FIRST CENTURY OF DAIRYING IN NEW SOUTH WALES. 



of an unsaleable color, is it not possible to turn him into a secure 

 paddock to be used -for pedigreeing purposes only, and put a Devon 

 bull in his place at the stud, as in the case of bulls throwing 

 too many white calves ? Instances such as these may IK- of rare- 

 occurrence, but such things have occurred before to-day, and they 

 go a long way to make difficulties for those who wish to piace on 

 record the origin of the dairy cattle of either our coast or table- 

 land districts, and at the same time adhere strictly to pedigreed 

 animals. This is not written with a view of upsetting the import- 

 ance of the records kept by many of the best breeders off cattle in 

 Xew South Wales. But as there were so many who kept n.i ac- 

 counts outside their banking business it was an easy matter .for 

 dealers to state in after years that certain young bulls were bred 

 by So-and-So, and no one outside the banking authorities could say 

 nay, it is therefore just as well to state here the true state <>f things 

 which obtained in New South Wales during the whole of the fat cattle 

 boom which continued through the seventies and eighties. 



Another matter which operated on the recent efforts made by 

 some writers to trace the origin of our breeds of dairying cattle 

 was the constant swopping and loaning of bulls that was indulged 

 in very largely in the history of cattle raising throughout the country 

 districts. Then, again, many of the best sires changed owner-hip 

 several times during their years of usefulness. The bull Major \va- 

 no exception to the rule, as he was used in the herds of Me-^rs. 

 Evans, Williams, and Hindmarsh. Had proper records been kept 

 of this bull, no doubt we would have something to show of a de- 

 finite nature in connection with the mating of cattle and the effects 

 ol climate on the progeny of such matings. 



It is pretty generally conceded that Major was the sire of Mr. 

 Henry Fredrick's Major II. (although this bull was the first of the 

 two to be named Major). He is also supposed to be the sire of 

 Fox's bull. Yet Major II. and Fox's bull did not resemble each 

 other. Major II. was a bull of good height and great length of 

 body, and o-f a light roan color, whereas Fox's bull was low-set, 

 deep bodied, of medium length, and a dusty patc'hy roan color. 

 Major II. sired many stud dairy animals when in MrJ j'Kredrick's 

 herd, and afterwards in Messrs. Cole Bros.' herd. Fox's bull when 

 mated with a red cow a Shorthorn-Devon cross (o,r as they are 

 termed in England a Lincoln-Shorthorn) produced Dudgeon's bull. 

 Fox's bull was taken as a calf to the Monaro district, and re- 

 purchased by Mr. Evan R. Evans, who sold him a- a 

 four-year-old to Mr. Fox, of Jamberoo. Again, we have 

 Mr. Peter Quin's bull,' bre'd by Mr. Kvan R. K\an>. by 

 Major. This bull of Mr. Quin's was of good length and IHTLZM. 

 and of a light roan color, and was the sire of Boxer. Boxer was 

 the sire of Mr. James Spinks's Musket. Then we come to a hull 

 bred by Mr. Robert Hindmarsh, and taken as a calf to the P.raid- 

 wood district by Mr. Fred. Hindmarsh, whence he was returned to 

 the Kiama district, and sold to Mr. Gabriel Timbs, of Aloion PanK, 

 who bred excellent dairy stock from him. This bull was low-sci <uia 

 large bodied, and of a spotted roan color. Like Fox's bull, this 

 animal had to battle for a living on the tableland during its younger 

 days, whereas Major II. and Mr. Peter Quin's bull were reared 

 under those generous climatic conditions such as the rich soils of 

 Illawarra afforded in those years. 



As to the breeding of the dam> and granddams of these four 

 .-Mii inals, each is reported to be of pure Durham origin. Never- 

 theless, if it were possible to bring the four male animals in qucs 

 tion, together with their sire, under review, calm Shorthorn critics 

 who were unacquainted with influences of food, -oil, and climate 

 environment on young animals, would unhesitatingly declare that, 



72. 



