CHAMPION JERSEY COW OF NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXVII, Issue 5, 20 November 1923, Page 315

CHAMPION JERSEY COW OF NEW ZEALAND.

PRETTY'S FLIRT PRODUCES 1,010 lb. OF BUTTERFAT.

W. M. SINGLETON,

Director of Dairy Division.

At the farm of Mr. W. H. Miers, Rukuhia, near Hamilton, the Jersey cow Pretty’s Flirt has established a Dominion record for that breed in both milk and butterfat by producing 1,010-49 lb. fat from 16,684-1 lb. milk in 365 days. Pretty’s Flirt calved for commencement of test on 31st October, 1922, and was then 6 years 353 days of age. Her previous calving was eleven months prior to that date, and she is expected to calve again on 6th December, which will be 12 months 36 days after her calving for start of test. The previous New Zealand champion of the breed was Sultan’s Daisy, who, during the 1918-19 season, made the very fine record of ’ 13,5027 lb. milk and 968-22 lb. butterfat, which, however, Pretty’s Flirt has now exceeded by 3,181-4 lb. milk and 42-27 lb. fat. - .

It will be seen that Pretty’s Flirt’s highest monthly production was for February, when her average daily butterfat was 3-71 lb.—a New Zealand record for the Jersey breed. In fairness to Pretty’s Flirt it should be mentioned that she suffered considerably from foot-rot during her testing-period, which must to a certain extent have unfavourably influenced her record.

Pretty’s Flirt was born on 13th November, 1915, at the farm of Mr. John Hale, Holly Oak, New Plymouth. Her sire is Exile of Oaklands, who already has ten C.O.R. daughters to his credit. Exile of Oaklands is by the imported Island-bred bull Campanile’s Sultan, the sire of Sultan’s Daisy and nine other daughters with certificates. The dam of Pretty’s Flirt is Jersey Bank Pretty, bred by Mr. A. Hodgkinson, Takaka, and with a certificate for 6n-86 lb. fat. Jersey

Bank Pretty is by Blossom's Prince from Pretty Polly (648-51 lb. fat), who in turn is by the noted sire K.C.B. Blossom's Prince goes back to Magnet's Boy, while Exile of Oaklands, the sire of Pretty’s Flirt, traces to New Zealand's Exile. Thus each side of her pedigree traces to now proven strains —on the sire’s side to Campanile’s Sultan and New Zealand’s Exile, on the dam's to Magnet’s Boy and K.C.B. It would therefore seem a natural expectation that such strongblood lines must ultimately concentrate in an outstanding individual. Pretty’s Flirt is an outstanding animal on type as well as production, her depth of body and udder-development being striking indications of capacity.

We have no details regarding the quantities and varieties of food fed to Pretty’s Flirt while under test, but understand she received in addition to pasture nothing beyond hay, roots, green oats, and other usual farm feeds.

We hope to be able to report in next month’s Journal that Pretty’s Flirt has fully qualified for a certificate of record by calving subsequent to test, and in the meantime would extend to Mr. Miers our hearty congratulations upon the possession of a remarkable animal. Her work is also adequate testimony that she has been in the hands of a person who is capable of enabling even an outstanding cow to attain the championship of the Jersey breed in New Zealand.

* On total production.

Month. Days. Milk. ... Test. Butterfat. November, 1922 30 lb. 2,007-4 Per Cent. . . 4-28. .. ' lb. 85'9I December .. 31 2,085-5 4-89 101-98 January, 1923 . . 31 1,815-8 5-24 95-14 February . . . . . ; 28 i >544’9 6x79 104-89 March . . ■ 31 1,526-5 6'35 96-93 April ... 30 1,265-9 7-46 94-43 May . . . . . . 31 - 1,154-4 6-40 ". 73'88 June . . ... 30 1,033-0 6-86 70-86 ■ July 31 i,ii7-3 6-22 69-49 August 31 1,070-8 6-78 72-60 September ... 30 ' ,008-8 6-51 65-67 October ... . . 31 1,053-8 7'47 78-71 Totals 365 16684-1 6-o6* ' 1,010-49

The production month by month of the new champion is shown in the following table:-