WEEK OF PEDIGREE SALES

Taranaki Daily News, 24 May 1932, Page 10

WEEK OF PEDIGREE SALES

ARISTOCRATS OF JERSEY BREED

OFFERINGS FROM FAMOUS STUDS

•“JERSEY Week” has become such an institution in Taranaki that the phrase needs little explanation. Suffice it to say that after the combined Ayrshire Breeders sale, which takes place tomorrow, there will be a succession of five Jersey sales at which choice offerings will be made from some of the most notable studs in North and Central Taranaki. Later on in the season a similar group of Jersey sales will be held in South Taranaki. The history of Jersey Week is as remarkable as it is short. Not many years ago breeders who had spent large sums of money abroad and toiled for years in building up super dairy herds thought that it might be an enticement to outside breeders to hold their sales in a series. The success of the scheme was sensational, and one still remembers well the thrill of the ring as prices soared towards the thousand guinea mark.

Taranaki established a reputation as the home of the Jersey cow in New Zealand, and breeders from far north and south, made regular annual pilgrimages to the province to purchase their new blood. The opportunity and the responsibility were there, and the Taranaki breeders seized them with both hands. They concentrated with even greater vigour on evolving a superior type of Jersey to suit New Zealand conditions,' and they succeeded.

To-day it is the buyers’ opportunity. Prices are but Quality is higher. Wrapped up in the next eight days lies many a golden chance of enriching one’s herd immeasurably.

PRODUCERS ALL

WOODLANDS’QUALITY STOCK. QUARTER CENTURY’S RESULTS. Ever since its institution Jersey week in North Taranaki has provided a great opportunity for breeders throughout the Dominion to secure the choicest Jersey blood. This year they will be given a wonderful opportunity, for on Monday next, there is to be held the unreserved dispersal sale of the noted Woodlands Jersey Stud at Hillsborough, which has been raised to its present high standard by careful study and selection on the part of Mr. .H. C. Sampson over the last quarter of a century. “Breed, character and utility,” has been Mr. Sampson’s slogan, with the result that his cattle combine beauty and productive ability —in other words they are the .ideal Jersey. The herd comprises 611 head, including 44 stud Jersey cows, 11 stud Jersey yearling heifers, one herd sire, and five stud Jersey bulls, and they are sure to elicit spirited* competition. In times such as these breeders realise more than ♦ver the necessity for procuring the best stock with butter-fat and show-ring reeords behind them, especially when they can be procured on the lower basis of values now ruling as compared with those of a few years ago. Mr. Sampson is a sound, practical farmer, with an innate love of the beautiful Jersey in which ever since he became a pedigree- breeder twenty-five years ago he has taken a pride. He is now rightly regarded as a leading breeder, and his opinions on the Jersey, as indeed on any farming matters, invariably carry weight. Particularly is this so in North Taranaki, where as president- of the Agricultural Society and other institutions over a period of years he has gained a reputation for straightforwardness and honest dealing. Surely no higher tribute could be paid any man. Through his careful selection of foundation females and of herd sires that have fitted in well with the progeny of the previous sires, Woodlands stud has met not only with continued success but also with continued improvement. The herd has a particularly fine record that will bear the very closest scrutiny, while the cattle themselves show that type and production certainly go hand in hand.

Woodlands stud was built up principally from three great female foundation lines. Mercedes Noble Queen was a double championship winner in New Zealand as well as winner of four first prizes and a reserve championship at the Melbourne show, with a C.O.R. record of 6291 b. of butter-fat in 263 days. Zenith’s Girl had three C.O.R, daughters, and Bonar Lass, which was three times dairy cow champion against all breeds at the New Plymouth show, had a C.O.R. record of 4901 b. of butter-fat. There was also Blush Rose, one of the greatest daughters of K.C.B. Later two daughters of Viola’s Golden Laddie (imp.) were added to the stud. This ■election introduced fresh strains. Four sires have been used very freely in the herd, and that they possess extraordinary ability in transmitting their characteristics to their progeny will be seen by an inspection of .the sale offering on Monday; for the offering comprises the major portion of the catalogue. The sires used mainly were Mercedes Golden Laddie, a son of Viola’s Golden Laddie (imp.), who has produced 27 C.O.R. daughters, from Mercedes Lady, by K.C.B. (imp.). This sire has left stock of beautiful quality and great productive ability. His progeny included many noted show winners, as well as several C.O.R. cows. An important feature is that he has demonstrated undoubtedly that he is powerfully prepotent, and can transmit his qualities to his descendants. One of his daughters, Woodlands Felicity out of Zenith’s Girl, produced 6711 b. of but-ter-fat under C.O.R. test, whilst her daughter, Woodlands Felicie, now in the herd of Mr. P. J. Peterson at Brixton, has the eyes of the whole Jersey world on her in view of her present remarkable performance as a four-year-old, in which she promises to eclipse the world’s record. Already this wonderful Woodlands four-year-old lias beaten the four-year-old record by producing 851.911 b. of butter-fat in 256 days, and as during April she produced pg.lslb. butter-fat she has a groat-

chance of eclipsing the American world record of 11411 b. Her sire was the imported. Bright Sultan. Included in the sale are the dam of Woodlands Felicie, as well as a maternal brother and many close relations. Others of Mercedes Golden Laddie’s daughters include Woodlands Veta, C.O.R. 5781 b. fat, mature class leader for New Zealand for a 305-day test; Woodlands Echo (5701 b. fat), champion Jersey dairy cow at the 1931 Stratford show; Woodlands Golden Gem,. 5451 b. fat at three years, a wonderful show cow, scoring particularly well in the udder and °veins section; and Woodlands Countess, 5311 b. of fat as a junior two-year-old and a great show-ring winner. Several of the above are included in the sale.

Bright Sultan left his constitution and his mark on the herd with fifteen C.O.R. daughters. Blonde’s Victor, by Clarion (imp.) out of Blonde’s Oxford Victress (imp.) was the next sire used with distinct success. His junior two-year-old daughters under, semi-official test, have averaged 4501 b. of fat, and have also been very successful in the show-ring. That combination gave some wonderful material to work on, and Mr. Sampson effected still further improvement with his present herd sire, the imported Brampton Forward Prince, by Forward, who has left 25 tested daughters, including a- 10051 b. butterfat cow on Jersey Island. He was also first for “get of sire” at the National Dairy Show in America and his offspring were first for “get of sire” prizes at eleven important shows, besides scoring grand champions. His dam was Brampton Fairy Princess, bred by B. H. Bull and Sons. She has a C.O.R. record of 5361 b. of butter-fat in 305 days, as a four-year-old. Mr. Slampson considers that this bull will prove the best sire used at Woodlands, as his progeny, both male and female, are of even type, and splendid quality. His daughters have splendid udders and milk veins, and are doing very well under test.

Mr. Sampson’s team of junior two-year-olds will average between 4oolb. and 5001 b. of fat. Brampton Forward Prince is to be submitted for sale, furnishino- a unique opportunity of securing a ligh-classed proven sire. The majority of the females to be submitted are in calf to Brampton Forward Prince. A glance through the catalogue shows that there is to be submitted a wonderful range of high quality Jersey cattle, worthy of travelling a - long way to see, and they are certain to excite admiration from enthusiasts from all parts of the Dominion when paraded on Monday. Many herds in the past have benefited by the introduction of cattle from the Woodlands stud, and many more will benefit as the result of Monday’s sale. Mr. Sampson and his family will certainly part with the stock with the deepest regret. Mr. Sampson at first considered holding merely a reduction sale, but after mature consideration he decided to hold a dispersal sale of the main herd, as he felt that with such a choice lot of in-calf heifers, mostly to his imported sire, and some of the heifer calves, he would still have the foundation for building up another herd of the same high standard. The sale, which is being conducted by Messrs. Wright, Stephenson and Co., Ltd., Newton King, Ltd., and the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-op. Organisation Society in conjunction, is creating a great stir in Jersey circles, judging by the demand for catalogues. Already there have been numerous outside breeders inspecting the stud, and only last Saturday one well-known breeder expressed astonishment 'at seeing so many really good cows in the one herd.