THE JERSEY COW.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 17773, 8 October 1927, Page 13

THE JERSEY COW.

QUESTION OF TYPE. Some discussion on the classification of .lersey cattle according to a standard of type took place at the annual meeting of the Manawatu Jersey Cattle Breeders’ Club, the upshot being that it was decided to circularise other clubs on the subject, stressing the advantage of the proposal. In a report presented on the question, the executive stated;—“For many years past it has been the practice on the Island of Jersey to classifiy Jersey cattle according to a standard of type, and there can be no gainsaying that the island system has achieved much in the way of standardising their ideal. Quite recently a movement has been set afoot in the United States to have all registered dairy cattle classified as to type, and the classification recorded in, and form part of the animal’s pedigree. It is thought this system might be advantageously adopted in New Zealand by our Jersey Breeders' Association; and it must be admitted that the system would have obvious advantages.

Advice for Buyers. “We should have a system that would enable a breeder to present to a prospective buyer in the case of a mature animal the unbiased judgment of type experts as to the type of the animals and its ancestors. It should be possible for a prospective customer to get as much or more information as to the probability of the animal to reproduce type from the tabulated pedigree as he now gets from seeing the animal’s ancestors which it is possible for him to view. In the case of a young breeder such information would be of great value, as his judgment as to type is frequently seriously at fault. Those who have seen the Jersey Island pedigrees of cattle have probably been puzzled as to the significance ‘H.C.’ and ‘C.’ and when you learn that these are degrees awarded for type, you probably thought of what little value attached to them; but there is little doubt that the Island system of awarding degrees for type has been the Island breeder’s greatest asset. We have long able to show them our heels as regard? production, but they have beaten u bn type and will continue to do so until we adopt similar methods. When we do this we can breed type as well as they can.

Three Degrees. “It is suggested that three degrees be adopted, viz.: ‘V.H.C.’ (very highly commended); ‘H.C.’ (highly commended), and ‘C.’ (commended). Only the very cream of both sexes would be eligible for ‘V.H.C.,’ possibly 5 per cent., while ‘H.C.’ would take 15 per cent., and perhaps 30 per cent, would be absorbed under ‘C.’ class. The other 50 per cept. would receive no official recognition as regards type and doubtless many worthy animals would bo left out, but many of these could be examined at a future inspection, and if they had improved sufficiently they might be classed under ‘C.,’ or, if their progeny are of a type to warrant it, the parents might be awarded recognition of this by being classified ‘C.P.’ (commended on account of superior progeny). If the work of classification is well done type degrees will be as stable as production records and will carry equal weight in pedigree. This is not a visionary idea as it has been operating successfully on the Island for years; the Islanders have blazed the trail and surely we can safely follow their footsteps. “It is suggested that three of the best known expert judges of type in the Dominion be got together; let these three work together until an important differences are adjusted and they are fully agreed upon the requirements as regards standards. After the original'three have got the work of classification in hand, and working smoothly, appoint a further three recognised authorities on type, each of whom will be associated with one of the original three, and the classification will then be carried on in pairs. As the newly recruited experts get sufficient experience and become fully conversant with the standard set, each in turn would be placed in charge of a fresh recruit, and so on until there are sufficient competent and standardised experts to carry on the work throughout the Dominion. The cost of classification may be somewhat heavy, but the value of the results achieved would more than compensate for this. It is considered that the inspection and classification should be compulsory.” The meeting decided to eliminate the compulsory clause and to circulate the report as amended to other Jersey clubs.