Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 1911. THE "JERSEY GAMBLE."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10135, 13 January 1911, Page 4

Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 1911. THE "JERSEY GAMBLE."

Never in the history of the dairy business in NW Zealand wag the adoption of modern methods more necessary than «t the present time. Fortunately there are men engaged in the industry who realise .this fact,, and who are striving to improve the breed of cows and the conditions under which dairying is conducted. The cow-testing system which was started a year or two back- in the Wairarapa appears to have appealed to farmers from one end of the Dominion to the other. That there is room for judicious culling is evidenced from the following extract from the Hawera Star:—"Prominent stock breeders are beginning to regard with a serious mien what may be termed , 'The Jersey gamble,' which threatens to react, prejudicially against a very meritorious breed. These stock breeders ; and stock connoisseurs affirm that many dairy farmers are buying Jerseys without having any assurance of their milk-producing qualities. The breed is of undoubted merit, but individual animals may not all be of th<» same stamp, What it is appre-

liended may happen is that some purchasers may discover that their Jerseys are not what they were led to expect, and the result will be that the breed will be unjustly condemned. What is being neglected is systematic cow-testing. It has been demonstrated beyond doubt that in international dairy tests the Jersey has won all round. They gave more milk, made more cheese or move butter, requiring less milk to the pound of cheese or butter, and produced butter at less cost than any other breed. Thus the Jerseys are ideal dairy cows. But what is wanted in New Zealand just now is authenticated tests. The New Zealand Jersey Cattle Breeders' Association offer facilities for testing, and it is in the interests of the breed that every animal should be tested. When breeders of Jerseys are gravely apprehensive that the breed may be prejudicially affected in course of time through the system of 'taking for granted,' without individual authenticaed tests, it may be assumed'tliattiiey grounds - for taking a serious view' of the matter."