A NOTED JERSEY BULL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 7 December 1907, Page 6

A NOTED JERSEY BULL.

ARRIVAL OF "OAKLAND'S CHAMPION." Amongst lovers of the popular Jersey breed of cattle a good deal of iuterest is centred around the Jersey bull recently imported by .Messrs. K GriUiths and H. Cornwall, of New Plymouth, from the Island of Jersey. When these well-known breders of Jersey cattle decided to import, they considered that the best kind procurable would be from the Island ot Jersey itself, and wrote to the secretary of the Jersey Cattle Association of Jersey to make a selection for theiu. This gentleman, in company with a noted breeder, scoured the island, aud that the selection was a god one is evidenced by the eminently characteristic qualities that are apparent in the handsome young bull that arrived in New Plymouth on Thursday morning I)}' the lakaptuia, after having been in quarantine on Somes' Island for the requisite period. Several enthusiastic local breeders awaited the arrival of the bull in town, and from them a "Daily News" representative gleaned some particulars. Oakland's Champion is just 22 months old, rather darker in colour than is usual with the Jersey breed as it has heretofore been knuwn in the Dominion. lie lias a fawn stripe down the centre of the back, and a lawn muzzle, llis head is handsomely -et, and shows any amount of breeding. The set of his head is .stated by authorities to Ik very similar to that of his world-famous gramlsirc, Golden Fern's Lad, admittedly the best bull in the Jersey world. Messrs. Griffiths and Cornwall's importation has a line straight back, with excellent body, well-sprung ribs, and good loin. The tail is particularly well set on. Altogether the animal is splendidly developed for his age, with good bone, and shows good dairying characteristics. in importing the bull, Messrs. Griffiths' and Cornwall's cardinal object was not so much to secure a sire for show ring purposes as to secure an animal that bad the true characteristics of the dairying strain. According to those judges who have, seen the animal, these desired characteristics arc embodied in the bull even beyond expectations. Mr. J. G. ilarknesa, President of the New Zealand Cattle Association, now of Wellington, and formerly of Midhirst, lias inspected Oakland's Champion (the name given to the youngster), and speaks in eulogistic terms of him, pronouncing the bull to be a decided acquisition to the Jerseys of the Dominion. Oakland's Champion has arrived in first-class condition, a fact which demonstrates he has a hardy constitution and been well tended. A characteristic of the hardihood of the Jersey Island cattle is that 110 ease of tulK-Teulosis has yet been known oil the island. That Oakland's Champion is considered one of the best known sorts is proved by the fact that- Mr. J. La bey (one of ilia biggest and most successful Jersey Island breeders) used this bull at ihc stud as a yearling. A bull that has Sufficient merit to be used by such a breeder should be a great acquisition to the herd in which he is to take his place as a sire. The pedigree of the bull is beyond question. Ilis sire, Sultan of Oaklands, is acknowledged to be the best bull in Jersey, and has won, with his stock, more lirst awards than another bull of his age. This bull lias been purchased to go to America. Eminent_ 11., the sire of the dam of Messrs. Griffiths and Cornwall's importation, was recently purchased for over £2OOO in America. Mr. T. L. Cooper, one of America's foremost breeders, writes of Eminent 11. in a journal devoted to •Jersey cattle:—'•Eminent II is without any exception the handsomest and most typical dairy bull I have ever seen, and claims the distinction of being the sire of five of the best females shown at the Royal Show over the island for (wo years in succession. Ilis daughters are the heaviest and most persistent milkers we have ever had sired by one bull." The great gramlsirc of Oakland's Champion is Golden Fern's Lad, an animal that litis gained the distinction of being the best known Jersey bull in the world. It will Ihus be seen that Oakland's Champion boast* a most illustrious ancestry, and dairy breeders will no doubt await with interest the results of the progeny. For the present Messrs. Griffiths and Cornwall intend to locate the animal at their Bell Block farm. Mr. Fred Cornwall, who is interested in the bull, and is withal one of the best judges of the dairying strain of Jerseys, is more than satisfied I with the importation.