AYRSHIRE BREEDERS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 169, 16 June 1927, Page 2

AYRSHIRE BREEDERS

ANNUAL MEETING. YEAR OF PR Of JR ESS AND RECORDS. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Ayrshire Cattle Breeders’ Association, was held yesterday afternoon, Air F. Mills, of Hawera, the president of the council, presiding over an attendance of seventeen. The annual report (already published -in the “Standard”) and the balancesheet were read and adopted. • In speaking to the report, Mr Mills stated that the association could honestly congratulate itself on tho progress made during the year and, again, could congratulate itself on the splendid records put up by breeders of the Ayrshire. Particularly noticeable were these records in Australia and in Canada, so the association had no need to apologise for the stock. Nowadays, continued the speaker, increasing use was being made of Ayrshire hulls for crossing purposes, and particularly noticeable was this feature during the last year or two in districts where formerly one or two breeds were looked upon as the most desirable. But now breeders were recognising the hardiness of the Ayrsliircs, and that this quality was a very essential one. Air Alills went on to refer to the fact that the association proposed to purchase a £2O cup or shield for points prizes at certain autumn shows in the North Island to he later decided on, and that the association intended in future to give an equal support to spring and autumn fixtures; to the fact that tho Ayrshires purchased for Girls’ Flock House would help to popularise the breed—by their connection with the animals now the girls later on in life would influence their partners in the selecting of stock —and to the splendid exhibits of Ayrshires witnessed at the New Plymouth and Invercargill shows, tho latter having a most excellent display and one that was indeed a great credit to the dairy farmers of the South Island find to those responsible for the arranging of the exhibits. Air Alills concluded his remarks bv stating that one often heard it said that we should increase production, but as we increased our production we seemed to go in more and more for luxuries. This would be all right if we conducted the major portion of the trade with England and helped the people in the Old Country along, but we looked more to other countries. “If we go on spending more than we earn, particularly in motor cars, wo are not going to get into a better position than we are to-day,” added Mr Alills. Alessrs T. Webb and J. Kyle endorsed Air Alills's remarks. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Tho following officers were elected: — Patron, the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson ; president, Mr. F. Mills; vice-presidents, Messrs C. Webb, A. H. Hansen, A. AI. Weir; general committee, Alessrs G. K. Gordon, W. H. Worstcr, • C. Alorgan-Williams ; .treasurer, Air T. Webb; auditor, Air Fuller. GENERAL. A remit from the Southland branch, “that it be an instruction to judges in the future that no points shall be deducted from dehorned animals when entered for show competition,” was tabled. In speaking to the motion, Air Weir stated that the remit was not inhornmg, but was simply to benefit breeders who found animals a nuisance in confined yards. The Wfiikato delegate, Mr A. Clements, and the chairman supported the remit, which was carried unanimously. “It is anticipated that, as time goes on, the group system of testing will count with the dairyman,” stated Mr Weir in endorsing a recommendation from the Southland branch that the association take steps to support the group system of herd testing in districts throughout New Zealand. “It is essential that every breeder should adopt this system, and if lie does not, lie is not worthy of the name of breeder,” added the speaker. The recommendation was supported by Air J. Kvle, who stated that group testing was being encouraged in this district. “Wo want to get rid of the useless cow,” he added. Air Weir: All the leading countries in the world have adopted this system— America, Denmark and Scotland. I would like to see the Dairy Division behind it, for. I am sure they would have imposed conditions that would have made the certificates worth the paper used. The recommendation was adopted.