FRIESIANS IN FRIESLAND

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 225, 5 September 1928, Page 9

FRIESIANS IN FRIESLAND

TYPES MO6T FAVOURED. TRUE DUAL-PURPOSE ANIMALS. l In June last a party of fifteen pro- " nunent members and friends of the Yorkshire and Northern Counties British Friesian Breeders’ Club paid a visit to some of the premier herds of cattle in Friesland, it being that part of Hofland where the black and white cattle have their origin. The breeders whose cattle were inspected are all breeding on the Jan Nico or Ceres Albert blood lines, and it was noticeable that while the Ceres Albert strain were full of breed character and quality they were not quite such large-framed animals as were those of the Jan Nico strain. All the animals carried much more flesh than 3 great many of the party had been led to believe was the case, the shoulders of the animals were much heavier than a great many British Friesians, and the animals were very much nearer the ground. Particularly noticeable features throughout the entire visit were the heads of the cattle. Whilst being stroviger than a large number of British Friesians, they possessed an extraordinary degree of c haracter and sweetness, indicative of a dairy cow. The animals had very good top lines and level rumps, and their legs were well placed. TYPE, PRODUCTION AND FEED. Whilst perhaps not so much attention is paid in Friesland to the uddeiß. a large number of the cattle had udders which left nothing to be desired. These 'brief details show that the cattle seen were extraordinarily deep, carrying plenty of flesh, with every appearance of being long W’daring cattle, coupled with fine constftations, and yet possessing at the same time milking properties superior to any other breed of cattle. Proof of these last points was apparent (everywhere; many exceptionally heavy milkers were seen, including’a 3000 galloner, whilst a large number of the best looking cows were over ten years of age. The farms in Friesland t are on very heavy soil; they are principally grass, which is very thick and full of herbage, rough grass being almost non-existent. The cows remain out of doors all the summer; they are milked in the open, and very little concentrated food is fed during the summer months, a nine-gallon cow which was inspected being fed only fourteen pounds of concentrated food per day. Bulls and calves are also out of doors continually during the summer ninths, the former Being tethered with chains. All the cattle are brought in during the winter months and never go out again until the sprin" nofl even for exercise or water, the latter being laid on at the head of each cow. DIFFERING DOMINION TYPE. The conclusion of the visitors was that they had never before seen such fine dual-purpose animals, giving plenty of milk and at the same time carrying sufficient flesh to be suitablo for the butcher at any moment. In the Friesians, as they are seen in ’New Zealand the dairy type rather than the dnal-purposo type has been more fully developed. It is remarked that in Holland the farmhouse, barn, implement shed, and cowhouse are all under the same roof, and although everything is very clean and sweet, such a system would hardly commend itself to the Dominion’s local authorities who have to administer, the Milk and Dairy regulations.