FIRST CENTURY OF DAIRYING IN NEW SOUTH WALES. 



Marks' dairy herd at Terragong, Jambcroo, were different to the 

 present type. 



The types of Ayrshire imported by Dr. Alcorn, of Shoalhaven, in 

 iN54 : anfd the types of Ayrshire imported by Mr. James Robb, of 

 Riversdale, Kiama, in 1862, although being Ayrshires in every sense, 

 wer^ all different in type. The Macleay Ayrshires were of great 

 length, big-bodied, yellow and white mottled, very much dollar- 

 marked, and threw true to their characteristics, although crossed with 

 other strains, for thirty years. Dr. Alcorn's Ayrshires were of a 

 smaller type, mostly red and white or liver and white in color, with 

 long, well-defined horns ; and they were true to their characteristic- 

 for thirty years. Mr. James Robb's bull was a very dark-brown, in- 

 clined to black, and pure white ;the cows were yellow and white and 

 brown and white. This bull was well known in the Kiama district. 

 After being used on the Riversdale Estate for several years he was 

 sold to Mr. George Adams, who afterwards sold him to Mr. John\ 

 Black, who in turn sold him to Mr. John Marks. At Mr. Marks' 

 sale in 1875 he was purchased by Mr. Neil Harper, who in turn sold 

 him to Mr. Mclllraith, of Fountainjdalc, where he broke his neck 

 jumping a -ience. Everywhere this bull went good stock were pro- 

 duced. There was a peculiar black streak in his skin that can be 

 detected in his descendants even to the present day in our show 

 rings. Beyond this one characteristic it is difficult to say that the 

 Robb Ayrshire carried with them any defined distinction not peculiar 

 to the strain. 



There were two things, however, held in commoni throughout by 

 these three strains of Ayrshire, namely, vigorous constitutions and 

 productiveness. Furthermore, all three strains seemed to blend easily 

 with the other breeds o-f cattle in the districts where they flourished. 

 This characteristic was very pronounced in the Macleay strain of 

 Ayrshires, and may possibly be accounted for by the fact that Mr. 

 Macleay, in the early thirties, purchased a Normandy bull and two 

 cows, which he used in his herd at Camden. This breed resembled 

 the Ayrshire in many respects, but their horns turned downward and 

 then upwards. The Glenlee Ayrshires had also the characteristic of 

 blending freely with the other breeds of cattle, but Mr. Howe had 

 the Durham, Devon, Shorthorn, and the Guernsey breeds on his es- 

 tate in the thirties. 



The Durhams used by Messrs. Osborn : (Marslrill Mount), Brown 

 (Dapto), Lomax (Lakelands), Johnston (The Meadows), Terry 

 Hughes (The Meadows), and Captains Addison and Hopkins, were 

 entirely different to those imported to the coastal districts in subse- 

 quent years. They were all with very few exceptions heavy milkers, 

 which "was rich in quality. They also combined docility of temper 

 with a vigorous constitution qualities that are always looked for in 

 an ideal dairy animal throughout the dairy world. 



It would be a mistake to attempt to give a-i exact description of 

 the developments of dairying and cattle breeding without some 

 special reference to the coastal auctioneers and cattle dealers of the 

 liftie-s. -ixties. and seventies. In doin^ SO, llu-refure. we shall ccn- 

 fme our remarks to those of Ilia warm district, which was at those 

 periods the cradle of the dairying industry in Xe\v South Wales. 

 We may mention Messrs. Collie- & Co'e. Dapto and Wollonj 

 later on Messrs. Fowler and Irvine. Kiama ; later still we have 

 Messrs. Waldron, and Dynmck. acting as general auctioneer - 

 throughout the South Coast, with the execution of Tw< fold V.av. 

 where' Mr. William Rixnn assumed command < f tl e hammer at 

 all imp >rta:r land and cattl? sale-. 



The early dealers compri-ed Messrs. Wil!i:rn (iraham and Read 

 Oi Shoalha\ e-:i and Twuf Id Kay. Mr. (iraham used 1<> collect mo^ a 



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