputation of high-priced animals, Mr. Roberston found that a great many herds and sires which were boomed in the Press of the United States were of disappointing quality. There were, however, individual animals of the Jersey, Friesian and Ayshire breeds of an exceptional standard, but very few of these were males. Judged by New Zealand standards, the American Jersey breeders had attained the highest level. This undoubtedly was due to the fact that for many years past America had imported practically every notable animal bred on Jersey Island, and the claim of American breeders that they now had the finest Jerseys in the world was undoubtedly warranted. The breeders of Jersey Island did not depend on their cattle for their livelihood, but upon market gardening, which was probably the reason they had parted with their best. PRICE NO OBJECT. Mr. Robertson stated that the breeding of dairy cattle of the various purebred races has developed into a- vast business. One firm of importers of Jersey cattle has an annual turnover of a million dollars. But, despite the opportunity given the imported stock, cattle bred in America were winning the principal honours at the shows and in the tests. Mr. Robertson had the good fortune to see most of the famous show winners and butt*r-fat producers, including the world’s, champions and the latest American national dairy show champions of all breeds. From the point of view of dairy quality, not one of these show champions was pai*ticularly impressive. Prices were exceptionally high for proven sires or for cattle classed as likely show" winners, and at the present sales 8000 dollars was paid for such a cow of the Jeresy breed. Mr. Roberston states he did not like this cow, as she was fleshy both of form and udder. Many wealthy men were engaging in breeding and had erected palatial barns and equipment. One set of buildings visited had cost a million dollars. Price was of little object to these men once their interest was aroused in a particular animal. On one occasion 102,000 dollars was paid for a Friesian bull. Mr. Robertson saw many of this bull’s descendants, but they were not high-class. This bull was purchased by a very wealthy man who had since learned by experience, and owned a really high-class herd. FRIESIANS DISAPPOINTING.

Mr. Robertson said he was rather disappointed with the Friesian cattle in the United States which, although comprising 60 per cent. of. the pedigree dairy stock of that country, contained a great proportion of very ordinary cattle. The Canadian Friesians left a much better impression. The black and whites seemed to be the universal dairy cow for the farm in that country, but despite the tremendous numbers of black and whites comparatively the Jersey was making the most progress in the United States. The Canadian Friesians were stronger in utility points—they had the appearance of being built for the farmer’s jise and profit, and were more after the type aimed at in New Zealand. The American Friesian was generally long and lanky with a poor udder and not of the deep-bodied, thrifty type that had proved to be most profitable under ordinary farm conditions. Wtealthy men dominating a breed were apparently not in its best interest. They were too apt to overlook the fundamental fact that the cow was not an ornament to look at or plavthing to make sentimental milk records with, but must be capable of returning a substantial profit to her owner over and above her ikeep. Dairy cows of all breeds were maintained under wonderful conditions, and were the constant care of high-priced experts whose sole business it was to force high rflwl s them by scientific feeding T>rnrticallv every butter-fat record hnpi in America was secured bv milking the cows throughout the year every' si’x hours. The best American performers f pr n cow milked twice per dav was only a little over 8001 b. butter-fat. whereas in New Zealand is was over I.ooolb. butter-fat. GOOD BREEDING BULLS.

A noticeable weakness in the .United States was the scarcity of good breeding bulls of any breed, and some of the great herds were in sore straits for want of a really good herd leader. Very few of their show champions were successful sires In a country where the purebred dairy stock ran into the millions this pointed to a grave weakness in their system of judging At the present time the heavier conditioned animals which looked the smoothest in body were winning. Preparing animal? for the shows had also become a great art. Utility was kept too much in tho background Sleekness, and what was termed finish, gained more credit than essentials. This was exemplified in the work of what was known as the truetype committee, a chosen body of judges and breeders, who, after a year’s special study, had defined an ‘ideal. The illustration of this ideal presented a very handsome animal, but the sculptured model accepted by the committee and distributed to agricultural colleges and to breeders exhibited an animal weak in the under jaw. One of the most prominent breeders there had told him he had never heard an animal criticised in that way before. Mr. Robertson concluded by indicating that his observations in other countries and America made it quite clear that the standard dairy cow of New Zealand was not approached by

any country, either for her constitution, power, or her ability as a profitmaker on the farm. New Zealand had earned for herself the title of “the dairy farm of the Empire,” but she was destined to become the stud stock farm of the world. Much credit was due to the enterprise of their breeders, who had imported the best stock the Old World could produce, and for the skill they had since shown in improving upon existing types'. Environment was, however, the greatest factor. The Dominion’s climatic conditions enabled stock to be kept in the open the year through, thus developing constitution and thriftiness, and the long growing season in comparison to that of other countries developed greater capacity. These combined circumstances enabled them to produce the most profitable types of animals. An export trade which would become of very great value to the Dominion was gradually being built up, but at present little was being done to advertise the merits of the stock produced. It must Ire realised that New Zealand was competing against other countries for this trade.