Better Quality Stock

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 608, 9 March 1929, Page 27

Better Quality Stock

Friesian Association’s Good Work

Example for Other Societies

DAIRYMEN throughout the province over the past decade ha\e definitely demonstrated their desire for better-bred stock as a means of raising production. Exhibits in many recent “how rings have ranked high from a quality point of view and to-day Auckland farms produce some of the Dominion’s best-bred stock. Miicli of this trend toward quality breeding has been due to the work ot officers of the Department of Agriculture ami to un'inbeis ol the various breed and A. and P. societies, but. as an individual worker for an individual breed no one lias excelled the work of Mr. ,T. P. lvalauglier, secretary for the New Zealand Friesian Breeders’ Association. Work similar to that carried on among the Friesians could well be emulated by the officials for other breed societies.

TO breed quality stock one must i have an ideal, and all the time ■work toward the attainment, of that ideal. Breeding is a science to I ■which many of our most prominent farmers have devoted a lifetime and j only seen worthwhile results after j many years of patient and, at times, seemingly worthless effort. Each breed has its own peculiarities which have to be tackled, according to cer- j tain basic principles, while all breeds have certain outstanding attributes fitting them to certain conditions —attributes which were largely responsible for the development of the individual breeds. With so many breed societies, it is to be wondered that an example is not taken from the Friesian Society and that more is not done to boost the need of breeding according to type on lines which make for high production. The main points looked for in a dairy beast are character, constitution, capacity, dairy quality and mammocy development Character is indicated by the head and carriage of the animal. An animal should stand squarely on its legs, hold its head up and be brisk in its movements. The face should be of medium length, clean cut, slightly dished, with width between the eyes, which should be large, bold, bright, showing vitality. The muzzle should be broad and strong, with the lower jaw well developed (not undershot). This strength of jaw indicates good grazing capacity. The constitution of a cow is determined by the spring of forerib, width of chest, which should have a broad!

floor while large open nostrils, a large windpipe and plenty of room when viewed from behind, between the forearm and the chest were all signs of a good constitution. Good spring of forerib meant plenty of heart and lung room. Capacity is absolutely essential, for no cow can be a high producer unless she has the power to digest and the capacity to consume large quantities of food. This is indicated by the spring of rib whic li should be long, wide apart, broad and flat and well sprugn. The condition of the hair and the quality of the skin are an excellent guide to the quality and digestive capacity of a cow. A loose soft and fairly thin skin with soft, furry hair was most desirable, a thick skin or particularly harsh hair meaning lack of proper digestive capacity and is considered to be a serious fault.

The quality of the bone has much to do in determining the dairy quality of a cow, strong, flat, hard bone being that which is best. A judge notes the openness of the vertebrae or backbone, the flatness and spacing of the ribs; he runs his finger and thumb along the joints of the tail; he feels the bone In the face or in the lower parts of the legs, and from thees he determines the quality of the bone. The udder is examined for shape and. capacity—an udder should be well attached —high up at the rear and well forward underneath; there should be no signs of the udder breaking down through lack of proper muscular attachment. The udder when milked out should almost collapse and be ike a soft silky bag. The judge

should be watchful In the case of cows in milk to see that there is no weakness or unsoundness in any of the quarters, and it is generally recognised that before a judge makes his final decision he should require all the cows to be milked out. The size and nature of the “milk veins” and the size of the milk wells are excellent guides to the producing powers of a cow, as almost without exception large “milk veins” and “milk wells” coincide with a high production. In addition to the above points, a

judge takes particular notice of various points in the dairy conformation of an animal that he is unable to in the general inspection. Good width in the hip bones and in the thighs, with pin bones set wide apart, were most desirable, hut. a “sloping rump” was always looked upon with disfavour.

Fineness in the shoulders was desirable; but judges have to take particular care not to confuse coarseness with the much-to-be-destred condition that a cow should put on during her dry periods. Heaviness in the brisket was not looked on with favour, as it tended toward the beef type of animal. At every show of any importance from a dairying point of view throughout the Dominion, Mr. Kalaugher, of the Friesian Breeders’ Association, is prepared to give a series of addresses on the lines enumerate above. More, he is prepared to bring facts and figures to demonstrate the value of his breed, and show what quality breeding can do for the dairyman. It’s a pity that more breed secretaries are not endowed with the same enthusiasm and initiative. It would certainly help to inculcate in the minds of young farmers, at least, a desire to breed on definite lines toward type and production.