THE IMPROVEMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES STOCK.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2280, 29 September 1899, Page 4

THE IMPROVEMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES STOCK.

Front the Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. ♦- PART V. THE JERSEY. This is essentially a butter breed, and perhaps for those on small or medium sized holdings who dairy for buttermaking, and who are prepared to give some little attention to their milch cows in the way of shelter and hand feeding during winter, no better dairy cow can be had.

The Jersey, known by its deer like appearance, especially when young; its fawn or silver grey colour, with black points, its thin orange-coloured skin and line coat, its bright, full mild eye, its curved-in horns (neither turning much upwards or downwards), generally of yellow waxy appearance, and with black tips; its dished, lean face, and silvertinted circle round a tine muzzle. The ear is thin, and yellow on the inside ; and there is altogether something decidedly breedy or thoroughbred about the head of the best Jerseys, which is intensely characteristic. The Jersey will often be found, even in very good specimens, rather hollow-backed and ilat ribbed. When Jersey cows are in milking condition the chine will show up very prominently, carrying but very little flesh, and the thighs are thin and deep. The neck of the Jersey should be straight and fine, and there should be no heaviness about the throat. The bones of the legs should also be fine, and the iail should taper down to the hocks, ending with a good switch of hair. No breed of cattle has undergone more improvement or become so popular of latter years than the Jersey. At one time the English tenant farmer would have none of them, and they were only met with, outside their own island home, in the parks of the wealthy. Now they have a big representation on English dairy farms and in English show yards, and in this country they are becoming deservedly popular, as they have long since done in America. Her large, square, well-set udder and good teats, and the exceedingly rich milk that comes therefrom, have made her a favourite with very many of our dairy farmers in this colony, where nearly all milk is now sold according to its quality. Some of the most enthusiastic admirers of this breed that I have met in this colony have been hard working dairy farmers, and especially in the district round about Candelo I met many such men, and they possess some very good specimens of the breed. Perhaps the largest Jersey herd in the colony is that on Mr. Tooth's Kameruka estate, and as the manager and able judge, Mr. Wren, seems a great admirer of theirs, they must be doing their duty well. I always think it a pity when I see a half bred Jersey bull in a dairy herd, for there is certain to be disappointment, as it is only pure-bred animals that are prepotent or have the power to transmit their hereditary characteristics, and then some local critic condemns the entire breed, because a grade bull produced inferior stock. This breed is naturally adapted to an equable climate, and I expect to see it yet very popular oa our northern rivers.

THE GUERNSEY. New South Wales interest in the Guernsey has been created by the recent Government importations of stud cattle, this being the first introduction of the breed into the colony. Many people imagine that the Guernsey is very similar in appearance to the Jersey. This misapprehension no doubt arises from the facts that the breeds come from sister isles, and that both breeds were at one time shown in the same classes throughout the British Isles under the head of Channel Island cattle. There is, however, a threat difference between the light, deer-like Jersey, and the coarser, heavier, more robust, and more useful looking Guernsey. The great beauty of the Jersey served for its introduction into the herds of the wealthy, aud hence it became well known and widely distributed. This same tender beauty, however, prevented the breed becoming popular with the English tenant farmer, who l'or a long time thought it to be more of a beautiful toy, suitable for the parks of gentry, than a rent paying animal. The Guernsey, while occupying a much more restricted sphere, has become a popular south country dairy breed, and the dairy farmers of Cornwall and Devon greatly favour the cross between the Guernsey bull and the local cows. By using this cross they maintain they are able to keep up the size of their cattle in addition to their rich milking qualities. Is'o doubt at some distant date the Guernseys and Jerseys were intermixed, but the Guernsey has been a distinct and noted breed for quite a century, its rich milk and rich yellow-looking meat being highly prized by the inhabitants of the little island of fruit and flowers, and so intent were they on preserving the purity of the breed that importation of foreign cattle was prohibited. It is thought that the custom of using oxen so largely for draught purposes in Guernsey lias been the chief reason for keeping up the size, and what a Jersey breeder would call coarseness of the ; Guernsey breed. The milk of the j Guernsey, like that of the .Jersey, is j extremely rich, and of a deep yellow ! colour, this latter fact being highly ' prized by those who produce milk for ; purposes of sale, and hence a few Guernsey cows are looked upon as a great acquisition to any dairy farmer's herd. The hair of the Guernsey is longer and coarser than that of the Jersey, and the colour is fawn or yellow, with patches of white, great attention being given to the same rich orange colour, which shows in the milk and moat, appearing in the skin. The head is not dished or carved like the Jersey, and the muzzle is generally flesh coloured, although dark muzzles like the Jersey are sometimes found, and then there is the same light circle round it as iin the Jersey. The horns should be I yellow, and should turn upwards. Hie i udder should be large aud square, and teats arc of good size, and well set on. The Guernsey is a deep flanked and deep ribbed animal, and the body should be wedge shaped, and square behind, with great room for udder capacity. 1 Guernseys have become great favourites l in America. They come from a \cr) temperate climate, and should not be j allowed to winter out in the exposed { districts of the colony. As a breed, it yields more milk than the Jersey- Ihe Guernsey might be any weight from in Nilb. to 1.21101b. (live weight j, and i unlike the Ayrshire aud some other breeds, it is not a pugnacious animal, I being very docile and easily handled. Note.—ln our next we will deal with i " Shorthorns," Ac.