THE SINGLE-PURPOSE COW

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 285, 5 November 1925, Page 15

THE SINGLE-PURPOSE COW

MERITS OF THE JERSEY. In the course of an interesting brochure just issued on Jersey cattle in New Zealand, tho New Zealand Jersey Cattle" Breeders’ Association states: “As soon as anyone attempts to breed a cow for a dual purpose, for beef and dairying, they must fall between two stools. No animal can possibly do justice to both; consequently the breeder fails to reach either objective. Concentrate on one or the othor, but do not ask an animal to supply beef and at the same time to compete with dairy cattle as a producer of milk and butter-fat. “There are two factors which stamp the Jersey as the dairy cow par excellence. Firstly, early maturity, and secondly, her longevity. These characteristics are peculiar to tho Jersey breed, so that she is a profit-making animal over a much greater period than her rivals. One other point which demands attention, and one that should be emphasised, is the value of Jersey milk as compared with that of other breeds. All milk contains the samo constituents, but not always ni tho same proportion. The vaK:o of milk as a food —for butter-making or cheese-making—is increased or decreased according to the proportion of fat content or other solids contained therein. Jersey milk is considerably richer in fat and other solids than the milk from any other breed of cows. “As a food for general use, and for invalids in particular, tho milk of the Jersey cow has no equal. All consumers give preference to Jersey' milk because it is worth at least half as much 'again as other milk. The first and vital point is that tho value of milk depends upon the percentage of butter-fat it contains. Butter-fat is tho life-sustaining factor in milk, the source of heat, force and energy. It is not the amount of fat in cow's milk that causes digestive troubles; it is tho fermentation of the constituents of the whey and the excess of casein, the chqese-making substance, which must bo reduced by dilution. To say that Jersey milk is too rich is like saying there is too much gold in a sovereign. There is no other food which has such important bearing upon the restoration to health of persons suffering from nervous disorders 'and breakdowns. So much has been said and written on tho subject of Jersey' milk as a food that it seems superfluous for us to enlarge upon tho remarks we have already made.”