PUREBRED DAIRY HORNS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2686, 6 September 1905, Page 6

PUREBRED DAIRY HORNS.

In connection with the^^^^^^^^^^H ment in England for theJ^^^^^^^^^H the milking properties °^^^^^^^^^^^| horns, a circular recently^^^^^^^^^^J the names of 10 well-kno^^^^^^^^^^J plains the objects of the P^^^^^^^^^l fundamental reasons for tl^^^^^^^J scheme are the pre-eminent andl^^^^^H importance of the dairy industry I^^^^| unquestionable fitness of the cosv^^^^^M breed to answer the requirenier^^^^^H dairy farmer if its inherent <pi'^^^^^^^H suitably cultivated and develo^^^^^^^^H admitted that the authors °^^^^^^^^^| make out a very strong c .*vse-4^^^^^^^| their proposals, and it is oenevecPlßil^^^M will be accord d in Enplane 1 widelfpreaasiM hearty Snpp b by ft) any who have in re-J cent years \ -jen dis,JoS d to replace pedi* gree by nou-pedigi c oiitle on their farms. As is poiuted out iv tfie circulax, the necessities of the unportant and growing dairy, pursuit have impelled many breeders ta devoid iaoie attention than formerly to the mukj-Tig capacities of their cows, and iiT""'.. e-ai lierds the cultivation and develupiifia of those properties are now, made .;n essential element in the management i! d mating of the animals, with the result that purebred milking strains have materially gained in popularity in the extenfdvf districts where milk-selling or some ofJuer branch of the dairy industry is a promi >ent feature of the farming system.Accordingly, the authors express thir opinion that the time has arrived when the mopenient should be extended irjSwroe »'■' order tha^J^yl -ft'c-i. t naM^^^h^^^l^H lishmen^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^l and .^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^| short|^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H that- j^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H new^-dj^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H

strongly encouraged by the showing system to the disadvantage of the dairy properties of -the breed; but the authors beheve +Lt the demonstration of the miuang iiiilil toWft» * no int f tion o! con " vlSinl the shorthorn breed, .or any section of it, into purely milking animals, tHhe neglect of the grazing, interests of 'the country. The exclusive- aim is rather S r Se the dual-purpose merits, which in modern years have" in the better known SrXTSi considerably disturbed and therefore "the movement (says the > Field, London) is deserving of the support of every wdlwisher of our premier variety of July cattle. .. . W ab > ™ d notable feature in the scheme is the assurance that there is no intention of working outside or away from the present breed society ; the promoters are to remain loyal supporters of the Shorthorn Society, and will confine their efforts entirely within the scope of the present register. Jlie names on the circular, indeed, are a sufficient guarantee that the operations o* the proposed scheme will be carried on in strict conjunction with and not m opposition to the parent society, and there is nothing in the scheme as it is outlined in the circular before us to which the most ardent supporter of the existing type of shorthorn could take exception. As to the means by which the promoters hope to achieve their end, they seem wifely to be keeping an open mind peuiing the lull investigation and. discussion of- the subject at a later period. Mention is made of the .giving of ■ prizes, the recommending of judges, the publishing of milk wco'ds and information, but it will bo fr>e for, members to accept or reject these proposals or to add to their number. Prizes for the encouragement of the milking properties of the breed are already being given by the Shorthorn Society, but little or nothing is done officially in publishing milking records and such, other information as might be of use to breeders in estimating the merits of their herds. We believe that the systematic publication of the records of leading herds will be. distinctly instrumental of good, in that it may be the means of inducing others to emulate the example of the painstaking farmer, and , thus lead them into the only way of arriving at the actual performances of the different animals in their herds. At to the proposed action, in recommending judges, the promoters may here find themselves on somewhat delicate ground. Presumably the intention is that representation should be made to societies to select judges favourable to milking types, but it would be very easy to carry this system too far. Besides, the unintentional inference that the judge is the sole or leading agent in directing the showyard types is not quite in accordance with fact. Probably if, instead of intervening in the thorny subject of selecting judges, the promoters sought to .impress upon agricultural societies the desirability of attaching superior ' importance to the milking properties of the breed they would stand a better chance of achieving tangible results, and certainly would run less risk of arousing unfortunate dissensions m their own society "