THE MILKING SHORTHORN.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1683, 25 February 1913, Page 8

THE MILKING SHORTHORN.

: BREEDERS' SOCIETV SUGGESTED. Discussing the Shorthorn brwd of cattle Jlr. E. Clifton, Director of the Fields nnd Experiments Division of tho Department of Agriculture,, reinnrks that the capacity of the Shorthorn cow for the •milk-ing.-type is so vv-ell knoini that it, may well he asked, "Why is-thera no breeders' society and its herd-bcok of these '.cattle'?" Continuing, Jlr. Clifton says:— "The far-reaching effect of the Shorthorn 'Breeders' Society of Great Britain is'well known, and its'herd-hook is the pioneer of stock 'registers. „It ,in'ay lie claimed that the New Zealand Society of Breedersi of Shorthorns is sufficient; but 1 this society and its herd-hook are concerned chiefly in the registration of, stock of pure descent: it must also he accepted that this is more in the interests of. the grazier than of the dairyfarmer. It 'must appeal, to the.lovcr of the Shorthorn.that in thc'earlier days of tho colony , the Shorthorn cow, big enough for a bu,Uook team, was, a deep .milker.; and-she may still be found on station and oh farm. Can there not then be formed a society for tho encouragement of the breeding and for the registration -of siich cattle?' In Great BritniiiJtsolf, in Australia, and in America, tho milking Shorthorn Breeders' -Asso'ciations with their herd-books are'in being.Our country is not usually a; laggard in societies, associations and unions. Does not this offer a useful field for another society? There is good warrant for the recognition of the value of the Shorthorn 1 on the dairy farm. Iu New 1 Zenjand are many herds of cows of-great milk-produc-ing capacity that a'ro.to all intents and purposes true Shorthorns. They may ha described as unregistered. It is-the owners of these cattle who'should associate their interests and ( register their. stoefc. This would increase the value of tuch herds;-the-stock-would bo known. It would ■ also obviate the difficulty, well known to breeders of this type of cattle, when a bull is wanted of knowing where to'find it. . ' "A well-known dairy-farmer whose herd is Shorthorn nas quite recently asked, 'Where can a bull or a milking laniily of this ..breed-.be'.purchased?' The reply was, 'I do not' know; you must do as I have to do:. When T replace ' a bull I takeiny chance.' Surely this v should be altered. A society of breeders''of this type of Shorthorns should be formed. "The admission of stock to the register would'depend-on.the production of a defined quantity 0". milk, ami the -conformance' of the individual to the Shorthorn type!'. At: present the herd-book of this bleed'is a valuable guide to tho grazier; .there the'descent of stock famous in tho show-yard can be traced, nnd the selection of 'sires and cows for the production bf ,stock;for the fnttening'paddock can' ; well 'be 'made; but there is. no guide to the cow or the bull for the dairy farm. It is tho. utility cow that is in demand, and there are farmers who believe this to bo in' the stock'of tho.Shorthorn type: ' • "It .is suggested that the dairy-farmers who'may'approve of the proposal to a .milking/ jShorthorn. Breeders' Society should move'in-the direction of forming a,society on the lines of the Ayrshire, or Holstein, or Jersey Societies. The next large gathering of "farmers will be at the winter shows of Dnnedin and jranawatu. Possibly some' one interested will • there propose and arrange to form a society of breeders of milking Shorthorns. "In making this proposal it is not intended to recommend N 6r disparage any breed' of dairy stock, still less is it in!'tended to'eiiter upon the topic of dual or special-purpose cows: it is that there are 'many who prefer to breed the Shorthorn, rind .registration, under the auspices" of < a Society, would materially assist sue. 1 ! 'dairy-farmers." :..