THE JERSEY BREED.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4331, 17 October 1921, Page 3

THE JERSEY BREED.

DEMONSTRATION AT PAEROA.

SCHOOL PUPILS ATTEND.

Under the auspices of the Thames

Valley Jersey Breeders’ Club, a very - interesting demonstration was given in the Paeroa Domain on Thursday by Mr W. J.. Hall, of president of the Club, regarding the points of a good Jersey dairy cow. The pupils of Paeroa District School, standards V and VI, and pf the High

School/of both sexes), were in attend- • ance, and took a keen interest in the

demonstration. They were brougitt along under .the direction of the headmaster (Mr G. H. Taylor) and othei

members of the staff, who evidently realise the value of such instruction

to scholars in a farming community. Prizes are to be awarded for the best two essays on the demonstration, and, judging by the interest taken and the questions asked;'some good essays shpuld .be forthcoming.

AN HISTORICAL OUTLINE.

Prior to the demonstration Mr E. J. Walters, the well-known Jersey breeder, of Hikutaia, gave a remarkably interesting historical outline of the history of the Jerseys for some 200 years past. '

Mr Walters said the Jersey cattle (originally, of Normandy. France) came from the island of that name in the English Channel, 'between England and France. There was a group of four islands, Jersey, Guernsey, Al-’ derney, and Sark,, the main exports from which were cattle, flour,, and potatoes, and other produce for the great metropolitan market of London. But the people of Jersey Island spent practically the whole bf their time in breeding .the famous strain of cattle -named after the island. For the past 200 years no other cattle Had been allowed on £he island, unless for beef purposes. And once a beast left the Island it was not allowed to return, no matter how valuable it might be. By such scrupulousi care in specialisation a very fine and desirable type of dairy animal had been evolved, an animal supremely suitable for the production of butter-fat. 'There was orily one older pure-bred strain in the world, these being a type peculiar to the up-lands of India, On Jersey Island, which was only some twelve miles long and six miles wide, the strain had been kept pure, and Quarterly shows were held, whereat the friendly rivalry induced a high state of excellence. There were three classes; namely, the foundation ■stock, which every breeder must have, the “commended”, and the “highly commended,” the latter being of great value, even up to £3OOO for a single animal. The cattle were not let run loose in paddocks as ours were, but were tethered in the same manner as we tethered goats, and consequently they were very docile and inanageiable. The Jersey,, he held, was the greatest butter-fat producer known, and 'the most economical 1 of* all dairy cattle.

THE DEMONSTRATION.

Mr Hall then commenced the demonstration, the cows being Mr Geo. Buchanans’ “Charm’s Sensation,” “Princess Daisy” (one of the last two bred by the late Mr Thps. Morrin), and “Silvanus Silverlocks” (Australian imported, bred by Mr Mark Foy). Owing to the Government tester being at Mr Buchanan’s farm on that day, the best cows had to be left at hoirie.

, A GOOD CONSTITUTION.

The first requirement of a good dairy cow, Mr Hall said, Was a good constitution. She must have plenty of heart room, in order that she might inhale a good supply of air. A good strong under-jaw was. needed for depasturing purposes ; being well “dished” in front of the head was another good sign, as were prominent eyes well spaced apart and fine horns nicely curved inwards. The nostrils must be large and capacious, and not long and narrow, the former characteristics denoting brightness and energy. The “top line” should be long, with plenty of depth, a low back being an unsatisfactory feature. - Sharp hip. bones were desirable. Mr H. B. Watson, official demonstrator of the N.Z. Jersey Breeders’ Association, said that if one threw a hat upon the hipbones of a cow in .which these points were well defined, it would, stop there. There should be a good length from the hip-bone to the rump,, thus giving a good space for a well-proportioned udder, where otherwise the udder would be drooping or pendulous. The backbone of a good dairy cow should be as sharp as a razor, and knotted, or saw-like, shewing open vertebrae. A thick shoulder indicated beef more' than butter-fa‘t. Length and depth ensured .there being plenty of room to carry an adequate milk well. IMPORTANCE OF THE UDDER.

Next to a good constitution,, it was most important that a cow should have a good udder, well/formed, not pendulous, nor concave* underneath. The bottom of the udder should run in a line with the brisket; it was common .to test this feature with a straight-edge placed along from the udder to the brisket. The milk veins on the udder should b.e large and prominent; to secure this appearance breeders showing cows sometimes clipped 'the hair off from around the .cuticle covering the veins. The milk wells should be deep, the deeper the better. The tail should be long, having a good “brush,” and the tip should come down tp the hocks. This, however, was a minor factor, only two points out of 100 being given under this head as against 25 for the udder. The skin should be mellow, with a “melting” feeling, like butterfat.

Tn regard to the escutcheon, the demonstrator thought some people were "escutcheon ntad" ; he did hot think the point mattered much. "Charm’s Sensation’’ had what he would call a poor escutcheon, and yet, as Mr Buchanan said, this was fflhe youngest cow in the .world to pass seinl-official test, doing sb at the age of 1 year 132 days. She was dry for only five days, calved 17 days under

the twelve months, and then put up 278,. A Pupil: Is white a proper Jersey colour ?

Mr, Hall: Tlierp is, no proper Jersey colour. They may be white, black, lemon colour, or intermediate shades. In the Island some of them, I understand, are red, though the reds are not the Jersey-Shorthorns. The white ones were just as likely to be purebreds as any others.

Same Pupil: They are all variations pf fawn ?—Yes.

A yellow skin in the internal part of the ears, Mr H.all continued, was a sign of a good constitution; the pink hue was undesirable. The colour of the milk .was no indication whatever of its quality, though its c.onsistency, or thickness, was. Thick milk denoted richness of cream content.

The Government testing officers, Mr Hall concluded, had taught the breeders a good deal, and wiped away some old fallacies. The colour of the hair, for instance, did not matter, whatever that might he the skin of all cows Was of the same colour. Demonstrations will be given at Mr E. J. Walters’ farm, Hikutaia, next Friday, October 21, at 1 p.m., and on the following Friday, 28th, a.t Mr W j, Hall’s farm,. Maiatoki at 1 p.m.