Pastures Past: New Zealand’s impressive Jersey herd

New Zealand’s Jersey herd was of such high quality in 1947, that importing pedigree stock from the UK was questioned. Photo / Christine Cornege

Kem Ormond takes a look at the world of farming back in the day.

Farmers should be very proud of the stock they are producing on the green pastures of New Zealand. But have you ever stopped to think about where the breeding stock originated from?

While most of our breeding stock is imported from the UK, it was the insight from some of our more progressive farmers that made this happen.

They were willing to take the risks and quarantine the stock, with the aim of building a high-quality producing herd and stud.

However, New Zealand’s Jersey herd was of such high quality in 1947, that importing pedigree stock from the UK was brought into question, as seen below in the Te Awamutu Courier.

Good Jersey stock

Pahiatua Herald, October 10, 1923

The Jersey breeders of Pahiatua and Woodville are from time to time importing new blood and building up new herds.

The results of their enterprises are visible not only in the size of the milk cheques but also in successes in the show ring.

One of the leading breeders is Mr C. Jones, of Ngawapurua, near Woodville.

Competent judges have a very high regard of his stock as the butter-fat records have been such that many dairymen might envy.

Mr Jones has also been a prize taker with his exhibits at various shows.

He is now placing at the service of farmers the two bulls, Prince James and Erinview Twylish.

The progeny of the first-named is doing remarkedly well in the show ring as well as at the bucket, while Erinview Twylish shows some of the best blood in the Jersey world.

The pedigree of both bulls is set out on page 8 of this issue.

Woodville pedigree Jersey bull sale on page eight of the Pahiatua Herald, October 10, 1923. Image / Pastures Past

Importing Stock

Question of quality

Te Awamutu Courier, January 31, 1947

The importation of pedigree stock was discussed by Dr. C. P. McMeekan, superintendent of the Ruiakura Animal Research Station, in a talk to members of young farmers’ clubs in the Matamata district.

The Dominion, he said, had concentrated on the Jersey breed of cattle and now without question had the best Jerseys in the world so far as a national herd was concerned.

It was no use importing unless better stock could be obtained, whether it was from another country, another district or another farm.

He was not convinced after having travelled through Britain that the best stock came to New Zealand.

For every good beast on Jersey Island, New Zealand could match it 100 times.

For other breeds he thought there was a case for importing.

There was a greater proportion of poor dairy cattle in Britain than in New Zealand.

England from a dairying point of view could not compare with New Zealand.

As far as sheep were concerned, the New Zealand Romney and Southdown were totally different from those in Britain as they had been adapted to the conditions.

Pigs were better in England.

When the standard of stock was better overseas, concluded Dr. McMeekan, the Dominion should import, but where the standard of stock was equal in New Zealand to that overseas there was no case for importing.

- Source: Papers Past