JERSEY BREEDERS ASSOCIATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 18, 20 September 1915, Page 4

JERSEY BREEDERS ASSOCIATION.

STRATFORD BRANCH. The annual meeting of the Stratford branch of the Jersey Breeders' Association was held in the A. and. P. Society's rooms on Saturday afternoon, when Mr K. Kirkwood presided over a fair attendance of Jersey breeders. It was decided that the annual subscription to the Stratford Branch of the Jersey Breeders' Association be

Mr Shotter said that the Council should augment the funds of branches having up to a certain membership. It was nil expensive matter to belong to the Jersey Breeders' Association. If the Council did not allow the branches an annual grant no doubt they would have to disband. Mr Kirkwood explained the financial position of the Branch and said that the Council should allow a grant of about tIU per annum. .Mr Kirkwood moved: "That tho secretary he authorised to sell stock at ■"> per cent, commission on behalf of members." Seconded by Mr Healy and carried.

Mr Kirkwood moved: "That it bo a recommendation to the Council to adopt some system of identification of all registered cattle." Seconded bv Mr Harkness and carried.

The matter of testing herds was discussed at some length, and Mr Peterson asked that the matter be left until the next meeting.

The Chairman strongly advocated the adoption by the National Council of some scheme of herd-testing for 'purebred cattle. He said the Government deserved great credit for their past, and present work in connection with the semi official test, which was appreciated by every dairyman, but it was an expensive test (£3 3s per cow), and as a breeder with way oO cows, was not likely to continue paying 150 guineas per year to have them tested, this test had practically become a one-cow-one-year test. He contended that a recognised test, in conjunction with, and slightly more effective than the present Association tests now run in connection with almost every factory in Taranaki, would prove a valuable herd test and could be run at a very small cost, as the present Association tests-were recognised and paid, for by the factories. ',,HeV instanced- the good ivori of the ] Jersey cattle' at the Waifcara factory: where, the average test had risen in five years from 4.2, W 4.6, and contended that" an effective herd test wauld prove that a.s an economical producer m the dairy herds or Taranaki the pedigree Jersey has no competitor. It was decided that the next meeting of (tie braiu'-irbe , lildd li (ili l! Kovy.bber 20, at 1 'p.m. It was decided to protest against the Association's action in-not allowing all members the same privilege ot advertising in the booklets distributed by. the Council. : it was explained that ii} a rectmt j p i ujdjj'atiqnpnly two breeders advertised, and'the others did' not'know 1 that "a hooklet'wiis lieiug . . -I Life - n /I !1 • .1) ■ --.< !: ;;, printed. The election or officers' resulted,"as follows:—. President, Nlr'K: kirkwo'od ; iconnh'it*tee,' Messrs 'J. Shbtte'r. .T. W rTealv, I): Watkin.' K: L.' Mellow. W. V.'Harkness. W. 'Yiokers, P. Peterson: J. Belcher. .J. B. Cleniow,J*Jßanford. O'Snllivan and Uhleriherg; secrotary and treasurer, Mr A. 1). Stuiilev. ! ;. ' . ' ■ ■. ' ■ '

During the course of a brief address delivered by Mr N. Fulton, of the Government Dairy Produce Division, the speaker strongly advocated the breeding of well-grown, strongconstitutioned animals of large capacity for consuming and converting into milk large quantities of fodder. It is not economical to keep two small cows of any breed to do the work or give the same net return as one huge cow. In support of his advocacy' Mr Fulton t|noted from research bulletin reports compiled by such authorities as Professor Dean, of C-uelph. Dr. Babcoek, Professor Wing, Professor F. W. Woll. also Mr Gow, the secretary of the Amervan Jersey Cattle Breeders' Society. The tune has long since arrived in Tnrauaki, where good dairying land is so high in price, when bleeders of (>edigiee dairy stoij'k should be alter economical production, keeping strong constitution, and true type very carefully in their

reckoning als>. Regarding show ring successes there is evidence every year to slow that the large cow is always placed before the small cow, provided all other necessary qualities are about equal. Another very important point, mttde by Mr Pulton was in reference to the carcase for beef. He said that between Waitara and Wanganui. inclusive, there would be five meat freezing

works operating very soon. Supplies of cattle for these works would be drawn very largely indeed from the dairy farms but finished off by graziers, and there is no reason whatever why Jersey cattle, when incapacitated For milk production, should not hold their own in this respect if bred •and reared the right way. He mentioned several well-known Taranaki Jersey cows of exceptionally good dairying qualities that were big enough to be of very considerable...value when done with as milkers. He did not wish it to be understood that he advocated the Jersey, or any other dairy breed, a> a dual purpose cow. He was trying to give his views from practical experience, observation, and common sense. „ ' At the conclusion of the meeting Mr Fulton was accorded a vote of thanks.