JERSEY v. SHORTHORN.

Northern Advocate, 22 September 1906, Page 5 (Supplement)

JERSEY v. SHORTHORN.

To the Editor. Sir,— l notice in a late issue of [your paper a letter from Mr R. Hill on the above subject- Mr Hill quotes a number of recent prices obtained in this district for Jersey and Shorthorn cattle. From the figures cited, Mr Hill reasons' the matter out to his own complete satisfaction, and proclaims a triumphant victory for the "Jersey from a money-making point %)i view. Mr Hill is well known as an enthusiastic breeder of excellent Jersey stock. He, I have no ' doubt, finds it difficult to see any beauty in a Shorthorn., Perhaps that is the reason why Mr Hill has presented only one side of the subject to your readers. I will now endeavodr to show a few points in favour of the ' Shorthorn. Mr Hill has carefully avoided saying anything about bulls or steers. At the sale of Shorthorns referred to above, £45 was offered for a bull. A Jersey steer, at three years of age, is not worth more than half the value of a Shorthorn steer, at the same age and- fed in the same s manner. The effect of this difference ( in value is that a Jersey steer is not worth rearing, and the sooner he is buried near a good fruit tree the better for all parties concerned. What would the North be to-day if we riad only Jersey steers to export as store fat cattle ? They would not pay for exporting. We should have to find some way to consume them ourselves, which, I think, would be disastrous to everypne, except, maybe, the tanner. 1 agree with Mr Hill that £2 15s for, a Jersey heifer calf lis not an out-of-the-way price; ;b.us I also believe that a first-rate 'Shorthorn calf, either bull or heifer, would realise a much* greater price. I ad-* mit that, as butter makers, theiJerseys are ahead of the Shorthorns, but in other points they are far behind . It is probable that one of the ■ best all-round breeds at the present time is the polled red Suffolk. The cows are excellent milkers. A steer of this breed carried off the champion prize at the great London Show held recently. lam not aware of any ; being in this country at present, but I believe there are a number in Australia.— I am, etc., A. CARTER. Kamo, Sept. 18, 19Q6.