JERSEY CATTLE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXXII, Issue 2802, 18 November 1931, Page 8

JERSEY CATTLE.

INTERESTING DEMONSTRATION. FIELD DAY AT NGATEA. On a recnt afternoon members of the Thames Valley Jersey Breeders’ Club, visitors from Waihi, a number of Ngatea farmers, and the senior boy scholars of the Ngatea District High School, spent a very pleasant and instructive field aay on Mr C. W. Schultz’s river farm at Ngatea. The afternoon took the form of a very- instructive lecture on the good points of high-producing Jersey stock, and the features by which they can be recognised, the address being given by Mr H.’ H. Sutton, owner of the Tolgarth Jersey herd, Waihi. Stock was provided for the occasion by Messrs W. Schultz, G. Parry, F. Speedy and R. Rowling Using one of Mr Parry’s best cows, “.Greendale Wahine” as a model, Mr Sutton proceeded to point out the.outstanding features and to indicate where she displayed any sign of weakness

He later passed on to an equally interesting lecture on the selection of good bulls, Mr Rowling providing the animal used as an example. Mr Sutton utilised photographs to emphasise a number of particular points, and at the conclusion of his lecture invited questions from the gathering. At the close of a very instructive afternoon, Mr Schultz thanked Mr Sutton for the trouble he had taken to make the field day a success. Mr Abel, master in charge of the boys present at the demonstration, thanked Mi- Sutton and members of the Jersey Club, for the privilege afforded the boys. They could learn a certain amount from text books, but an actual demonstration conveyed the information to them in a far more interesting and realistic manner, and created an impression that was likely to last. The school, in accepting the offer of the club to attend the demonstration, desired to produce the best farmers possible for the district, and he felt that the afternoon had been well spent towards that object. Afternoon tea was then provided by Mesdnmes C. Schultz and R. Rowling, at the conclusion of which the president of the Jersey Club, Mr B. E. Veale, of Tirohia, thanked Mr Schultz for the use of his property, and Messrs Schultz, Speedy, Rowling, and Parry for the use of their stock. He conveyed the appreciation of all present to Mr Sutton, and concluded by thanking the ladies for their hospitality.

Points to Remember. After dealing briefly with the history of the Jersey breed, Mr Sutton continued to an • actual practical demonstration with blood st/)ck placed at his disposal. He stated that the head should be broad between the eyes and slightly hollowed. The nose should be thrown slightly forward to give a dished effect to the whole front .ff the head. Horns should be medium sized and spaced narrowly, with a slight downward curve. A wax coloured horn was a mark of quality. The muzzle, should be wide and lips thick and strong. The under jaw should be clean cut and well defined, so that the bone can be easily traced from behind the ear to the point of the lower jaw. Long jaws were an indication that the animal would feed well and maintain appearance and quality.

The neck should be thin and fine, and clean beneath the throat. Some cows had dewlap, but a clean throat was preferable where quality was desired. The neck should have plenty of length, and be set finely oh to the shoulders, tapering away to give the wedge shaped appearance that marked the high producer. Deepness from shoulders to the floor of the chest w’as a good sign. The barrel should sparing away quickly from the shoulders to give heart room, and should also spring away beneath to give a well shaped under line. On top of the shoulders, fineness was a strong point, while thickness through the body behind the shoulder blades was also a good sign. The back line should be rough and knotty to the feel and should be straight, while the cow was dry. When in calf a slight downward curve of the back could not be regarded as ’ weak point. Ribs should be well spread and widely spaced, flat and long and well sprung. Hips should be long and fine. The barrel should be large.

Above the knee legs should be fine and thin, without surplus meat. Thighs should be flat, giving plenty of room for the udder. Loins should be strong and hips wide apart. Rump should bo wide and level, the pin and hip bones being in line. The tail should be rather fine, but strong, and should not spring too soon from the back bone. A long tail with «v vood brush was a sign of quality,

while to the feel the bones of the tail should be knotty. The fore udder should be placed well forward, and should be rounded, with a balanced appearance, fore and aft. Both back and fore quarters should milk equally well. Milk veins counted for a good deal. They should be prominent and tortuous, and should turn into the body to leave at least three milk wells. The further forward veins turned into the body the better was the animal as a milker. The flank should be thin and soft and elastic. Teats should about 2B inches long, and placed in the centres of the quarters. The "back of the udder should come well up between the back legs and be nicely shaped in a hollow on the escutcheon. The speaker spent quite a time discussing the lay of the hair on the escutcheon and beneath the' barrel. The more defined the line of division between the hairs, and the higher it came on the flank, and the higher it extended between the back legs, the better was the indication of quality in an animal. The escutcheon counted for a good deal in choosing stock. Bulls.

After briefly reviewing his lecture on the appearance of ' good milking stock, Mr Sutton passed on to dis-, cuss the fine points of Jersey bulls. He stated that there was a strong resemblance in many points between bulls and cows. Heads coincided very closely, except that the bull was more strong and massive. The neck should be strong and muscular, but not too strong in young animals. Heaviness came with age. Shoulder blades should be level with the wither, but would probably rise a little as the animal aged. The body should be shaped along the lines of the cow’s body, the bull having a more pronounced barrel. Here again, however, young animals should not have a prominent barrel, as this developed with age. Points with icgard to hips, tail, escutcheon, flank and leg should apply to the bull, as to the cows. Hips did not need to be so wide, but should be prominent and not too fleshy. The Jersey sire bore very close resemblance in breed to the cow, except that the male was far thicker set, but without losing symmetry and conformity of shape. Bulls should not be allowed to run with the herd, and during the off season should be given plenty of exercise.. This could best be done by running them on hill country. Farmers, as a whole, were not careful enough with their bulls.

“And what is New Zealand toasted tobacco?” blandly inquired the Judge during the hearing, the other day, of a certain case at Sydney. He put the question with that engaging air of innocence so characteristic of judges when seeking enlightment from the Bench. “New Zealand toasted tobacco is—er—toasted New Zealand tobacco, your Honour,” stammered counsel. “A very lucid explanation, Mr Smith,” said the Judge drily.. “But it fails to convey very much. What is the object of toasting the.tobacco?” “It extracts the nicotine, your Honour. The toasting eliminates the poison, and thus renders the smoker immune f i‘om harm. It also greatly improves the flavour and bouquet.” The Judge made a note, remarking that New Zealanders were fortunate. Pure tobacco was a blessing. So it is. And our feasted brands are the world’s purest. There are only four: Riverhead Gold, Cavendish, Navy Cut No. 3 and Cut Plug No. IO."'