Stud Cattle Breeders’ Page.

Southland Times, Issue 20538, 14 July 1928, Page 3 (Supplement)

Stud Cattle Breeders’ Page.

A GREAT TWO-YEAR-OLD TYPE CLASSIFICATION

FICTITIOUS SALES. MOVEMENT TO PREVENT FALSE REPORTS. JERSEY BREEDERS ACTIVE. At the recent annual meeting of the New Zealand Jersey Association at Rotorua, a discussion took place during consideration of a remit that transfers of registered animals should be made as public as possible for the protection of purchasers. The remit., which was moved by Mr J. Pettigrew (South Taranaki) was as follows: That the council be recommended to consider the question of giving full publicity to the transfers of all animals offered for sale, and reported to have been sold, to ensure the protection of purchasers, and for the good of the Jersey breed as a whole.” Mr Vosper moved ,as an amendment: “That any breeder holding a complete dispersal sale should not be able to register any progeny of any cattle sold at that sale for a period of twelve months; also all stock knocked down to a purchaser must be transferred to such purchaser.” The speaker urged that breeders were simply mesmerizing young breeders by holding sales wrongly described as “dispersal sales,” in that many of the transactions were fictitious. In seconding the amendment, Mr H. J. Lever (Bay of Plenty) said that to his mind some of the auction sales held in Waikato during the past year or so were absolutely demoralizing. Mr Linn, in endorsing the amendment, said that at many of the auction sales in Taranaki the best cattle were bought in by the vendor, and only the culls left to be purchased by young breeders. Mr Dermer, while agreeing that there was room for serious complaint, questioned whether the amendment was practicable, and whether the council had the power to enforce it. The president agreed that the amendment bristled with difficulties. In the course of a general discussion various members decried the practice of cattle being knocked down to fictitious buyers, whose names were in due course published in the sales reports in the Press, whereas the cattle never really left the herd of the vendor. Mr F. Jennings (Mauriceville) asked what would happen in the case of cattle being knocked down to a purchaser who was subsequently unable to pay for them, and after some discussion had taken place on the point raised by the last speaker, the amendment was carried in preference to the remit, which was rejected. The chairman said that delegates could rely upon the council giving the fullest consideration to the whole matter. A GREAT TWO-YEAR-OLD. FRIESIAN HEIFER’S PRODUCTION. “RECORD FOR ALL BREEDS.” By completing her year under semi-offi-ciel test on May 15, with 22,671.9 lb milk and 819,81 lb fat, the Friesian heifer, Pareora Echo Blossom, created a fresh record for senior two-year-olds in New Zealand for all breeds, states a circular issued by the New Zealand Friesian Breeders’ Association. She thus surpassed the existing record of 805.77 lb fat held by the Friesian heifer, Netherland Princess 4th, since about 1914. The new record is over 51 lb fat greater than the highest of any other breed which incidentally is that of the Jersey Ivondale Golden Rainbow, 768.46 lb fat. Starting test at the age of two years 223 days Pareora Echo Blossom was very consistent throughout her test, her monthly

For ten months she was on top of her class in the merit list and the only other full month that she was on test she was third despite her return of 70.98 lb fat. The honour of breeding thig record breaker belongs to Mr A. S. Elworthy who maintains the noted “Pareora” stud of pedigree Friesians at “Holme Station” Timaru, while her present owner, Mr T. Sheriff was responsible for her performance while under test in his “Melroe” Friesian stud at Clandeboye, Temuka, South Canterbury. Pareora Echo Blossom who is a heifer showing type and dairy quality throughout, was born on October 5, 1924. She was sired by Rosevale Echo Burkeyje, a son of the imported bull, Echo Sylvia Sire Griselda, whose first 12 daughters to be tested, all as two-year-olds average 572 lb fat, and of Rosevale Burkeyje Sylvia who has seven first class certificates of record averaging 632 lb fat, and who is a daughter of the World’s Champion “Long-distance” cow, Burkeyje Sylvia Posch. Pareora Echo Blossom is therefore a great-granddaughter of this famous matron. Pareora Cherry Blossom who has a C.O.R. for 491.35 1b fat at two years 324 days and a “failed to qualify” record of 677.42 1b fat at four years 346 days is the dam of Pareora Echo Blossom. The maternal grandsire is Marquis Segis Colantha who is descended from the best American blood. He has nine C.O.R. daughters including three with records over 600 lb fat and is a son of the imported animals, King Segis, Wild Rose Homestead and Colantha Lass .of Conemaugh. The former is one of the leading sires in the Dominion to-day, having 22 C.O.R. daughters and nine proven sons, while the latter has a C.O.R. daughter with a record of 4651 b fat as a junior two-year-old and one proven son. The maternal granddam is Pareora Glommen, 376.97 lb fat at two years 318 days, a daughter of Friesland Colantha Lad who has five C.O.R. daughters including Oakwood Daisy Bell, 914.67 lb fat, and of Oakwood Cherry who is descended from the original Longbeach Dutch Friesians, her sire being Kruger 2nd, who has 13 C.O.R. daughters, and six proven sons. It will therefore be seen that Pareora Echo Blossom is a worthy successor as a class leader of all breeds. In recognition of this great performance the New Zealand Friesian Association has awarded to Mr T. Sheriff a Special Certificate of Merit, as well as their heartiest congratulations. Lambeth is the Lamb hythe, or the landing-place for lambs, and no doubt at one time this part of the Thames side of London was used as a kind of wharf for landing livestock, chiefly lambs.

CANADIAN TESTS. PIG-KEEPING INVESTIGATION. LARGE WHITE BREED PROMINENT. A most interesting and instructive pamphlet has recently been published giving the results from thirteen years of experiment in pig-keeping at the Dominion Experimental Station, Lacombe, Alberta, Canada, says the New Zealand Farmer. The breeding projects have been mainly carried on in connection with three breeds—Yorkshire (or, as we term it, Large White), Berkshire and Duroc Jersey, the latter a breed of a pig not unlike the American Poland China breed, save that the colour is red. This is considered in the United States as a good pork pig, as it is hardy, somewhat strong in the bone, carries a strong coat of hair, and can be made very fat. After six years, the Duroc Jersey herd was dispensed with, as it was found that the Yorkshires and Berkshires made pork cheaper and were more in demand for breeding purposes. In addition, the pork from the Duroc Jersey was of a slightly coarser quality, and the bone coarser, or, as we term it, stronger. Another objection to the Duroc Jersey pigs was that they were more trouble to handle. In the fall of 1924 a herd of Tamworth pigs was established. In addition to the trials in the feeding of pigs, the supplying of choice breeding stock to farmers at reasonable prices is one of the objects pursued at Lacombe and the other Dominion experimental stations. In the year of 1923, 112 head of breeding stock were sold to farmers, and in the year 1924, which was a year of reduction and retrenchment in the hog industry in Alberta, 67 head of boars and gilts were sold for breeding stock. Of this number 61 were pure-bred Yorkshires, and the remaining six were Berkshires. PROLIFICACY OF VARIOUS BREEDS. It is stated that the prolificacy of a breed of pigs is a very important point, directly affecting the profits of the breeding and feeding operations. A table is given showing the prolificacy during two four-year periods. During the first period extending over 1917-1920 the average number of pigs per litter was for Yorkshires 10.4, for Duroc Jerseys 8.7, and for Berkshires 8.6, and, during the second period, 1921-1923 inclusive, the average number was for Yorkshires 10.9, Duroc Jerseys 8.8, and for Berkshires 8.4. Six litters of crossbreds (Yorkshire-Berkshire) farrowed in 1924 gave an average of 10.8, showing that during the eight-year period the Yorkshires had an appreciable lead nearly 20 per cent., over the other two breeds in size of litters. A second table is given showing the farrowing results from the different breeds, also of the spring and fall litters for 1922 and the three following years. The spring litters of which there were seventy-one Yorkshires, averaged 11.3, 11.4, 11.09, and 10.8, in the four years respectively. The Berkshire average was 7.1, 10.6, and 9.2 from 51 litters. In the years 1922 and 1923 I there were 27 litters of Duroc Jerseys, and the averages were 10.2 and 8.8. In 1925 I there were 15 litters of Tamworths, and 1 the average was 6.9. Six litters of crossI breds in 1924 and 1925 averaged 8.5 and 10.0. In the fall, or autumn, of the four years 42 litters of Yorkshires the averages were 11.7, 11.1, 10.0 and 9.7. The 17 Berk- ' shires averages were 9.0, 12.5, 7.7, and 7.5. ;Of DurOc Jerseys in 1922 and 1923 the I averages of 16 litters were 7.6 and 10.5. The 1 six litters of Tamworths in 1925 averaged 6.9, whilst the 11 litters of crossbreds in 1924 and 1925 were 12.0 and 8.7. The cause of the discontinuance of the Duroc Jersey is stated to be as follows: “The more extreme lard type and characteristics have been the undoing of the Duroc Jersey since the bacon type of hog 1 came into its own again following the close of the Great War, with an attending discriminating demand for pork products of the bacon class. As a mother the Duroc Jersey sow compares favourably with the Berkshire—in fact, according to results at this station, farrows slightly larger litters.” SEASONAL PRODUCTION. 1 Until recent years the system of breeding only one litter of pigs annually from a sow has been common in North America. It has also been quite a common practice to breed one litter of pigs in the spring from a yelt and then to fatten her. These systems might have been excusable when the pigs led a more or less wild life and when little labour was bestowed upon them until they were old enough to become fat on cob corn thrown to them or in following after cattle fattened on corn when a certain proportion of the corn would have been spoiled unless the pigs had been present to pick it up; but as pig-keeping became more civilized the waste of time and the impossibility of improving the breed’s capabilities of the sows by selection from the best mothers became impressed on pigkeepers, and attention was turned to obtaining both spring and fall litters from 1 the sows. I Like other comparative novelties the new system met with considerable opposition from the old-fashioned breeders. Amongst 1 the objections was the alleged improbability of the sows producing a good litter of pigs a second time in one season; hence the experiments of which the results are given above. ,The tables given all show the great superiority of the Yorkshire in prolificacy over the other breeds mentioned. On this point the pamphlet states as follows:—“Twelve years of experience observation with i the Yorkshires at this station shows them to be good mothers, and that they produce large litters, and are as docile as either the Berkshire or the Duroc Jersey.” THE JERSEY BREED. POSITION IN NEW ZEALAND. “The Jersey Breeders’ Association is pro- . bably the largest and wealthiest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, if not the , Empire. The value and wealth of the I association lies not only in its membership I and assets, but chiefly in its value to the I Dominion and the world at large, due to its cattle and the production therefrom, of the exportable value of dairy produce of approximately £18,000,000,” said the president of the New Zealand Jersey Breeders’ Association (Mr. A. Miseen) at the annual meetings at Rotorua recently. “The Jersey breed of cattle is responsible ■for at least one half of this (that is pedigrees and grades). Then take into consideration the number of farm-hands employed on farms where herds of ten cows and over were milked; there were 56,401 males and 19,773 females, making a total of 76,174 employees, if, say, one half were engaged by producers milking pedigree and grade Jerseys and Jersey cross cattle. We find that approximately 38,087 employees are finding employment on farms where the breed predominates. We might go on from the production side of the business to the manufacturing side, and it would give astonishing figures. Well might we be proud of our association, and may its 1 aims and objects ever be to make for the I advancement and betterment not only of I its members, but for the progress and betterment of the Dominion as a whole.”

HEAVY YIELDS. BIG RED POLL RETURNS. The largest herd of Red Polls in the breed, namely, that of Mr Thomas S. Matthews, of Sporle, affords (says The Livestock Journal, England) a fine example of the affinity between milk and beef in Red Poll cattle. It is a herd made up of such cattle which last year produced an average of 86891 b from fifty cows and heifers. This average, it should be emphasized, is not the outcome of exceptionally high yields in the case of a minority. There are only ten 1000-gallon yielders, the highest being 12,6631 b, with an average of 4 per cent, of butter-fat. Of the total number in the herd there are only four under 70001 b, and these average close on 68001 b. The butterfat percentages of the whole herd average close upon 4 per cent., there being numerous instances of 5 per cent, being exceeded. The lactation period foi the whole of the Sporle herd is approximately 330 days. There are several cows in the herd which have had ten or mors calves, and one of these, nearly fourteen years old, has had fourteen calves; with her last twin bulls she yielded 8257|1b of milk. No herd more effectively reflects all the qualities of the breed than the Brightwell Red Polls of the Right Hon. E. G. Prettyman, who has continuously, year in and year out, not only secured 800-gallon averages with cows and heifers fed not by modern forcing methods, but by a natural mode of life, with complete freedom from indoor confinement. This herd has not only kept up its yields with an average of 82771 b for cows and heifers, but, as the fat stock bears witness, it has again furnished the highest-priced steers grazed in the open for Ipswich fat stock markets. FRIESIAN RECORDS. INTERESTING PARAGRAPH. Ballyhill Brineen, a British Friesian cow, has in the first 159 days of her present milking period given 140071 b. milk an average daily yield of 881 b. Another British Friesian has produced 128301 b. milk in 169 days, an average of 761 b. milk daily. Beccles Dimple has given 114201 b. in 121 days, an average daily yield of over 941 b. Eldad Meibloem, a pedigree Friesian cow, has just completed her second 2000 gallon record in a year. With her 3rd calf she gave 223201 b milk ’and 906.191 b fat and with her 4th calf she has now given 200401 b milk and 809.61 b fat in 360 days. Dutchland Creamelle Ladoga has now set up a world’s record for production for three records, all as a heifer. Calving at 2 years 45 days she produced 19790.41 b milk and 692.121 b fat at 3 years 92 days, 26779.81 b milk and 901.781 b fat, and at 4 years 199 days, 26288.91 b milk and 903.221 b fat, a total of 72859.11 b milk and 2507.121 b fat. Rose De Koi Wayne Butter Boy, a Friesian cow in her first four lactations at 2,3, 4 and 5 years covering a total milking period of 44 months averaged each month a production of 18661 b. milk and 77.131 b. fat, a truly remarkable performance. TYPE CLASSIFICATION. PROPOSAL FOR JERSEY COWS. DISCUSSION BY BREEDERS. The matter of classification of Jersey cows on type was discussed at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Jersey Breeders’ Association at Rotorua. On behalf of the Manawatu Jersey Club, Mr C. G. Dermer moved: “That it be a recommendation to the council to introduce, as soon as possible, a system providing for the classification, according to type, of registered female Jersey cattle, such classification to be on the following lines:—(a) That judges for the purpose of classification be appointed by the Council of the Association; (b) that the cost of classification be borne by the association and breeders submitting cattle for classification; (c) that the classification takes place only at the request of breeders, and applies only to such cattle as breeders submit for classification; (d) that no cattle under the age of three years be accepted for classification; (e) that where, in the opinion of the judges, cattle submitted are worthy of distinction as regards type, they shall award degrees as under, according to the judges’ placing as regards merits:—“H.C.,” signifying Highly Commended; “C,” signifying Commended; “C.P.,” signifying Commended on account of Superior Progeny. (The latter degree to apply where cattle themselves are not deemed worthy of recognition for type, but are considered to be so on account of the superior quality of their progeny.) Mr Dermer explained that the remit had been unanimously adopted by a recent conference of Jersey Cattle Clubs. All would agree that the ideal aimed at was a cow of high type and a high producer. At the present time, there were means of proving the productive powers of a cow, but no means of proving what qualifications she had in the matter of type. While it might be found necessary to modify the scheme, still, on broad lines, it was quite workable. The speaker had little doubt that two or three men could be found who were quite capable of standardizing the Jersey cows of the Dominion. The difficulty in the past was to settle upon some scheme for the inspection and culling of their herds. The system suggested would enable young breeders to take the opinion of competent judges as to which cows brought under their notice were of the right type. At the present time they had no type, or rather, so many , different types that standardization of type was out of the question. He asked the meeting to endorse the principle, and thus give the council an opportunity of working out the details. The adoption of the scheme would be a big factor in further popularizing the breed. CONFLICTING OPINIONS. Mr W. Hall (Thames) seconded the remit, and warmly commended it to the meeting, urging that production and type should run together. An amendment was moved to clause “a” by Mr Veale, “that the judges for the purposes of classification be nominated by the Jersey Clubs, and be elected by the vote of all members of the association.” In reply to Mr London, Mr Dermer said that it was not proposed to brand the cattle classified. As for the amendment, if the members had not sufficient confidence in the council to appoint the judges, then they should replace them by others. Mr Petersen urged that in view of the poor attendance of members at the meeting, the whole question should be shelved for twelve months. Nothing short of a widely representative vote would suffice. Mr Dermer stated that the scheme had already been endorsed by a very representative gathering of Jersey clubs at Palmerston North. All that was required by the promoters of the remit at the present juncture was an expression of opinion.

The president said that the time had arrived for the introduction of the scheme, in order to improve the cattle of the Dominion. Mr R. J. Linn: If you fetch in production, I will support it. If you can’t get production you have no cow! Mr Vosper said it was a very fine scheme indeed. Mr Hall said that doubtless the council would work in something about production in the scheme. THE INCIDENCE OF PRODUCTION. Mr Petersen said that he was quite satisfied that the majority of the breeders were against it. What was the use of classifying cows on type to the exclusion of butter-fat ? If production were left out, the classification would be valueless and only misleading to young breeders, who would be as much at sea as ever. The country was crying out for production, and, in the light of this, the present proposal was a retrograde one. It was production, not type, that had led to opening up a market for New Zealand Jerseys in South Africa. Mr A. C. Lovelock declared himself as being strongly in favour of the remit. Mr Petersen, he averred, overlooked the fact that Jersey cattle were already classed according to production, this by virtue of the C.O.R. system. This remit would permit the cattle to be classed according to type as well as production, and in many cases it would be purely an optional matter. THE SCHEME ENDORSED. Mr Dermer said it was not their idea to fosler type at the expense of production—far from it. He had no objection to affixing production to the scheme, but he did not think it was necessary, in that semi-official testing already classified cows according to production. The production would go on as before. Mr Lewis urged that the scheme could never be a success unless classification were made compulsory. He moved an amendment accordingly. The president said that the time was not very far distant when the association would have to go even further than was proposed in the remit. For the time being, however, it would be going a little too far to make the scheme compulsory. Mr Lever said that if the scheme were brought in gradually and made optional, it would, as in the case of tattooing, eventually be adopted by the great majority of breeders. The amendment for compulsion was lost on the voices. Eventually the result was adopted after being amended, at the suggestion of Mr Lovelock, by providing that the judges be chosen by a conference of official judges, the final selection to be made by the council. BREEDERS’ PUBLICITY. ENERGETIC FRIESIAN BRANCH. The publicity department of the N. Z. Friesian Breeders Association is certainly alive to all opportunities to press forward the advantages of the breed. The following has been received this week:— Football scribes in all parts of the Dominion are at present vainly racking their brains to find a reasonable excuse for the failure of the All Blacks in South Africa. Some of the writers infer that the South African referees have been the cause of the trouble, others blame the rarefied air of the table-lands, and others again say that the main causes of defeat are the lack of experience in the old style of "kicking into touch” and the playing of some of the backs out of their regular positions. There is very little in what any of these writers claim—the real cause of the defeat of the All Blacks is something far different. We know well (for we saw the South African team in New Zealand) that the South Africans are men of magnificent physique, and if we wish New Zealand to regain the Rugby Championship of the world we must take a lesson- from South Africa. •It is well known that milk is the most valuable food for human beings and that a liberal supply of pure milk in youth will build up the bone and tissues of the body in a manner unequalled by any other food. 1 In South Africa the dominant dairy breed is the Friesian and these Friesian cattle are directly descended from the pedigree Friesians of Holland. It is upon Friesian milk that the young Afrikanders have been reared, with the result that they have developed into perfect athletes. Friesian milk by reason of its medium fat content, and the proper balance of its food compounds has been certified to in all countries as the ideal milk for human consumption. The Afrikanders, then, having this great natural advantage, a plentiful supply of Friesian milk, have built up physiques which have made them a race of men that are proving themselves to be the World’s greatest athletes. No fewer than nine of the South Africans in the test team bear the names of well-known South African Friesian breeders. What must New Zealand do? The answer is obvious. Steps must be taken to see that the Friesian dairy cow is placed in her proper place in New Zealand as Queen of the Dairy World. Then can young New Zealanders by drinking freely of this body building, vitamine-containing, health-giving Friesian milk, build up their physical frames so well that in the years to come this Dominion’s footballers will conquer the world.

returns being:— Month. Test. lb. Milk lb. Fat. May (15 days). 4.07 830.4 33.79 June 3.99 1691.3 67.68 July 3.65 1837.2 67.05 August 3.45 1947.8 67.19 September 3.44 2063.4 70.98 October 3.62 2162.4 78.27 November . .. 3.43 2100.5 72.04 December .. .. 3.49 2093.9 73.07 January .. .. 3.40 2003.1 68.10 February .. .. 3.58 1789.2 64.05 March 3.56 1812.3 64.51 April 4.01 1584.5 63.53 May (15 days). 3.91 755.9 29.55 Average Test and Totals 3.62 22671.9 819.81