THE AYRSHIRE AS A BUTTER COW

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1508, 24 January 1901, Page 53

THE AYRSHIRE AS A BUTTER COW

SOME INTERESTING FACTS. Dr Levinge, of the Sunny side Asylum, Christchurch, sends the following commtinication to the Auckland “Farmer” : Dear Sir, —With, your permission I would like to make a few remarks on the result of the milking competition at the

recent show of the Canterbury A. and P. Association, which I think may be of interest to dairymen and cow-keepers generally, and in this connection I forward you the photo of the first prize cow Blue Bell, taken a few days afterwards. You will note that the said cow is a purebred Ayrshire, and now about twelve years of age, the property of the Sunnvside Asvlum, Christchurch, where that breed of dairy cows alone is kept, the herd numbering about one hundred and twenty (120). The age of the cow Blue Bell makes her performance all the more meritorious, and shows that animals, of this breed, which are usually brought into milk at least a year earlier than those of the best breeds, and thus become profitable younger, have staying powers of lactation of exceptional merit, which are not reduced bv early productiveness, but continue in full vigour well into or beyond mid age. The table living the result of the competition shows that Blue Bells milk for the twenty-four hours (nearly’ 54tlb) was not only large in quantity, but exceptionally rich in butter fat, testing well over 5 per cent-., and producing very nearly three pounds (31b) of pure butter, or, as I am informed, equivalent to nearly 251b' of commercial butter per week. There were nine (9) cows entered for the competition, but only six or seven actually took part in it, and thee table only gives the results of the first four animals. Of these the winning cow, as previously remarked, is a purebred Ayrshire; the second prize-taker a grade Jersey—undoubtedly a real good cow — while the third and fourth are pure or grade Shorthorns. * It will at once be seen the great difference in both the quality and the quality of the milk of the cows of the last-named breed (Shorthorn) as compared with that of the first and second prize cows, which may be called the dairy, as opposed to the beef breeds. This disparity should be sufficient answer to those who, in and out of season, perpetually parade and laud the 1 Shorthorn as a general purpose cow. The Shorthorn rows above referred to belong to a gentleman who supplies milk very largely to a dairy factory, and it is to be presumed, especially as he is a

breeder and fudge of considerable standing and a slirewd man of business, that he tries to keep only the best milking cows of that particular breeu. so that the test may be regarded as a fair one of the respective merits of tne different breeds for dairying purposes. It will be at once seen by a glance at the above table that the milk of the Ayrshire cow, as compared with that of the Shorthorn, produces more than lib more of butter, fat per day, which would amount to a good deal, and imply corresponding monetary gain, when computed over the whole milking period. At the milking competitions here for some years past the first honours have generally been won by a cow of one of the milking herds, mostly the though last year, when the result was apparently largely affected by the late stalling and wild excitement of one of the animals (a “Shorthorn cow”) the evening before the by which she did not fully letdown her milk, but stored it in reserve, it must be acknowledged she came out on top. This year the cows were required to be stalled early—by 2 o’clock—so as to prevent, as far as possible,such a recurrence.' Of course these competitions cannot be any particular cow’s merit, but for practical purposes certain general conclusions may be drawn from them. It is unfortunate that they cannot he conducted on absolutely equal conditions, and more in accordance with the ordinary daily life of the animal, but I trust that in future trials at least more attention will be

Saveli, as in America, to the period of lactation of the several cows, for without. such consideration it is possible* that an indifferent cow might easily beat a far better animal.

I think it may be taken for granted that the “general purpose cow’' has yet to be discovered, Let, in any numbers, for here and there we may occasionally meet with a good milking Shorthorn, or cow of other breed, but out of a-herd of, say. 50 Shorthorns, the so-called '‘general purpose cow,” I would line to know how many will equal or even approach the test of the first prize Ayrshire in the above competition. The fact is both breeds, as well as others, have special merits in their respective spheres, viz., as milk and beef producers, and while one is suited for one purpose and one kind of country, and one another, I maintain that seven (7) Ayrshires can be* kept well on the same country and feed that would he required to keep five Shorthorns, and that on light, poor, hilly, exposed eountry the former will not have the same fam-ine-stricken. famished look of the latter. In conclusion, I may remark that the above test is a record for milking competitions at our show here, if not. also for the colony, and it is appropriate that this should, have bedn put up at the Jubilee Show of the premier association of the colony, where the- prize was worthy of it.—l am. etc., EDW. G. LEVI2CGE, M. 8., Sunnyside Asylum, Christchurch.