FRIESIAN CATTLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 June 1922, Page 7

FRIESIAN CATTLE.

NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION, THE ANNUAL MEETING. (From Our Special Reporter.) The annual jne.eting of the New Zealand Friesian Cattle Breeders’ Association was held at Palmerston North on Wednesday evening, when Mr. W. D. Hunt presided over an . attendance of about one hundred members. The report was submitted as follows : When the “slump” hit New Zealand, it was generally anticipated that the affairs of this association, with others, would suffer severely, and the fear was expressed that there would be great difficulty in holding our own. It is most gratifying, therefore, to - De again able to report that very substantial progress has been made since the last annual meeting; During; the year 95 new members have joined, which, after deducting those removed from the list, -leaves ■ a net gain of 67, and brings the - total up to 672. Fears were also expressed that prices for our stock would recede, but on this .point members, are to be heartily congratulated,., because quite the opposite has happened, and-record prices have been given for New Zealand Friesians both by local buyers and for animals to go :to Australia. This is a position of affairs on which we can well afford to be jubilant. The- future, too, looks particularly promising, more especially if our members see to it that the standard of type and production are kept up to the highest degree of /excellence. A large number of animals have been exported to Australia, and there is certainly no reason why our breeders .should not find markets still further afiekt if they/Will keep up policy of' testing, as;;there is nothing'that- wfll'. tend to’ bring Friesians before the farmers and public of 'both this and other countries as the magnificent records the “black and whites” are capable of putting up. It has already been fully demonstrated that we have animals bred as well as anything in the world, which (under similar conditions that obtain elsewhere) are capable of putting up records equal to anything that has gone before. The recent auction sale of 83 South African Friesians in England for a sum of over £106,000 is an indication of the ihan’ner in which the breed is valued in other -countries. Our New Zealand cattle have put up much better milk and butter-fat records than those in South Africa. In connection with.the matter of testing, we* have .also made substantial progress in, that during .192], 156 eowe arid heifers were -put' under test, as against 105 in'the previous year. Splendid performances have been pvt up, and it is almost a certainty that in the | very near future the highest record of a i New Zealand Friesian will bp brpken. Up to the pre'sept we have no less than 210 cows and heifers, which have given over 5001'bs.fat, the figures being as follows: —Cows and heifers bver.BOOlbs fat', 125; over 6001bs fat',: 58; over 7001bs fat, 16; over 800 lbs fat, 18y over’ 9001bs fat, 3. It is by testing our cattle, that we -will increase interest in the breed. It is to foe hoped that breeders will do more of this. Every breeder should test; It is only by this., mean* that he can hiniself learn • the value ■•■ of his own cattle and prove their value to the public when he wishes to sell. The following figures show how. our breeders have been- testing during 1921-18 members'tested 1 cdW; 10, 2 cows’; 3, 3. cows; 8, 4 cows;’ 3, 5 cows; 1, 6 cows; 1, 7 cows; 3, 8 cows; 1, 9 cows; 1, - 13 cows. Those breeders testing three %ows and under should 'find little difficulty in increasing their numbers, thus both adding to the value of their stock and reducing the average of their testing -fees. The following are the •class winners for the past year: —Junior; 2-year: T. H. Richards’ Mona vale Queen Bess, milk 20,501.11b5, fat 740.501b5. Seniqr, 2-year: R. J. Potter’s Maidie of Willowburn, milk 16.940‘.91b5. fat 55’’.13 lbs. Junior, 3-yea-r: H. North and Son’s Rusevale Queen Daphne, milk 17,9564b5, fat 675.181b5. Senior, 3-year: Bloomfield Farm Co.’s Edgewood Pearl, milk 16,808.71b5, fat G68.831b5. Junior,. 4year: W. Dew’s Know-not. Pricle, .milk 21,424.9 rt», fat 700.251b5. Senior, 4-year: : H. R. Green’s Buttercup 3,rd of Ashlypn, milk 20,694.251b5, fat 833.261b5. Mature: G. A. Marchant and Son’s Pontiac Princess, milk 20.843 41bs, fat 831.101b5. The number of entries received for voluhfe/1 lj No. 1911, comprising Gl3 males and 1298 females, making a total of T 5,050 registered. to comprising males and T 0,515 females. At the last meeting, Mr. G. Aitchison was appointed dempnstrator for the Association, but for various reasons that gentleman, was unable to undertake the work, until quite recently, when he gave demonstrations in the Wairarapa, which were largely attended and greatly appreciated by those present. Mr. Aitchison had proposed to give demonstrations in the Waikato, but unfortunately the district committee there was unable to make the necessary arrangements. He has given several demonstrations in Taranaki, and now that the work has been commenced, it is hoped that it will be carried on vigorously in the future. CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS. In moving the adoption of the report, the chairman said there was no doubt the Friesian cattle were establishing themselves as the greatest dairy cattlein the United States there were more, registered Friesians than of all other •breeds, and though practically a new breed in England, the Friesian was. only second to the Shorthorns, arid was rapidly gaining on the Shorthorn’ Its popularity was evidenced by the record prices received at the sale mentioned. He pointed out . that under the present, sys-. tem of payment for butter-fat, justice was not -done to the- Friesians. The Friesians’ value was not only in the butter-fat produced, but in the food value, and also in the other solids in the milk. It was this that made the future of the Friesian so great;,, it was the greatest food producer in the world.' As an illustration he showed that a three-year-old bullock, weighing SOOlbs, produced 3501'bs of dry food, whereas’ a Friesian cow that gave 5001bs of butterfat gave 251bs of other solids for each pound of butterfat, consisting of proteids and sugar, or 17501bs of the best possible food materia] in. one year, as against the fat bullock 3501'bis in three years. The 10001 b butter-fat which- ho believed they would -have in the near future would, of course, give a total of 35001 be of food per year as against the fat bullock’s 3501bs in three years. They could, therefore, see that undet' the out-of-date method of payment in butter-fat test they were giving away 2Jlfo of. other solids with each pound of butter-fat. The Jersey, according to average tests, only gave l?lb of other solids tn each pound < of butter-fat, so that the 5001 b butter-fat I Jersey only gave 13751bs of food solide,

as against the Friesian’s 17501b5. Ip other words, the Friesian people -were giving away 3758 be of food solids to every 50Olbs of butter-fat.

■Sooner or later this would have to be remedied, and when that day does come the Friesian will have no difficulty in sailing home well ahead of all other competitors. The Friesian also, stood out supreme in constitution, as she comes from a cold climate. He strongly urged all Friesian breeders to test continuously, as it was only by this they could prove their cattie and have a fine potent animal. Cows with several generations of butter-fat producers behind them would foe sought from any part of the globe, and would realise any price asked. Young breeders should take up testing. He pointed to a case in Canada, where a small breeder held the champion cow, and he also referred to Taranaki, where a young breeder was bringing out a cow ■ that promised to be a champion. While a. great, believer in. Well-bred cattle, hb also believed in welb-fed cattle;* but the advantage of well-bred cattle was that they .only took the same, .amount of food.to keep them alive as did the useless cow, and f-he balance of their food went into milk. He- then moved the adoption of the report and balancesheet.

This was seconded by Mr. W. I. Lovelock- ■

Criticising the ; 'balance . sheet, which showed a loss, Mr. Troup asked what the council had done to meet the increased expenditure that would take place during the coming year, when they would have a full time secretary and additional expense.

The president said the season had not resulted in.a great loss- They had spent an additional £l4O in testing fees, i.e., giving prizes to those who had gained a certain amount of butter-fat. He strongly advocated spending the money raised each year in pushing forward' the interests of the breed. They must adopt a. progressive policy, and, if necessary, increase the subscription, though he questioned if this would, be necessary. ’ ' ... The report was adopted. ELECTION -OF OFFICERS.

,Officers were elected as follows: — President, Mr. W. I). Hunt (re-elected); Vice-presidents, Messrs. ,T- H. : Overton and W. I. Lovelock ; treasurer, Mr. W. E. Gill. The election of four members of the council was’announced as follows: — Messrs. J. Donald, -H; J. Marchant (Cardiff), T- H. Overton, and J. H. Wilson. Fifty-eight new members were elected. EXPORT TO ENGLAND. Mr. W. R. Wright (Raho-tu) moved, in accordance with notice of motion, that a company should be found -to export Friesians to Ehgland. In support, he referred to the money that the South African Friesians. had recently brought. in England, and it was generally admitted that New Zealand Friesians were superior to. the South African cattle. Mr. W. I. Lovelock seconded, considering that it would be f a godd, idea to send Hbme females and bring . back inales. Mr- Troup said that the present regnjatioh in England was that only-cattle the-progeny of animals with a record of 20,0001bs of milk could be admitted. This however, had been- waived. in the case of South Africa to 12,0001bs milk and 4001bs butter-fat in ten months.-. . Mr. S. Bowman (Waitaki) felt alarmed at the proposal to export 20,0001 b cows. He did not think the Friesian strongly enough established to send away their best' cows. Other members consid'cred that individual members that wished might export without involving the whole association. Mr. Leonard, as a pioneer breeder, said that - they had evolved a New Zealand breed and it was now time that they had- the world's markets before them. The motion was carried. CHANGING THE NAME. Mr- W. R. Wright then moved in accordance with notice of motion that the Association again adopt the name of Holstein-Friesian. He pointed out that no less than five of the leading auctioneers, including Mr. Newton King, who was the father of the breed’ in New Zealand, called them Holsteins in sale notices. Unless there was unanimity in the name they' slpuld go back to. IJplstein, which was now a part of Denmark. The United States had kept the name, w-hereas in England the cattle were called British Friesians. Mr. .Neilsen seconded.... The resolution was lost by a big majority. . .. r. ... GENERAL, In order to meet‘the increased costs that would bp incurred through the appointment of a whole time secretary, Mr, Troup moved that, it be an instruction to the council to levy a percentage fee on all pedigree Friesians sold. . . Mr- Seccom'be seconded the motion, ■which was lost. Mr. Hodgson '(South Auckland) asked for support tfo a m.ptipn that the membership fee should 'be- increased to 1A guineas, of which half a guinea should be 1 voted to the district committees. It was stated that the association subsidise moneys’ raised voluntarily in different districts up to 10s .per member. Mr. Marchant stated that Taranaki had received £42 10s subsidy on the £45 they had collected, and this had been utilised- in providing prize money at the. agricultural shows.

■ Votes of thanks were recorded the retiring officers and Messrs. Aitchison and Higgins. ,