THE ALLANDALE AYRSHIRE STUD.

Southland Times, Issue 19395, 8 November 1924, Page 12 (Supplement)

THE ALLANDALE AYRSHIRE STUD.

STORY OF HERD. On Edendale’s fertile plain can be seen many of Southland’s notable studs of dairy stock, not the least of which is the stud of Mr R. S. Weir, situated within three miles to the south of Edendale township and immediately below the eastern boundary of the Kamahi bush. This herd of exceptionally heavy milking Ayrshires, was founded by the present owner in 1920, and when one considers’the degree of success which has been attained during the few succeeding years, it will be at once apparent with what extreme foresight and judgment Mr Weir purchased the foundation stock. It is only by the honesty and progressiveness of its breeders, that any breed of dairy cattle can become popular and secure the favourable opinion of the dairying public. The Allandale Stud has already achieved many notable successes in the show ring, and, judging by the appearance of the eligible entrants for the forthcoming show this year, further successes should fall to Mr Weir.

Prior to the World War, Mr Weir was in partnership with his brothers in the wellknown Glen Weir Ayrshire Stud on the Otago Peninsula. This was considered the most progressive Ayrshire combination in the South Island, extensive operations in show and testing work being done. Returning home after a period of war service, Mr Weir went into partnership with his brother, A. M. Weir (noted judge and demonstrator), of the famous Ivanhoe Stud at Menzies Ferry, where he practised for softie time. Subsequently he purchased a farm on his own account and founded the Allandale Stud, chiefly on the purchases made from Rankin Bros., of Underwood. Mr Weir displayed great judgment when he purchased Rankin Bros.' famous show champion—Highland Mary, and a great but-ter-fat producer. Miss Gillies Ist, because it is since their purchase that both have made names for themselves as show cows and butter-fat producers. They have also proved their worth as breeders, and the public of Southland will have an opportunity of seeing some of their progeny at the Invercargill Show in December of this year, when it is expected they will take a lot of beating. Mr Weir was eminently successful even in the first years of his show ring career, winning with Highland Mary the gold medal championship of the South Island at Invercargill. Again, the following year, he won the ribbon at Invercargill with her, and in 1922 he was again successful when he showed Highland Mary in Dunedin. Many breeders remember this memorable contest, all the South Island champions competing for the big prize, among which were Ivanhoe Maud, Maesgwyn Princess, Ella of Townhead and April Flower 10th of Gowan Bank. It is worthy of note that Maesgwyn Princess, one of Highland Mary’s unsuccessful rivals on this occasion, has since made an enviable record in the North Island, taking everything before her as did Highland Mary in the South, and since she is a full-sister to Maesgwyn Starlight, dam of Mr Weir’s present herd sire, Maesgwyn Midnight, it will be recognised that some of the Allandale blood at least represent the finest obtainable in New Zealand.

Following the early show ring successes, Mr Weir sought to establish some authentic butter-fat records, and so commenced semi-official testing by entering Miss Gillies Ist, this cow proving a good one by producing 5431b5. fat, average test 4.1, in exactly 11 months. She can be held up as an outstanding example of the possibility of high production and show qualifications combined in the one animal, a not very common combination, unfortunately. She has also proved herself wonderfully reproductive and her progeny are splendid specimens of the breed. In fact, Mr Weir considers this cow one of the soundest breeding cows in Southland. One of her daughters, Miss Gillies 3rd, has several successful show ring performances; as a yearling she was second in a class of fourteen, a Christchurch heifer beating her, and curiously enough, the winning heifer is the dam of Mr Weir’s present herd sire, Maesgwyn Midnight. As a two-year-old, Miss Gillies 3rd was first at Invercargill, and the following year as a three-year-old was successful in winning the dry cow class at Invercargill in very hot competition. Last year §he won the dry cow class both at Invercargill and Wyndham. Strong breeding qualities are very pronounced in all the offspring of the foundation cow, Miss Gillies Ist, as one of her granddaughters, namdy, Allandale Trixie, is a Southland champion heifer, who, both at Invercargill and Wyndham, won the two-year-old class, being placed reserve to Ivanhoe Maud for the championship ribbon. Allandale Trixie has developed wonderfully, and her owner feels quite justly confident that she will annex some of the higher honours at the

forthcoming shows. As further proof of the consistent breeding qualities of the Miss Gillies strain, Mr Weir has a very promising heifer out of Allandale Trixie, whom he expects to go far. In the effort to make a sound foundation for the Allandale Stud, Mr Weir made purchases from some of the highest producing Ayrshire studs in this Island, including the Townhead, Birchwood. Knapdale and Kylemore. These purchases Mr Weir considers the right type, being big, roomy, heavybodied, high-producing cows. One of the Townhead purchases was Violet, another successful show cow, always being well to the fore in the wet cow classes. She was recently sold with her mate, Mary of Townhead, at a very satisfactory figure, her purchaser, Mr Marshall, of Auckland, subsequently expressing entire satisfaction with his purchase. Two other very worthy purchases from the Townhead Stud which are likely to make great names for themselves in the butter-fat world are Myra and Iris. They were recently started under semi-official test, and their first test showed them to be higher than most, while giving a great flow of milk. Myra was still milking 651bs of milk at 4.0 test, while Iris was giving 601bs of milk per day. Another great “Allandal” cow on test is Sheilah’s Favourite, she giving 801bs milk per day at 4.2 test. It is not too much to say that both Myra and Sheilah’s Favourite will be record breakers this year, judging by these figures. Both Myra of Townhead and Iris of Townhead have show ring successes, having gained several prizes at Oamaru shows, and Mr Weir is satisfied that these are the right sort to continue breeding from as they are big-framed and roomy, with well balanced, good tested vessels. Mr Weir is of the opinion that the most necessary qualifications for the Ayrshire are size and constitution, coupled with breed character and milking qualities, maintaining that many Ayrshire breeders have been laying too much stress on the pretty, compact, neat vesseled Ayrshire, white he much prefers the big-framed cow with a corresponding vessel, the teats, from a side view, being well spread. The Knapdale and Kylemore purchases include Knapdale Ivy and Knapdale Lucy and Bifdy of Kylemore; these Mr Weir expects to put on semi-offi-cial test next year, as he is confident that they will be conspicuous as milk and but-ter-fat producers—something much above the ordinary. Realising the great influence which the sire has in stud breeding, and in view of the obvious high quality of his foundation females, Mr Weir sought to obtain the very best herd sire procurable at that time, and in the course of his search Mr Weir visited many shows and studs, eventually choosing that well-bred bull, Ivanhoe Toreador, who, in 3920, was reserve champion to the gold medal winner at Invercargill. Once again Mr Weir’s judgment proved sound, for this bull has left many outstanding males and females, one of which is Allandale Trixie, the very promising heifer aforementioned. Ivanhoe Toreador is out of King Cole’s Curly, one of the noted Glen Weir cows, and off Mr A. M. Weir’s famous butter-fat sire Eindsward Jimmy, sire of the New Zealand Ayrshire champion butter-fat cows, namely, Ivanhoe Fillpail (mature) 6461b5. fat; Ivanhoe Fancy 7131bs fat at four years. The mating of Ivanhoe Toreador’s female progeny to the exceptionally wellbred sire, Maesgwyn Midnight (whose breeding cannot be excelled in New Zealand), and the mating of both these sires to the original foundation cows, is destined to bring much fame to the Allandale Stud. This exceptional herd of pedigree Ayrshires is a credit to both breed and breeder, and under the control of such a progressive and painstaking breeder, many successful butter-fat records and show performances will be sure to eventuate.