JERSEYS IN U.S.A.

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 762, 7 September 1929, Page 27

JERSEYS IN U.S.A.

POPULARITY OF THE BREED In view of the recently published statistics showing the advances made by the Jersey breed in New Zealand dairying, it is interesting to note some statements made at the sixty-first annual meeting of the American Jersey and Cattle Club, held on June 5. Reports of the officers showed that in the fiscal year ended March 31, the volume of business handled was the greatest in the history of the club. Registrations of pure-bred Jerseys totalled 75,690, an increase of 12.7 per cent, over last year, during which an increase of 20 per cent, was recorded. Breeders reported an excellent demand (or Jersey cattle and Jersey products throughout the entire country, with no surplus. Mr. Lewis W. Morley, secretary of the club, stated that representatives of the extension department of the organisation assisted in forming 03 pure-bred bull associations and placed 1,273 pure-bred Jersey bulls, and 2.163 pure-bred Jersey cows and heifers during 1928 in addition to the general routine of stimulating better dairying and broader interest in the Jersey breed of cattle. Mr. Morley also reported a good demand for Jerseys throughout the United States. During the year, 2,734 official production test records were completed by Jersey cows. The 365-day test records showed an average yield of 524.62ib. butter-fat a cow. This average yield represented tests completed by cows of all ages. At the present time there were 3.430 cows on register of merit test. This was an increase of 6.8 per cent, over last year. The most outstanding Jersey record of all time was completed in 1928, when Abigail of Hillside finished a 365-day test of 1,197.511 b. butter-fat in 23,6771 b. of milk. This was the highest butter-fat and milk yield ever credited to a Jersey cow. It was her second record of more than I,ooolb. of butter-fat. LOSS OF MILK A DISEASE OF COWS Many high-producing milk cows will be seen with the milk dripping or steaming from their udders for some time before the usual milking time, states an exchange. The owners of such cows will be desirous of learning bow to prevent this loss of milk. Usually there is only one way of prevention that is generally satisfactory, and that is to milk these cows often enough to prevent the distention of the udder which causes this leaking. By milking many of these .cows three or four times a day this loss usually is prevented. Since many owners do not find it convenient to do this it is usually best to dispose of these animals. This leaking of milk in the cow ns usually more noticeable when the bilking has been delayed longer than -usual, also for the first few weeks fitter calving. It gradually diminishes a* the period of lactation progresses, and after a few' weeks may entirely cease. Several different treatments have been advocated for this condition. but none of them promises sufficient results to warrant it being generally used. Under no condition should rubber hands be placed around the teats, nor should the teats be tied off with tape, states the well-known American veterinary officer, Mr. G. H. Conn.

Where the leakers are not too bad, occasionally the opening in the end of the teat can be contracted slightly by Painting with tincture of iodine or by making a saturated solution of alum and injecting it just inside the openMost owners find any of these treatments too troublesome to be Practical. By inserting a teat plug In these teats the dilation is increased, tvith the result that the condition is made worse instead of better. When the cow is a persistent leaker and leaks away a good quantity of her milk. It is usually best to dispose of her unless she is an exceptionally valuable cow for breeding purposes, as the percentage of recoveries is so v ©ry small that it hardly seems desirable to keep such cows in the herd.