JERSEY CATTLE BREEDERS' ASSOCIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 June 1916, Page 6

JERSEY CATTLE BREEDERS' ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING. (From Hawcia Star). The annual meeting of the N.Z. Jarsey Cattle Breeders' Association is to be held in the Winter Show Buildings, Hawcra, on July 13. Inter alia, the report will deal with the following points:

Finance: As will he seen from tins balance-sheet the net profits for the year amounted to £O7 12s Cd.

Semi-official test: During the past twelve months 97 cows have been awarded certificates by the N.Z. Department of Agriculture as the result of the semiofficial test conducted by that Department. The average production of thes? 07 cows was a-i follows: Days in Lbs. of Lbs. of I buttermilk, milk. fat. -!- iun-year-olds .'144 05:18.0 ::(i(i.!W 22 three-year-olds 354 7656.47 446.81 14 four-year-olds 335 8450.11 457.58 10 mature 34S 8796.44 484.84

97 cows (average) 345 7518.75 421.35 These averages will be found to compare .-cry favorably with the records of Jerseys made in other countries, where a point of high development has been reached, and it may therefore he reasonably assumed that the climate and general environment of the Dominion is eminently suitable for the. most highly productive type of Jersey. The results that have here been made known show the value of the Departmental tests, as a demonstration of what the breed is capable of. and in order to induce members to place their cows under the test your council have decided to pay to members entering their cattle the sum of £1 Is for each cow so entered which has produced lOOlbs or more of butter-fat above her standard, and to which the Department of Agriculture lias awarded a certificate of record. This payment will be made in respect of cows finishing their records on or subsequent to January 1, 1916. Gold, silver and bronze medals have been awarded for the cows holding the three highest records in each of four different classes, and which concluded their records between August 31, 1914, and December 31, 1915. In future the medals will be awarded to the cows producing the three highest records above their minimum requirements, in the four different classes, (.during the period beginning on January 1 and ending on December 31 in each year Before leaving the subject of the semi-official tests your council must express its grateful appreciation of the work of the officers of the Dairy Division of the Department of Agriculture in the matter of testing. Any information required by the Association has been readily and courteously supplied, and the council offers its cordial thanks for the interest and assistance of the Departmental staff.

Herd Book: Volume 13 of the Herd Book, which is in the press, will contain the pedigrees of 854 heifers and >)3B hulls, thus bringing the total number of registered cattle up to 4024 and 5364 respectively. In addition, the particulars of the milk and butter-fat records of the 97 cows which have been awarded certificates by the Department of Agriculture during the past year, as stated above, will appear in the Herd Book, together with half-tone plates of the cows which won gold medals. The whole of the records made to date in the semi-official tests will also be published in pamphlet form and distributed throughout the Dominion. Tt is considered that these vecordu will in this way be found of great use as advertising the milk and butter-fat producing powers of the Jersey.

Transfers: During the year transfers have been recorded for 508 cows and heifers, and 549 bulls. The increased figures relating to bulls again bear testimony to the fact that a greater number of dairy farmers are annually recognising the value of the Jersey bull as a sire of dairy cattle. State Farm stock: A deputation from your council, introduced by Sir Walter Buchanan, waited upon the Minister for Agriculture, the Hon. W. D. S. Maedonald, in connection with the class of Jersey cattle, owned, bred and disposed of by the N.Z. Department of Agriculture. The Minister gave the deputation a very patient hearing and assured them he would personally investigate the matter, and if he found that the cattle \vere as represented to be he would endeavot to have a change made that would be satisfactory to the Association, hut owing to the very strenuous times through which we were passing he would make no definite promise as to the action to he taken. Your Association is indebted to Sir Walter Buchanan for the great interest he evinced in the matter, ami Joi his courtesy and kindness in making all the necessary arrangements for the interview with the Minister.