THE ILLAWARRA SHORTHORNS.

Waikato Independent, Volume XII, Issue 1019, 1 June 1911, Page 6

THE ILLAWARRA SHORTHORNS.

• HEAD AND SHOULDERS ABOVE OrHER BREEDS. Mr W. Drysdaie, manager of the Government Experimental Farm at Weraroa, who has been on a visit to New South Wales, contributes an article to the Journal of the Department of Agriculture on the Illawarra Shorthorns. He says:---The first thing that struck me was that,', even where feed was abundant, the conditions were obviously very trying to cattle at pasture. Instead of the rich fields of grass and the temperate climate of New Zealand, in which cows can feed and rest in comfort,the grazing stock has to contend against a trying temperature and annoying insects flies, etc. it would certainly appear under the circumstances that milk-producing is not as profitable to the Australian a 3 to the New Zealand dairy farmer. Another factor which tells ag'inst Australian dairy cattle doing their best ,from season[to season is the great variation in the food supply throughout the year. It is too often the case that the summer is very hot and the feed scarce, while when good rains come the feed conditions are at the other extreme —a rank succulence. In every way the climate of the Commonwealth is'a severe one on heavy-milking cattle. I was infoirmed that cows imported from New Zealand seldom did well during their first year's experience of Australian conditions, chiefly owing to the more trying climate, as well as to the fly trouble. Taking the dairy cattle of New South Wales and Victoraia as a whole, there is nothing in the recognised special milking breeds which stands out as worthy of comment. Here and there there are individual Jerseys, Holsteins, and Ayrshires of striking quality, but they are the exception rather than the rule. Some of the Ayrshires are better than are to be found in this country, but probably a finer collection of both Jer3ey and Holstein cows could be brought together in New Zealand. A breed which is promising to supersede any of the above dairy types, in New South Wales especially, is the* Guernsey, which is fast becoming very popular, a Herd Book Society for the breed having just been established. At the Berry Stud Farm of the Department of Agriculture there are Shorthorns, Jerseys, Ayrshires, Holsteins and Guernseys, and the last-named are the most popular of all with the manager. Tnis is not because the other cows are indifferent specimens of their respective breeds, for each of the herds includes distinctly typical animils, many of them of outstanding ouality, but sirnply because the mana*em°i t hai f> und the Gue:nseys to be ine most satisfactory. They are heavier milkers than the Jerspys, and, if their milk is not so rich in butter-fat. the greater quantity of produce and their hardier and more placid natures , fully make up for this. 1 consider they would be even more popular in this country. The breed which proved the most interesting to me in Australia was that known as the Illawarra Miliring Shorthorn, a dairy type of Shorthorn evolved in the south coast districts of the State f oti a Shorthcrn-Ayrs" ire fiuidat'oi, but now bred for about thirty years to a Shorthorn dairy type. Whatever critics may say of the Illawarra cow, it is certain that she can produce milk, and 'hat she is a distinct dairy type which has been absolutely fixed. One very good point of the Illawarra is that while it is a heavy producer, the milk is generally of a very satisfactory but- I ler-fat standard. The dairy-farmers'j responsible for her creation are proceeding on sound lines to maintain, I and if possible improve, the special breed they have evolved. In the Herd Book Society formed of recent years performance as well as Illawarra type are laid down as the essentials to registration. A cow must be able to produce under supervision a certain yield of milk, but, no matter what the yield, if she cannot pass inspection as the type desired she is not considered to be eligible When this sound system of advancing dairy type through a herd book has progressed for i a decade or so the Illawarra Shorthorns should be without a rival in Australia as utility milking stock. During my investigations in Australia I could only come to one conclusion, taking my own observations, the state' ments of disinterested parties, and what I could read, and that was that Illawarra cattle were head and shoulders above the other breeds when the general returns from the herds came to be averaged. There is not the same tailing-off as is usual with too many herds of the other special-purpose breeds—and it is, after all, the average rather than the work of a few exceptional animals which determines the value of a brep.d. Good as is the work the Illawarra cow is doing in its native environment, I am convinced it would show much greater returns under New Zealand conditions.