GRANNIE'S GIRL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14380, 25 November 1908, Page 5

GRANNIE'S GIRL.

' ' (Taranaki Herald.) i Taranaki people, have become very proud of having ii* the district (owned and bred), a 'cow that .could go to Palmerston North whoa five, 1 months, in. milk, and; not only hold but'completely 1 out-distance .everything pitted against her ini'the butterfafc competition.' It .was,a great'performance, and stamps her easily as''the.cham-. pion of New Zealand. Readers will leam with regret that she is likely to W lost to the district, for she,-together with the whole herd of -.80 pedigree. Jerseys, is to be sold by auction on 27th inat.', on the farmi Corbett road. Messrs Griffiths and Cornwall own probably the best and greatest herd of pedigree Jerseys in the colony. It is to be hoped- that an effort will be made-by bur farmers to retain a large portion of tho'herd. Our reporter paid ift visit to the farm recently,'and:' was surprised to find such a collection of remarkable Jersey cows. They are not there'for looks, Dut for butterfat. That, is what Mr Cornwall has been breeding for for 20 years. To be present and soe the cows milked is to see" cow ; Rafter cow fill'her bucket to overflowing;' and We ail know what Jersey milk iej Last season the average .■ test at ; the Bell Block factory for the herd was .5.3! As Cows taken from this side of the mountain produce _about 50, per cent, to 50 per cent, more milk on the pastures round Manga? toki and the Waimato Plains, what wonders these cows -should perform under such a change. Quite a •number 'of the cows give from Wlb'to 481b daily at the flush, and one cow .(Jessica) has nearly touched the' 601b mark. , -■ ~ .. The, heaviest milkers are descendants of the- great old cow Grannie (dam of Grannie's l3irl) ajid Lady Ellen. Observers have been particularly struck with Mermaid, a great-grarid-daughter of Grannie— not yet two years old. She has just dropped her first calf, and is milking 361b (daily; she carries a faultless udder and has a great depth of body. On examining her pedigree we find she traces many times to the great Cicero-a/bull noted for tho great dairy cows he has produced. Grannie's Girl has ; gone back/ a great deal owing to her jaunt to Palmereton North, whero she got very sore teato. Magnet's Peggy is as pretty a thing as can be seen anywhere. The pride of plaee at the sale will .be contested by the young bull imported from the Island of Jersey last year, Campanile's Sultan. ; This bull is not yet three years old, but is as' well grown as most bulls of that age.' His ancestors are remarkable for ; their ' butter-fa* records; 201b per week is looked upon more as a minimum standard than, an exception. Knowing his ancestors for many'generations back, and the prepotency of tho family, Mr Perree, on the Island of Jersey, wrote Mr Griffiths that when Campanile's Sultan's heifers get in milk he does not expect any bull in New Zealand to equal him. As he •won "Reserve over Jersey" as a yearling in April, 1907, m hot company, he must be affood one; and he certainly looks it. He has (already 20 calves to his credit in the sale, and two or three more are expected before the sale. As cattle are ■ upset by being driven seven miles to town; spending two days away from home, and going seven mile's back,: Messrs Griffiths and Cornwall are only exhibiting five beasts at the Now Plymouth show, preferring to keep the others quietly at home in view of the sale the next day. Campanile's Sultan, Magnet's Peggy, Fury's Fairy, and two yearlings will, complete their team. The 'sale will comprise every animal owned by the partners. It is announced that nothing will be withheld, and there will bo no reserve. In addition, to tho pedigree stock there will be seven purebred Berkshires, four grade Jer'seys three horses, harness, implements, etc.-ABvt. 25/11/08