Can You Beat This?

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 6, 4 August 1939, Page 51

Can You Beat This?

Here you are, you club-members. Can you beat these cows, or the Manchester Guardian's comments on them? "Cherry, the Amesbury (Wiltshire) shorthorn cow which recently beat the British and the world records for a year’s milk yield, last night became the first cow known to have exceeded 4,000 gallons of milk in a year." -*' Manchester Guardian,’"’ March 25, 1939. "The European record for milk and butter production is claimed for an Italian cow, Carnation Prisca, which last year gave 17,055.95 kilos. (37,480 Ib.) of milk-an average of 46.45 kilos. (102.40lb.) a day-and 636,816 kilos. (1,403.91lb.) of butter, The world’s record, held by Carnation Butter King, is 17,488 kilos." " Manchester Guardian,’ May 31, 1939. in March I sang of Cherry, whom I cheerfully saluted As Wiltshire’s lactic miracle of milk-produc-ing zeal; But what is this appalling news that leaves her fame disputed? Shall Mussolini’s cattle for world honours now appeal? It seems to be asserted that Carnation Prisca smashes Any European record made by Cherry’s former fling, And, just to add an extra dose of sorrow, dust and ashes. They bring another challenge from Carnation Butter King. But I refuse to budge, I do; I still stand fast by Cherry, And chiefly on the sensible and reassuring* ground That Cherry deals in gallons that are fluid, rich and merry, And not in milk as measured’ by the kilogramme or pound. That sounds to me an Axis trick, a worthless, Woppish wangleIt must be hokey-pokey that their precious Prisca yields; So I refuse to enter into any sort of wrangleI back the gorgeous gallons from our Cherry’s English fields. ;