FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 281, 21 November 1908, Page 5

FARM AND DAIRY.

A CHAMPION BUTTER-FAT PRODUCER. " GRANNIE'S GIRL." 'laranaki people have become very proud of having in the district (owned and bred) a cow that could go to Palmerston North when live months in milk, and not only hold her own, but completely out-distance everything pitted against her in the butter-fat competition. It. was a great performance aud stamps her easily as the champion of -\.".v Zealand. Readers will

learn wiih regret that she is likely to be lost to the district, tor she, together | with the whole herd of eighty pedigree Jerseys, is to be sold by auction on I'l iday, 27th inst., on the farm, Corhett road. Messrs. Grilliths and Cornwall own probably the best and greatest herd of pedigree .lersevs in the colony. It is to be hoped that an effort will be made by our farmers to retain a lar.'e portion of the herd. Jlr. Cornwall has been breeding for butter-fat production for twenty years. To be .present and sec the cows milked is to see cow after cow till her bucket to overflowing; and we all know what Jer-

sey milk is. Last season the average test at. the Hell lilock factory for the herd was As cows taken from this side of the mountain produce about 30 per cent, to 50 per cent, more milk on

the pastures round Mangatoki aud the Waimate Plains, what wonders these cows should produce under such a change. Quite a number of the cows give from -10 to 481bs daily at the flush, and one cow (Jessica) has nearly touched the (iOlb mark.

The heaviest milkers are descendants of the great old eow Grannie (dam of Grannie's Girl) and Lady Ellen. Observers have been struck with Mermaid, a great-grand-daughter of Grannie—liot yet two years old. She has just dropped her first calf and is milking 361bs daily; she carries a faultless udder and has a great depth of body. On examining her pedigree we find she traces many times to the great Cicero—a bull noted for the great dairy caws he produced. Grannie's Girl lias gone back a great deal owing to her jaunt to Palincrston North, where she got. very sore teats. Magnet's Peggy is as pretty a thing as can be seen anywhere. The pride of place at the sale will be contested by the young bull imported from.the Island of Jersey last year, Campaniles' Sultan. This bull is not yet three years old, but is as well grown as. most buls of that age. His ancestors are remarkable for their butter-fat records; 201bs per week is looked upon more as a minimum standard than an exception. Knowing his ancestors for many generations back, and the prepotency of the family, Mr. Pierre, on the Island of Jersey, wrote Mr. Griffiths that when Campanile's Sultan's heifers get in milk he does not expect any bull in New Zealand to equal him. As lie won "Reserve over Jersey" as a yearling in April, 1907, in hot company, he must be a good one; and he looks it. He has already twenty calves to his credit in the sale and two or three more are expected before the sale.

As cattle are upset by being driven seven miles to town, spending two days away from home, and going seven miles

back, Messrs. Griffiths and Cornwall are only exhibiting five beasts at the New Plymouth show, preferring to keep the others quietly at home in view of the sale next day. Campaniles' Sulton, Magnet's Peggy, Fury's Fairy, and two yearlings will complete their team. The sale will comprise every animal owned by the partners. It is announced that nothing will be withheld and there will be no reserve.

In addition to the pedigree stock there will be seven pure-bred Berkshires, four grade Jerseys, three horses, harness, implements, etc.