FRIESIAN CATTLE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 81, 30 December 1920, Page 8

FRIESIAN CATTLE

BREEDER VISITS HOLLAND IMPRESSIONS OF MR; W. D. HUNT While at Home recontly, investigating tho wool position on behalf of tho New Zealand Government, Mr. W. 1). Hunt, head of Messrs. "Wright, Stephenson and Co., nnd also a very successful breeder of Friesian cattle, crossed to Holland, the homo of tho Friesian breed. Mr. Hunt travelled from London to Leeu- ' warden, the capital of Friesland, by aeroplane, and on arrival was met by the officials of tho Friesian Association. Before starting on his journey, llr. Hunt was surprised to hear from* the Friesian breeders' authorities that he was quite well known by repute, and that Ills herd and the capabilities of tested' animals from it were very- well. known, also. Mr. Hunt has now returned to Wellington and in the oourao of an interview ho remarked:—"They in Friesland, know all that wo are doing out here in New Zealand in connection with our Friesians. I was astonished nt how much they did know, and how accurate was their information. While at Leeuwarden and Wick I was treated quite as an honoured guest; and every facility was placed in. my way of learning all about tho Friesian breed in its nativo country. The Dutch could not have been more polite, more helpful to anyone than they were to mo. In New Zealand our herds have been built up oq original Friesland purebred stock, imported by Mr. Grigg ns far back aa 1831, and supplemented by importations from America. The result has been something rather in the direction of a new breed, or rather a special purpose animal. At Leeuwarden Show—it was a district, not a -national show—l saw eix hundred and sixty-six purebred animals. They were all bred to .type. With tho Dutch type is everything. Further, their object appears to bo to concentrate on a dual purpose cow—beef and milk. Our prime object is milk production. In Holland, even the markings of tho animals are held to bo most important in association with type. We, on tho other hand, aro not so.particular about the quantity of black marking on a Friesian beast. Wo aro working somewhat on American lines with our Friesians, specialising in milk production. Tlio purebred Friosian animals' records ere not so good as ours, bccause tho type is one of beef and milk. But there is far mora uniformity in typo seen in tho cattle of Friesland than in those of New Zealand. Tho Dutch do not feed for milk, as wo do; there the cattlo are forced a bit in the feeding. If this were not so, they would put up .better records than they do. In England a somewhat similar policy was pursued, and there they got over Dutch Judges for their shows of Friesian. But a change of view is now taking place, less attention is being paid to type in England., and more to milk production, ns with us, and as with America and Canada. 1 should say tho Eaglish-brcd Friesian cattle are now about half-way between tho original Dutch type of cattlo and our own Friesians."

Mr. Hunt, while in North America, saw some of the best of the Friesians in WTsconsin, Minnesota, and Brockvillo (Canada). He considered 'that tho best of tho Friesians of America might beat tho best of them in Now Zealand, but not by much. The conditions of the tests in America differed from those of New Zealand. There the tests are short dated, hero it is held that it should last for three hundred and sixty-five days. In New Zealand the animal on test must calve again not moro than threo months after tho finishing of tho test, and they must have had a calf not moro than 15 months before the test begins. It ie different in America. There such restrictions do not exist; and tliey may milk [our times a day. "When you tako thoso differences into account/' Mr. Hunt continued, "I think tho very best cattlo in New Zealand aro not so far behind tho best in America or Canada." Importing from Friesland and from England was impracticable at present, sftid Mr. Hunt, by reason of the prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease. This was very common all through Europe nt present.