BREEDING OF THE JERSEY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1640, 6 January 1913, Page 8

BREEDING OF THE JERSEY.

FASHION AND FADDISH.' . ■ Fashion and faddism have had a groat deal to do with the breeding of tho Jersey in America, and Sir. V. E. Fuller has the following to say on the constant tendency of a certain class of breeder to over refinement' in the structure of their cattlo, which remarks may fit somo New Zealand breeders;— - "I am satisfied, and! have been satisfied for ft long timo, that the Jersey breeders of to-day are -making a tremendous mistake in breeding their cows so small that, they fail to appeal, to tho , dairy farmer. The continued success of the breed demands that the surplus bulls shall be' absorbed for actual: use . on scrubs or,'grades. To maintain such a market it is. necessary:'that the bulls suit .tho dairy'farmers of the- country. For her inches I believe there is no cow that can excel tho, Jersey; in her special field, but unless she appears to tho (fairy farmer, we cannot keep alive with hor a market for the'surplus bulls'. Yon remember that the cows in the Oakland herd would run from 1000 to 1200 pounds, and the average cow of to-day, as she commands the top-pricei-does not weigh; ■more than-'73ft\to 800 pounds. ; The ''con- • sequence is tlmt the .dairy -farmer, not I knowing tho, reserve nervous force that the. Jersey possesses-,'believes, that she is de.lioate,' and he wants none of her or her bull calves. •; . . Large production cannot be; secured - without the - consumpi tion of Inrgo quantities of feed, and tho i cow to stand the work year in ' and year, out ninst have conbtitation, stamina and a large paunch. 'That is-where, the Jersey 'to-day, as popularly conceived, fails." : '•:T«-'this, the'"Michigan-Dairyman" adds additional -'and approving comment' from which we quote as'follows . "While we" believe, that, as our farmers, : become better educated to the value.of the Jersey strictly, as'. a-.dairy..'animal;; there will be an increasingly-strongor. de-- , ,'mand for this animril-' we do not'believe that the'present', tendency towards small \ size and fine lines is'one that, should be encouraged. - Even with' full recognition of the wonderful ability possessed by' the: Jersey as an economical' producer, ; it must bo granted that 'experience ' has. shown-the necessity of . great' physical strength and large feeding capacity in tho dairy animal."' The .cow that produces profitably mtist be equipped with n. bodily - size,, and vigour that >will.' enablo her-to stand : tho,.strain: of '.giyin'g milk for.'a period of- six or eight years' and! of gmng birth to a calf each year. .Onr Jersey: friends are ; able '.to show ! dozens' of animals in their, herds (t;day that can 1 do this. But they cannot ' predict: with certainty that with: tho present breeding tendehcy thc -cows of five years - hence will- bo ■ ftblo. to - ,dnplicato .the porform-