FIRST CENTURY OF DAIRYING IN NEW SOUTH WALES. 

 COOLANGATTA STUD DAIRY CATTLE. 



Coolangatta, -far-famed for its meadows and its live stock, has 

 been associated through many years with the development of high- 

 class cattle. The great stud farm, lying between the sea and the 

 steep coastal range of hills, is perfectly adapted for breeding and 

 rearing animals calculated to raise the standard of quality in their 

 kind the world over. The impress of the stud stock from this Shoal- 

 haven estate is strongly apparent in many Australian herds, but this 

 influence may, unfortunately, be greatly decreased in the immediate 

 future. Subsequent to the death of the late Mr. David Berry, Dr. 

 John Hay, having a keen sense of the immense service that may be 

 rendered to tenants by an enterprising landlord, decided to consider- 

 ably increase the pedigree dairy herds of Coolangatta. Not only the 

 numerous tenants on the estate w r ere considered in arriving at this 

 decision. The chief industry of the South Coast bein? dairying, 

 it was most essential that the farmers should have cattle placed 

 at their disposal at reasonable prices which would improve their 

 milking herds. Pure bulls of first-class quality were of late years 

 badly needed on the coast, and Dr. Hay had this and the interests 

 of his tenants in the immediate outlook when he began to import 

 valuable pedigree stock. Jerseys were brought from the Channel 

 Islands and England, and Ayrshires from the best herds in Victoria 

 and New Zealand. Later on, Holsteins and Shorthorns of the milking 

 strain were strengthened by importations from Holland and England, 

 and a very fine lot of cattle of almost all dairy breeds was estab- 

 lished in the Coolangatta stud stables and paddocks. 



The Ayrshire here, as elsewhere, has oroved itself the most re- 

 liable of the dairy breeds on all classs of country and in all seasons. 

 Mainly for this reason the Ayrshires were always the leading stock at 

 Coolangatta; in fact, it is not too much to say that the herd was the 

 greatest in every respect in Australia. In 1890 Dr. Hay founded the 

 new Coolangatta Ayrshire herd with ten cows and a bull bred bv 

 Mr. K. B. Ferguson, of Dunedin, New Zealand. These cattle turned 

 out well, and it was decided that the next infusion should be 'of 

 Victorian stock. Selections were made from the celebrated Mount 

 Fyans herd of Messrs, dimming and Brisbane, a herd founded and 

 maintained solely on importations direct from the best studs of 

 Scotland. Among the first purchases were Yellow Bess of Fyans. 

 by Rantin' Robin (imp.) ; Olive of Teviot, by Baron 2nd of Drum- 

 lanrig ; Drumlanrig's Heiress 4th, by Heir of Drumlanrig from 

 Drumlanrig's Ada 4th. Following on this the herd was further 

 improved by additions from Mr. S. Hordern's herd, and also from 

 that of Mr. John Grant, of Invercargill, New Zealand. 



It was in 1896 that the Mascotte of the Coolangatta Ayrshire herd 

 arrived In that year Dr. Hav purchased Rob Roy (bred by Gumming 

 and Brisbane), by Rantin' Robin of Hindsward (imp.) from Favourite 

 of Munnoch (imp.). Favourite was thrice champion of Australia, 

 and a perfectly shaped Ayrshire cow of most aristocratic lineage. 



From 1896 forward the Coolangatta herd was strengthened by pur- 

 chases from W. McNab & Bros.' Oakbank herd, Victoria, and from 

 the herd of Mr. John Bond, of Victoria. Two very beautiful MeXab 

 heifers by Rarity were purchased, and this year Dr. Hay secured, 

 for 100 guineas, Lustre of Oakbank, a cow of rare quality. 



The demand for Coolangatta Avrshires has grown sufficiently large 

 and pressing of late years to seriously embarrass the management. 

 The agents of South A-frica, Japan, and other countries have added 

 considerably to the ever-growing local calls upon the herd, and Dr. 

 Hay decided that very large increases should be made in the stud 

 stock. As a preliminary he purchased, in Scotland Prince Emerald, 

 a bull with an unbeaten record, gained at the leading Scottish shows. 

 Prince Emerald is a sire of remarkable character, a bi.tr. deep-bodied 



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