MAGNIFICENT GENEROSITY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8361, 22 February 1913, Page 13

MAGNIFICENT GENEROSITY

FIVE AYRSHIRE BELLS. PRESENTED TO NEW ZEALAND DAIRYMEN. The steamer Matatua, which arrived in Wellington yesterday, brought a very valuable all-round consignment <n pedigree stock, consisting of Clydesdale horses, Southdown sheep, and Ayrshire and Jersey cattle. Special interest surrounds tho Ayrshires, of which there are five young hulls, because of tho fact that they come to the country as a free gift to tho dairymen of New Zealand. Tho donors of this munificent and opportune gift are Messrs A. Clement ana Sons, ono of the pioneer firms who have been handling our dairy produce at Home for the past twenty-four years. They have decided that tho most_ practical way of assisting the dairy industry is to promote the breeding of better stock and have taken this departure instead of following the usual practice of donating trophies for competition at shows by factories; It may ho mentioned that in addition to conducting an extensive business with dairy produce in all parts of the world, Messrs Clement and Sons own what is considered the finest herd of dairy type Ayrshire cattle in Scotland. It was from this noted milking-strain herd that Mr Dunlop, who was commissioned to procure tho best bull available in Scotland for tho New Zealand Government some two years ago, made his selection. Inis animal, Good Bonus, is now located at the experimental station at Moumahaki, and one of the present shipment is by the same sire, Good Gift. Mr Clement never patronises the show ring, i but every animal is judged and selected by, him on officially tested performance. , , The “Scottish Farmer,” when .dei cribing the consignment which arrived hero yesterday, remarks: “This is probably tho finest shipment of Ayrshires that has ever been sent out to the colonies, and should do much to popularise the Ayrshire breed and to improve the milking properties of New Zealand dairy herds.” The cattle were brought out under the care of Mr Marley, and arrived 'in tip-top condition. They were met by the firm’s New Zealand representative, Mr Robertson, who told , a “Tim ah” representative that tho gift was actuated by a desire on -the part of his firm to assist the dairymen of New Zealand in their efforts to improve the productiveness of their herds. Mr Clements had noted the progress that is being made with cow-testing here, and while he had not been able to send along sufficient bulls to provide one for the suppliers of every dairy factory, he hoped that arrangements would be made in the several localities in which the animals will be distributed, which wordd give every supplier an opportunity _ of mating; np his very best cows with them as far as limitations would permit. Mr Clement rightly contends that the farmers’ interest is better served by increasing the milk and butter-fat yield by 30 per cent, than to try and save a i per cent, in manufacturing. The exact location of the bulls has not been disclosed, except that one will go to Dalefield, and the remainder to other parts of the Wairarapa and Taranaki districts. This is one of the most valuable and spontaneous bequests that lias ever been made to the people of New Zealand at any time by any individual as far as outdoor pursuits are concerned, and the donors are justly entitled to the thanks of the community, and dairymen in -particular, for their generosity. The value of the gift ip cash alone _ may be appreciated when it is mentioned that it is not uncommon for Messrs Clement to pay as much as 700 guineas for a sire that meets their requirements. The following description of the breeding of the bulls and performance of their progenitors is given by the “Scottish Farmer”: “These yearlings were all bred at Netherton, and selected principally for, their milk record pedigrees. They are products of typical Ayrshire cows, with deep barrels, good teats, and all of them exceptionally heavy milkers; while the sires are all out of cows giving well over the _ 1000-gallon mark. Three of them are sired by Netherton Midland, the dam of which had a record of 1186 gallons of 3.9 per cent, butter fat. Mr Clement has-now a number of heifers off this bull in their first lactation, all of which look like finishing well over 900 gallons. Netherton Midland’s stock should prove popular in New Zealand, as it is the typo which the colonials prefer. ’ His full tiot-her was exported to Australia, and was champion at the Melbourne show in 1911. . “One is sired by Auchenbrain Good Gift, the well-known stock bull of Messrs Wallace. His dam had a record of 104 a gallons 3.65 per cent. This is the second Good Gift bull which has gone to New Zealand from Notherton, as Mr Dunlop selected one (Good Bonus) for the New Zealand Government Experimental Farm last year. “The fifth youngster is sired by Netherton King Arthur, tho dam of which had a record of 920 gallons of 4.5 per cent, in 34 weeks, and giving 20Jlb of 6.1 per cent, daily at close of test. All the progeny of this bull which have been testea so far are -Mowing very high in butter fat. His first quey when tested at Netherton gave 461 b of 4.8 per cent in ono day about a month after calving; “The full names and pedigrees of these hulls are as follow: “No. I.—Netherton Maovicar (9536). Sire, Netherton Midland; dam, Netherton Queen Victoria, whose record last year was 1058 gallons of 4.28 per cent, butter fat, while this year her record will bo over 1000 gallons of 4.3 per cent. Her dam’s record at 2J years old was 874 gallons of 4.2 per cent. “No. 2.—Notherton MaoNeilago (9534) Sire, Netherton Midland; dam, Glassock Nellie 11., which as a quey has given 955 gallons of 3.54 It tter fat. Her dam, Old Nellie, is ono of the best cows at Netherton, if not in Scotland. Sho gained first prize at Fenwick show with a record of 1200 gallons of 3.92 per cent., and is still fresh and doing well. “No. 3.—Netherton Good Rule (9532). Sire, Good Gift; dam. Red Rose, a half-sister of King Arthur. She is a big-framed cow with great teats, and as a three-year-old gave 903 gallons of 3.38 per cent, butter fat. Her dam’s record was 920 gallons of 3.5 per cent, in 39 weeks. “No. _ 4.—Netherton Mactaggart (9535) is by Notherton Midland; dam, Wyllieland Tina IV., which in her first Jactation gave 904 gallons of 3J3 per.

cent. Since then she has lost a quarter and yet with this handicap last year sho gave tho splendid yield of 979 gallons. _ “No. s.—Netherton King Jerry (9533) is by King Arthur; dam, Culcraigie Janette, a great milker, which in 1910 gave 992 gallons of 3.62 per cent, butter fat. In 1911 she gave 1262 ballons, and this year m 40 weeks she has given 1115 gallons, and is still at 24ib a day. “Milk testing associations are being started all over New Zealand, and should lead in the future to a big demand for bulls off heavy-milking strains. Mr Clement expects to send a much larger consignment next year, it this lot meets with tho success which its quality deserves.” OTHER IMPORTATIONS. The remaining stock on board is consi'mod as follows; Two’Jersey bulls and two heifers to Mr Corrigan, of Hawera; four Southdown ewes and one ram to Messrs lUlis Bros., of Bulls \ four Smithdown ewes and one ram, consigned on behalf of a Palmerston breeder, whoso name is not disclosed; and two Clydesdales for the south.