FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 March 1917, Page 3

FARM AND DAIRY.

SHORTHORNS COMING INTO FAVOR AGAIN. There is no reason to doubt that the Shorthorn strain is regaining popularity, farmers are beginning to recognise that there are many good features about th's type of cattle. Mr D. J. Hughes had -oine fine stock at the recent show at U aiwakaiho, which wore admired by many cat tie breeders and others interested. Mr. Hughes states that the four Shorthorn bullocks were- practically only three-year-old c-afctlo, being October and November calves. They were ail reared on whey and had turnips the first winter, and afterwards only grass. The four aggregated in weight (freezing) "k>Sslb, averaging S9G.|lb. The heaviest bullock scaled 10021b, and the lightest S3!)lb. For the dual purpose cow he is satisfied none can compare with the Shorthorn in South Taranaki, although he places the Holstein second in favor. In the back country the Hereford and Polled Angus breeds stihul first. For straight-out dairying he favors the Jersey every time, and where thera is little or no shelter, the Ayrshire holds it's own.

I'or many years breeders in South Taranaki have been building up the Shorthorn breed. Round Hawcra, Mr I ant-ham and later on the Moore-Hunter Estate, and at Eltham Mr. Turner have spent many years in improving the breed. The breeders mentioned appear to have gone in more for a beef-type than the milk-type of cattle. At Sentry Hill, Mr. Turnbull has given the dairy-ing-typo more attention than the freez-ing-type, and by judicious breeding and buying possesses a herd that contains several cows undergoing semi-official tests. No one can deny that a good Shorthorn dairy cow is a handy animal in the niilkyard. Unfortunately, the Shorthorn has not received the attention from dairy farmers that it might, and although dairying is no new tiling, few farmers really know how good a' Shorthorn is in a milking herd. 4t Stratford the writer remembers -Mr. W. Bailey landing a milking championship with a Shorthorn. Aga'n, 1 recall a conversation with Mr. H. Trimble, of Inglewood, who mentioned the c.ise of a Shorthorn enthusiast there who went to a lot of trouble to introduce the milking Shorthorn there, but the farmers there hardly understood the type, and the results obtained did not work out as anticipated. Mr. Turnbull appears to be working on right lines, and later on results should prove the wisdom of his care and attention to this class of dairy cow.

All will agree with Mr. Hughes regarding the Jersey eow—it is a milking machine. At a show I Temember a Stratford enthusiast remarking that his cow held sufficient milk to quench a fire, after filling a bucket. With care the Jersey iR a fine cow, but it must be a wenk-constitutioned animal, seeing that one finds them rug-cd first in the winter. The Ayrshire type also has many admirers. Mr. J. Burgess, of Warca, has a fine herd, whilst I know in the Mangamingi Valley, near Eltham, the Ayrshires were very popular with farmers. Polled Angus have never obtained a hold in Taranaki, hut Mr. J. J. Campbell, of Kaupokonui, was satisfied with results obtained from this breed. Excepting in bullock drays and freezing yards, one sees little of the Hereford type, the white-faced cattle finding little favor as a milking strain. The Holstein, like the Shorthorn, is a heavy beast, and besides being a first-class milker makes a fine freezing carcase.