GOLD-MINE ON FOUR LEGS.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 25 June 1919, Page 3

GOLD-MINE ON FOUR LEGS.

Mr T. Sowman who recently puri chased the property of Mr W. Kilsby, at Hautere- Cross (Otald), is ..now the possessor of perhaps one of the best herds of Jersey cows in New Zealand, and the Eabui Dairy Company is indeed lucky to be'able to count Mr Sowman among its suppliers. His test reached the exceptional figure of 9.3, and we have reason to believe that this is a record for the Dominion. At ' present two cows under test are showing 7.3 and 6.7 for the month of April, and these figures will naturally bo higher for the month of May. Mr Bowman is a great lover of tho Jersey, and is sparing neither money nor labour for tho betterment of his herd, in order that it might keep its place in he front "rank. At present be is not the possessor of a bull, but he hopes to procure ono in the near future that will do credit to the excellent stock on tho farm. All the cows arc in calf to Belvedere Jersey Boy, and tho heifers to Oak den Bonny Boy, and tho calves which are duo in August and SeptomVter should jWvb to bo of tho very b'cVb Mr Stdwina’a will Be prepared to dispose of these calves privately, and the price will bo based on the performances of the dams in- tho case of those that have completed their tests, but in other cases the pedigree alone will be the cause of great competition among .buyers. Prospective buyers will need to place their orders early, as many of the calves are booked I already. Of tho two cows at present under test, Bilberry’s' Pet is showing the better results, and Mr Bowman expects her to touch the COOlb. butter-fat mark, and her test at present is 7.3. Bilberry’s Pet was purchased at J.C. Davidson’s AVaitara sale for lOUgns., Und a heifer from her fetched .iOogns. The Bilberry’s Pet’s dam, Mahoe’s Bilberry, brought at the same sale 195gns., so that with all this backing Mr Bowman should dispose of Bilberry’s Pet’s calf at a good price. The other cow under test is Oakden Rose- i bud, a daughter of Oakdon Rose, and by Belvedere Jersey Boy. Up to March Oakden Rosebud had exceeded the record necessary to qualify, and is expected to do over GOOlbs. fat on completion of the test. Her test for March was C. 7. Orange Rose, dam of Oakden Rose, gave 5631bs fat in register of merit test, and the granddaughter is well on tho way to equal this fine show. Of the very fine heifers on tho farm, three aro particularly worthy of note. Princess of Gamboge 6195. Dam, Susy Gambogo (imp.), j sire, Sunlight’s Noble General. The sire is not tho only one that possesses the Jersey type in the highest degree, ; but his descendants have proven firstclass dairy cows. Tho heifer is in calf to J. Nicholson’s imported bull, Jessie’s Register of Melrose, and the many breeders who have scon her say that she is the most likely-looking _ heifer that they have yet seen. She is due to calvc in August. Twylish Rosebud, dam, Oakden Rosebud,- Sire, Mountain View Lord (Twylish). This heifer was bred by Mr Sowman, and holds a calf to Jessie’s Register of Melrose, and the owner has gTeat hopes of her, on account of her fine butter-fat connection, and because she is Twylish to the backbone. Tho third heifer, Bilberrv’s Joy, was also bred by Mr Bowman, and is out of Bilberry’s Pet, by Masterpi cce of Meadowbrook, and she it', without a doubt, the most por-fectly-formsd animal on ho place, and shews ho “all quality” hall-mark. Her points as a yearling are almost as well defined as in matured cows, and she will prove a good breeder. Taken altogether Mr Sowman’s herd is one that is sure to bring him fame as a Jersey breeder, and wc predict that tho offspring from his cows and heifers will be ia great demand in the coming seasons. Four other heifers, whose pedigree will be familiar to Jersey breeders, are Oakden Madge, Oakden Grizette, Oakden Eileen, and Oakden Rosette, all bred by him on the ! farm. Like most farms where pedigree stock is bred, Mr Sowman’s place has h general air of prosperity, but it is really more pleasing tc the eye than most others that the writer has visited by virtue of the beauty of the shelter bush that adorns it, and, above ell. the wealth of feed that is so seldom seen Dairyman ”