Charolais-Jersey Bull Calf Born

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31108, 11 July 1966, Page 3

Charolais-Jersey Bull Calf Born

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, July 11. A Charolais-Jersey cross bull calf, born early on Saturday evening and weighing 651 b, is thriving under paddock conditions at Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre, Hamilton.

The calf, born two days early, is the second of its kind from about 600 dairy cows inseminated during the 1965 mating season with deep frozen semen imported from Britain. The first calf was born at Ruakura six weeks prematurely on June 10 and lived only a few hours. The latest addition to the Ruakura herd at No. 4 dairy is a sturdy animal and already

shows slight indications of the Charolais breed characteristics.

Its cream colour is lighter than that of the usual Jersey calf and could well become either the white or the rich cream colour of the original breed developed in France. At 651 b, the calf’s birth weight was about 51b heavier than usual for an average type Jersey calf. Its head is not typical of the Jersey breed, being slightly broader, and the animal’s neck also appears to be heavier. It is also thicker in the legs.

The dam, an eight-year-old Jersey, was the first cow in New Zealand successfully inseminated with Charolais semen.

The semen was taken from Seducteur, which was born in 1961 in the Allier district, France.

The Charolais is the first new beef breed introduced into New Zealand since Galloways were imported in 1947.