How To Tell Typey, High Producing Jersey Cow

Northern Advocate, 27 October 1949, Page 3

How To Tell Typey, High Producing Jersey Cow

SOUND STOCK

RALLY AT BIG HOLLOW

MATAKOHE, Thu. (Sp.).—A hundred dairymen from all parts of Otamatea, and even further afield, formed an interested gallery at a demonstration in the breeding of pedigree Jerseys held on Mr R. N. Sterling's "Big Hollow” stud farm, Matakohe, on Tuesday afternoon. Demonstrators were Messrs L. A. Higgins (Nelson), president of the New Zealand Jersey Breeders’ Association, and G. R. Scown (Havvera).

Messrs Higgins and Scown are touring Northland as the NZJBA official classification committee.

"Why do New Zetland dairymen concentrate upon the Jersey breed?" Mr Higgins asked. “It is because we believe the Jersey returns, the highest production for the amount of food consumed,” Mr Higgins said. Using two of Mr Sterling’s stud cows for demonstration comparisons, Mr Higgins went on to define the chief characteristics of the ideal dairy cow.

well, caught, else it became pendulous and reached to near the ground. AVERAGE LIFE 5 YEARS.

First points to look for in a good head were a large open muzzle and a strong open nostril, he said.

GRAZING TIME. These indicated, strong constitution and a capability to consume a required amount of food in the shortest possible time. Less grazing time meant more time could be spent in producing. A bold eye meant strong constitution and gave character. A dish face was desirable, and the ears should be well set on and of medium size.

The average age of the New Zealand dairy cow was only five years. The greatest cause lay in the poor quality of the vessel, many of which, being pendulous, were more easily damaged and disease set in earlier. The vessel should be wide, deep and long, should go forward as far as possible and also well up the back, although here it should not be too bulging. Teats should be well placed and, from the side view, the vessel should appear almost level. Viewed from the back, a division running lengthwise should be apparent. ,

The underjaw should be strong, with the teeth meeting well to the fore of the pad; This last was most important; Due to farming methods on Jersey Island, where stall-feeding was prevalent, many animals had been bred there with undercut jaws. Under hard conditions, such as followed upon a drought, these animals would be unable to feed closely, and consequently would have difficulty in consuming enough food to maintain body strength.

If all cows’ horns were of the ideal type—forwards, inwards and downwards curving—the necessity for dehorning would be eliminated.

IDEAL HEAD. Mr Higgins said one of the cows under observation had an ideal head in every way. It had a clean neck, tapering, and revealed a good curve to the shoulder. It had a good throat with a large windpipe—allowing full breathing capacity. ~ A large dewlap often went with round bone and indicated an ability to put on condition, rather than to produce. Shoulders should be well set apart, with plenty of room between the forelegs, allowing plenty of room for heart and lungs to function unrestricted. Width behind shoulders was necessary. Too much depth from shoulder to brisket was an, indication of beefiness.

From a side view, an ideal animal, in appearance tapered from the bottom of the underjaw to the butt of the abdomen. WEDGE SHAPES.

This was one of the three wedge shapes to be aimed at. Well sprung and wide open ribs gave good body length. A large deep body indicated plenty of capacity ■to consume food necessary for production. The spinal column should slope away gently to the sides. If level, the spine had not the same power to hold up the tremendous body weight. A fair comparison could be made between i flat and a gabled roof. If the spine was not built right, the back would become hollow and g-t worse as the cow grew older. Spaced well apart, hip bones should be clem, strong and prominent, yet" showing fineness, Mr Higgins continued.

Plenty of space was necessary for the milk vessel underneath.

Otherwise, during the heavy production period each year, the cow would walk with her legs chafing the vessel.

Thighs should be neat and thin. CONSTITUTION.

Many breeders did not place enough importance on type, Mr Higgins claimed.

"How long can a man or woman with poor constitution stand a hard day’s wo.'k continuously?” he asked.

“No man works as hard as does a Jersey cow when in full production.

‘‘lf it lacks constitution the cow's life is shortened and its value lessened. “The breeder must strive for the cow which will be a high producer for as long as possible.” "Production is all carried in the milk vessel, which must be caught well and be of the right texture,” Mr Higgins said. Where a cow produced 600 or 700 lbs of fat a year, the udder must be

Vessels so constructed would not so easily break down and allow the teats to spread sideways, making the attaching of teat cups more difficult. Prominent milk veins indicated high producers. Bone formation should be clean and show fineness in the spinal column, hips and ribs. The skin should be loose, and of good texture. A long, clean and thin tail usually went with fine bone and good skin in the higher-producing types. The feet should be well placed, have strong fetlocks and hard cloven hooves to stand wet conditions.

Not only should the breeder aim at a high standard in both type and production, but he should also endeavour to ensure his stock inherited no serious faults, the demonstrator continued.

Faults of an animal oftei did not become apparent for four or five years, by which time many of its progeny could be in the herd. Answering questions. Mr Higgins said:

Veins standing out prominently indicated high production, showed the animal carried no surplus flesh and had a good blood stream. The milk vessel should be as level as possible. It was generally known that the back quarters produced a litle more. The aim should be to get the front quarters to produce as much. Length always meant ability to produce. but extreme length could result in loss of constitution. buying in off season.

When buying a cow out of production, the following points could be noted:

How the milk vessel connected with the body. More than one fold of loose skin up the back. Good teat placement and width at the hips. Remember that even high producers could become very fat in a short lime when out of production, Mr Higgins concluded. At the conclusion of the demonstration. Mr G. L. Chity (Taipuha), president of the Otamatea Jersey Club, the sponsoring body, thanked the demonstrators for their efforts, and Mr Sterling for allowing the use of his farm and stock.