CATTLE DEMONSTRATION

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4824, 18 March 1925, Page 3

CATTLE DEMONSTRATION

THE DAIRY COW. EXPERT AT NGATEA. A very interesting and instructive address was given on Mr G. T. Davidson’s farm, Ngatea, on Monday afternoon by Mr H. E. B. Watson, official demonstrator of the New Zealand Jersey Breeders’ Association. The attendance was small, as intimation that Mr Watson would be in the district was not received by the Thames Valley Breeders’ Association until too late to make the fact widely known. The president of the branch and many of the Paeroa members were present.

In opening his address Mr Watson isaid there was no doubt that over a period of years dairying wan the best and surest method of making a living from the land. This had been proved with ordinary cows, and it could easily be seen that if the quality was improved generally the export of dairy produce from New Zealand would soon reach £30,000,000 annually. The records of production for individual cows wlrch were now being made wen; never dreamed of a fdw years ago, and it was gratifying to see that farmers all over the Dominion were non' keeping only the very best of their bull calves, and that the tendency was to demand sound milk producers rather than animals with a long pedigree. Dealing with the points of a dairy cow from a dairyman’s viewpoint rather than from an exhibitor’s, Mr Watson used a Friesian cow, saying that the points were icry much the same in all breeds. A strong constitution was absolutely essential if a cow was to produce a large amount of milk and a calf annually. A good cow would have a large and well distended nostril and a well developed windpipe to enable it to breathe in a large amount of oxygen. She should have a broad mouth", a strong underjaw and muscular lips. There should be a big depth of body at the shoulder, and a well spread fore-rib, which should stand out further than the shoulder, so that there was ample room for the heart and lungs. There should be plenty of length from the shoulder to the hip-bone and a broad back, which, however, should not be flat, as this was indication of the beet-producing type. The ribs should be rounded like a barrel,, broad, spread well apart, and should point backwards at a good angle, so as to leave a big-space between the hip bone and the top of the back rib. In good dairy cowts the underlie is wide both fore and back.

To get as much nutriment from the food consumed, said the speaker, there must be good digestive organs. The indications of the presence of good organs for digestion was a thin, soft loose pliable skin. This was a very important point. To be a good dairy type a cow must have vitality or nerve force. This was indicated by large prominent eyes, a forehead brpad between the eyes and tapering to the poll, a long thin neck, no fleshiness around ’ the shoulders, a well serrated vertebra, sharp hip bones, prominent well defined pin bones, thin whip-like tail, a good width behind the hip bones, and long thin thighs. Development in these places was not a sign of a dairy cow. To get a big supply of milk there must be a large supply of blood. This was indicated by large “ milk ” veins, which were really veins for taking the blood from .the milk producing glands after the milk making constituents had been subistracted. The se veins should not be 'straight, but tortuous, so as to delay the flow' of the blood from the udder as much as possible. Sometimes short veins are found, but if the cow is a big producer many subsidiary veins will be found. These veins were very useful in determining if a cow would be a big producer.

Mr Wateon explained the constitutional effect of the ill-treatment of cows at- milking time, and the effect of this on the milk yield. Regarding the shape of the udder, this should be wide and half-moon shaped, attached high up behind, and covering as much of the body as possible. A pendulous udder was a bad point, as it was likely to be injured in walking or lying. The teats should be long and have flat points, and the whole udder should be soft and spongy. The legs of a typical dairy cow were long, thin, and flat.

Continuing his address Mr Watson said that a. dairy cow was a dairy cow and a beef cow a. beef cow, and this could not be altered. It was impossible to get a large return from the so-called dual-purpose type, which was really a no-purpose type. A cow might be giving a large cuanitty of milk, but if she showed signs of being a beef cow in a few years her milk yield would go off and she would produce beef.

Several questions were then answered by Mr Watson.

Regarding the merits of .the various breeds of cows and the suitability of the Jersey for country such as the Plains, Mr Watson said that if cows of all breeds, but equal in constitution, were put on to rough land the Jersey would give the best return. This breed extracted the most from the food consumed, and it was just as possible to get as good a constitution in a small Jersey as in a big Shorthorn.

Coming to the bulls, .Mr Watson said that the same points applied as to the cow. A dairy bull should be just as clean cut as ,a dairy cow, but of course bigger. In sires, however, it was most important to have breeding. Its progeny would more likely resemble one of its ancestors, thus it was necessary to have an animal of sound breeding, so that no matter which ancestor was reverted to the result would be satisfactory.

Mr Watson advocated l.ine or inbreeding as the best method, but pointed out that in the hands ot a man who was not thoroughly competent this was a sure road to ter. Many breeders, he pointed out, did not believe in inbreeding, yet imported from Jersey Island a bull from

a tine which had been inbred innumerable generations. After a demonstration on the good and bad pointe of a Jersey bull owned by Mr Davidson many questions were asked, and the meeting ‘was brought to a close with a-.vote of thanks to Mr Watson and to Mr Davidson.