"THE JERSEY COW—EVERY TIME."

Taranaki Daily News, 7 August 1918, Page 3

"THE JERSEY COW—EVERY TIME."

To the Editor. Sir,—l have been much interested of late in the controversy in your columns *s to the respective merits of the Jersey and Holstcin breeds, each breed having, as is the case with all other classes of purebred live stock, its staunch supporters, and this for the best of reasons. Without going at present into the figures, tests, etc., dwelt upon by Mr. Wright, 1 maintain that the ,Jersey has stood the test of time, resulting in the indisputable fact that she is to-day considered "par excellence," the ideal dairy animal, and the leading favorite in the public eye at the various agricultural and pastoral shows. One fact I have noticed, and which many ardent admirers of the Holstein fail to recognise, is that the Holstein cannot be kept to advantage on light lands —in other words, a man with a small dairy farm of light, second-class soil can run more Jersey cows, to his manifest advantage, than if he attempted to keep Holsteins. I know many men on such farms who will bear me out from experience. Another point overlooked is that the Holstcin, from her natural conformation requires a great deal heavier feeding than does a Jersey. This also I have seen proved. I can mention one case alone where a man, liorn and bred amongst cows (as the saying goes), 011 a farm of good soil (mark you), and engaged in supplying the city of Wellington milk trade, went wholc-heartcdlv in for Holsteins. I did not hear from, or see, him for some time afterwards, but I heard from another source that he had gone out of the ''Black and Whites." When I met him later T enquired if this was so, and. upon his replying "Yes, that's so," 1 enquired the reason. "Oh," said my friend, "they arc good cattle, but they take too much doing—too much feeding," and I left it at that. He bore nut what I had heard said by other;'. Now. sir, one other point; your correspondent Mr. Wright (maybe lie is, in this matter, Mr. Wrong! mentions a case Ln Wanganui where an invalid who was being dieled upon Holsteia milk suffered u severe relapse through being inadvertently served with rich Jersey milk. That may be so. 1 have heard before of Holstein milk suiting some invalids with weak stomachs, but I can inform Mr| Wright of countless cases where the "great mother of all dairy breeds" has saved valuable infant lives with her rich, strengthening milk. The writer a little over three years ago was engaged in a considerable milk run business, and at the special request, in some cases, ofj a doctor, and in others of a mother or qualified nurse, supplied pure milk from high-grade Jerseys testing over 5, and was the recipient of many warm compliments on the results achieved, in two cases alone children being brought back absolutely from death's door. So much for that fact. Now, sir, X have no wish to belittle the Holstcin Friesian breed. I am not. interested either in the breeding of pedigree Jerseys (although the arguments used, in an endeavor to wipe out all other breeds, save the Holstein savors, surely, sir. very strongly of the interested pedigree Holstein breeder), but any reasonable, thinking man with a knowledge of dairy stock and the great dairying industry, cannot fail to see that there is always a big chance of unthinking dairy farmers, or new comers into the game, being led away bv the arguments used which T have referred to, and adopting a heavy breed of cattle unsuited to their land, and, therefore, to their requirements. To such I would tender the advice of a well-known breeder—a run holder in the Wellington province—who, discussing the merits of a certain breed of sheep with a newly-started sheepfarmer (who had been strongly advised by other interested men to adopt another and different class of sheep) was asked by the runholder how the class of sheep first mentioned, and which the "new chmn" had started 011, were doing w'ith him, he replied: "First class, so far, in every way." "Well," said the runholder, "that is all you require; they are good sheep in every way, and suitable to your country, and, therefore, likely to give you the best resuUs—you can want no more." This was the crux of the whole matter. The sheep suited his country, and surely, Mr. Editor, the same sound policy can be adopted with regard to the dairying classes of cattle. The Jerseys have paid, and are paying, scores and scores ot' grateful dairy men, Well and handsomely, and although interested breeders of other classes may preach and advocate the merits of socalled ''dual-purpose cattle"—the greatest "Will o' the Wisp" a dairyman can set, out to chase —the Jersey cow will always remain the aristocrat and beau ideal dairy beast of a vast majority of dairy farmers,—l am, etc., , , "JERSEY YET." tnglev.'ood, August 5, 1!)1S.