THE DAIRY COW.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4374, 6 February 1922, Page 2

THE DAIRY COW.

GOOD AND BAD POINTS.

JERSEY BREEDERS’ LECTURES.

At the invitation of the HauraKi Plain'? A. and P. Association the Thames Valley Jersey Breeders’ Club had deputed Messrs W. J. Hall (Matatoki), E. J. Waiters (Hikutaia), and Geo. Buchanan (Paeroa) to conduct demonstrations with dairy cows at Turua and Ngatea on Friday. The Turua demonstration was held at the saleyards in the morning and the Ngatea demonstration in the afternoon. HISTORY OF THE JERSEY. 1 Mr Walters’ remarks were confined mainly to the history of the Jersey cow and a general 'outline of facts he had collected. The Jersey, he de*, dared, was the most beautiful, most docile, and most practicable of all breeds, and best for profit. To he both beautiful and profitable was the duty" of the Jersey:

The Jersey cattle, he continued, were originally bred, on the Island of Jersey, in the Channel Islands, which for a long time have been noted for perfection in cattle. Known at one time as Channel Island breed and then as Alderney's, they were now known as Jerseys and Gernseys. There were very few of the latter in New Zealand, where breeders were mostly concerned with the Jerseys.

Relating how the Jersey Islanders kept their herd pure, the speaker said that no beast otheif than that to be used as beef, was allowed on the Island, and if an animal left the Island it was never allowed to return. There' was no comparison with the Jersey and Norman-French cattle. The latter was of a more rugged kind. From the youngest, days, he continued,> the Jersey cattle on the Island of Jersey were kept tethered, and they were therefore very docile, which characteristic w;as inherited. Even the bulls with kind treatment could be kept very quiet when matured, and at times could be made as docile as the cows.

Dealing with the health of the breed. Mr Walters repudiated the assertions that the Jersey breed was unhealthy and delicate, contending that taking the breed as a whole »t was not unhealthy. On a certain farm he had visited half the herd was composed of Jerseys and half of Shorthorns. The day of Jiris visit was a miserable one, with rain and a bleak wind blowing. ■ The Jerseys were feeding with their tails to the weather, but the Shorthorns were sheltering beneath a wall, not looking to feed. Great improvements had been shown in the Jersey breed, due to the efforts of the people to keep them pure, and the publishing ’of herd books. The only trouble he had found with Jerseys was milk fever, and black-leg amongst calves. This might overtake any other breed.

Jersey cattle had been brought to a high class of perfection, he con* tinued, and some animals had been sold at unheard of prices, as much as £lOO and more being given for, a single beast A bull named Golden Lad had been sold for £lOOO. In 1811 Jersey cattle were first imported into England. The first <o come to New Zealand were landed at Christchurch, but on their arrival they were not taken kindly to and at times were held in contempt. Jerseys mature early and live long, keeping' up their looks and, other good qualities till they are 22 or 23 years old. ' He had one 21 years old and it was keeping on healthily.

In conclusion Mr Walters said a pedigree bull would improve the herds- The Jei*sey was a dairy cow pure and. simple, and one did not look for beef from a Jersey, which was worthy of' a better end than, to be sold to a slaughterman. “I want to issue a word of warning,” he wound up. “beware of men who want to sell you a cow with a pedigree as long as your arm; but which is not entered in the herd book.” JUDGING DAIRY COWS.

Mr Hall, in demonstrating how to judge a dairy cow, pointed out that the first thing to look for was constitution. If there was no constitution 'there would be rio results. In determining the constitution of a cow one would first look at the of the shoulder-bUdes to see if there was plenty of heart room. . Pointing to the head, Mr Hall said a good cow had a wide muzzle and large, open nostrils to enable it to breathe plenty of pure air. A good, strong jaw and clean throat were also essential, as was also good prominent eyes, be* tween which there should be a good “dish” Fine turned up horns were an asset. Good wide ear's were possessed by a good, cow, and plenty cf yellow skin inside the ear denoted a good, healthy butter-fat cow. f A good cow, he asserted, was one with fine shoulders but plenty of heart room. Following the back along, one should be able to feel the bones in the spine. The loins should be flat and the hip-bones wide, in a faulty cow the loins were dropped. A good width was essential between the hips and the pin-bone. The ribs should be well sprung. The skin should bt as loose as possible. THE UDDER. The udder was one of the most prominent things in a. cow. If a cow had a good udder it was a good one. It should have a good forward and back udder,, having them as far forward and as far back as possible. A cow without a good udjier was an inferior dairy ccw. The demonstrator mentioned tlie escutcheon, bu.t did not consider that important.

A good dairy cow had flat thighs ; the butcher wanted the cow with fat thighs. By having the thighs flat the legs were kept well opened up, leaving plenty of room for the udder. A judge often asked to have the cows led round tp see hpw they walked. Some walked crossi-legged, which gait squeezed the udder. The cow should riot walk bandy-legged, but a straight walk was essential. He liked see prominent milk veins and milk Wells..

A good cow, he thought, should

a 'good long tail, with plenty 06 switch, but tliat was pot very important. Plenty of yellow on the taibnenoted good health. POINTS FOR JUDGING. The following arc\the points generally used for judgingVompetitions: Head, 8 points : neck, 15 ; body, 27 ; tai), 2; udder, 28; tejits, 7; milk veins, 3; cars and horns, 3; skin, 4; growth, 3; general appearance, 10. Total. 100. Mr Hall explained that. reasons must be given why the several points were allocated. A cow- with a U neck was not liked by the Jersey breeders. details AT TURUA. At Turua there was a large number of settlers and senior children from the school gathered at the saleyards. Mr P. R. Henry, president of the Hauraki Plains A. and P. Association. introduced Messrs Hall, Walters, and Buchanan. Mr C. Ansford kindly put six cows at the disposal of the demonstrators. Mr J. L. Brownlee, headmaster of the Turua. school, asked if the Hauraki Plains was suitable for Jersey cattle. , Mr Walters replied in the affirmative, but there had been a time when there had been - doubt about that. Now. there was hardly a district where that breed was not thriving. Before the people dispersed Mr Buchanan urged up'on all those who had bulls rind cows to enter them fpr the Hauraki Plains Show. It was up to them all to. support it. A farmer could not know how good his cattle were until they were up against competition. One could le.arn more at a show than in 12 months otherwise. He related how several years ago he had a bull, and more out of curiosity than anything else he entered it in a show, but was not placed. At a later show, where many champion bulls were being exhibited, he gained a first prize,, and y did likewise at a further show. He asserted that |ne hid not know the value of his l|ull till it had begun to win prizes. 1 Mr Henry, at the conclusion, of the demonstration, thanked the demonstrators, saying that the demonstration had been of! great value to breeders of cattle, and was the first of its kind on the Hauraki Plains. AT NGATEA. The Ngatea demonstration, attend* . ed by a number of settlers and school children, was held in the saleyards in the afternoon. Cows' were lent by Messrs E. Clark and W. G. Hayward. The procedure was practically the? same as at Turua. PRIZES FOR ESSAYS. Mr Hall, on behalf of the Thames ; Valley Jersey Breeders’ Club, offered both the Turua and Ngatea schools £1 fcr prizes for. the best essays written ofi that day's demonstration. The prizes were to be 15s for first and 5s for second and were to be judged by the club.