Speech by Holstein Friesian New Zealand President, Mr Tony O’Connor, at the launch of the Association, Thursday 28 January 2010
“I would like to welcome Members, Life Members, Past Presidents and Invited Guests to the launch of our Centennial Year.
A Centennial is a great time to reflect and today I have decided to tell our Association’s story from the beginning, and as I love history I do hope I don’t bore too many of you.
The Holstein Friesian breed in New Zealand dates back to when the importation of one bull and seven cows was made from the Netherlands by J Grigg of the Longbeach Stud. Following this the majority of early bloodlines are based on animals imported from Canada and USA. The first importations from these two countries were made in 1902 and have been made regularly in the years that followed until the New Zealand Government placed an embargo on importations from any country other than the UK in 1959.
As you will appreciate we are not launching 100 years of Holstein Friesians in New Zealand BUT the Centennial of the New Zealand Holstein Friesian Association.
The history of officers, secretary managers and executives of the Association has played a tremendous role in the organisation that we know today. Tribute must be paid to the 13 breeders, together with Mr W McKenzie, who met in Palmerston North on June 23 1910, to discuss the possible formation of the Association.
Mr McKenzie of Palmerston North was elected the first secretary and his office at Cuba Street was the Association’s first headquarters. It was decided to canvass owners of Holstein Friesians to submit animals for inclusion in the first volume of a herd book, with entries closing on 31 March 1911. Mr McKenzie was so successful that the first president, Mr Coleman Phillips, at the first Annual Meeting on 19 June 1911, was able to announce that the first herd book contained 129 members and that entries had been approved for 130 bulls, 349 cows plus 139 females in Appendix 1, 319 in Appendix 2 and 473 in Appendix 3. Mr Phillips in the first presidential address, paid tribute to the work of Mr McKenzie and referred to it as a “labour of love”.
In 1919 the then President Mr Troupe, announced that membership had increased to 570. When the constraints on labour and communications during the five years of the first World War are realized, this was a tremendous achievement, especially so as it took another 65 years to treble that membership figure.
The war against Germany had another effect on the Association. In 1916 for patriotic reasons the name of the Association was changed from the New Zealand Holstein Friesian Association to the New Zealand Friesian Association – Holstein of course being a German province.
Mr McKenzie retired in 1922 and Mr J Thompson was elected secretary and the office moved to the Dominion Farmers’ Institute Building in Wellington.
Three years later Mr Thompson retired and Mr J P Kalaugher was appointed with a salary of 50 pounds a year and the office moved to the Dalgety Building in Auckland. Mr Kalaugher was a real enthusiast for the breed and began the policy of personally attending as many shows and sales as possible. He made out cards about 45cms square with the relevant details on each animal at the show and he would be found early on judging day laboriously tacking these cards on a convenient spot adjacent to the animals stall.
It was no mean task taking the night train (second class) from Auckland to Wellington, the night ferry to Christchurch and then the South Island express to Dunedin or Invercargill. At the shows if he saw three or four farmers around a particular exhibit he would extol the virtues of the Friesian and soon attracted a gathering.
In the late 1930’s he was partly responsible for the engagement of Mr PO Veale, a well respected dairy scientist, to investigate the losses that Friesian milk incurred financially when the milk was used for cheese and paid for on a straight butterfat basis. It now seems ironic that in spite of Mr Veale’s findings and also later the investigations of Dr McDowell, that we are still lobbying the industry today for milk to be paid on its true value.
Under Mr Kalaugher’s management the New Zealand Friesian Association became the first dairy breed to require specific production records of the dam for bull transfer purposes.
Mr Kalaugher retired in 1942 and Mr Noel Roper, who had been assistant secretary for several years, was appointed secretary manager. Mr Roper joined the staff straight after leaving secondary school. As a lad he had won a cattle judging competition and had a remarkable memory for cows. He was most meticulous and naturally conservative, but during his term he had to wrestle with many new advances in the dairy world, such as the inception of artificial breeding, New Zealand Dairy Board/Livestock Improvement’s changes in the method of calculation for sire surveys, acceptance of breeding and production indexes, initiating of the ward system for Council elections, controversy over a supplementary register for grade Friesians and two changes in office location.
About 1960 the Dalgety management informed the Council that it would ultimately need the space occupied by the Association. If there had to be a move, the Council of the day was keen to buy suitable premises at a cost that could be reasonably financed. Discussions took place on whether it would be better to move to Hamilton or Palmerston North. Ultimately it was decided to buy a leasehold house on Great South Road, Newmarket. While the premises were actually zoned residential, the borough gave a dispensation for semi-commercial usage.
Around 1969 the Council thought that a larger building with a part leased to a tenant would be a good investment. Again strong debates took place on the venue of the office, with a considerable leaning towards Hamilton. With the pending retirement of Mr Roper it was realised that the Association could have staff problems if the office was sited in Hamilton. Eventually a quarter acre section with a condemned house in St George Street, Papatoetoe was considered. It was zoned residential and a deputation waited on the town Council, which agreed to a change of usage but would not allow a large building to be erected due to concerns of increased traffic flow. With the go ahead from the town Council the quarter acre was purchased in October 1970 for $17,000.00 and a few weeks later a tender of $32,685.00 was accepted for construction of the building.
Financial loans in multiples of $500.00 were accepted from members for one to three years at four or five per cent and eventually the Newmarket property was sold for $18,500.00.
Mr Roper and his wife never spared themselves in their dedication towards the advancement of the Breed. His work for the breed coupled with a heart condition resulted in a deterioration of his health.
Following Mr Roper’s retirement in 1971 the position of secretary manager was filled by the very capable Mr Bill Scoltock, who had been employed by the Association in 1961. Mr Scoltock came from a farming and accounting background making him an ideal candidate to take over this important role. Mr Scoltock was employed by the Association for 36 years and was an extremely valuable asset to the Association. His meticulous record keeping and dedicated work ethic saw the Association through the introduction of the National Herd Improvement Database and along with Mr Buster Burton the introduction of computer technology to the Association offices. Mr Scoltock’s wife Lynn worked along side him for a number of years and together they steered the Association through some uncertain times. With the Association after much deliberation making the decision to move its offices to Hamilton in 1997, Mr Scoltock retired and was awarded an Honorary Life membership for his services to the Association.
Mr Buster Burton who was employed by the Association as Executive Manager to work alongside Mr Scoltock came from an extensive background with the Education Department as well as being a stud dairy farmer, Friesian cattle judge and Association Councillor. Mr Burton worked tirelessly to oversee the transition from manual recording and record keeping to a fully computerised office. Part of his role also included planning and organising the TOP/Classification inspections, something he continued to undertake on a part time basis after his official retirement in 1998.
The Association, after declining the opportunity to move into the Livestock Improvement premises at Ruakura, purchased its now premises at 23 Vialou Street in Hamilton, with Mr Phil Beatson taking up the role of Chief Executive Officer. After Mr Beatson’s resignation Mr Ron Guest held the position followed by Mr David Sayce.
Today the Association still resides at 23 Vialou Street, Hamilton. The building has served the Association well and appreciated greatly in value. As well as being home to the Associations’ offices the building also has two independent tenants, generating revenue from unused space. Our current General Manager is Mrs Cherilyn Watson whose work and dedication over the last five years has contributed to the Associations position of strength today. Cherilyn is supported by a team of five staff who oversee the day to day running of the Associations’ core business activities.
While we are here today to mark the beginning of the Associations 100th year celebrations, we must remember that without our Black & White animal we would not have the Association that we celebrate today. Therefore at this point it is appropriate that we reflect on the animals that have influenced the breed since it began in 1910.
Imported with 8 other heifers from Canada, Burkeyje Sylvia Posch is reputed to be the ancestor of over 90% of all New Zealand Holstein Friesians. Sylvia Posch first calved on 25 March 914, while she was not tested every year; seven lactations were recorded averaging 726lb fat with a highest of 26,226lb milk and 983lb fat. Five daughters were officially tested in the Rosevale herd and she had sons used throughout the country including in the Bainfield, Deloraine, Pukeroro, Elmwood, Middlevale, Glenstuart, Glenhope, Lauderdale, Riverbrae, Lesdale, Sunnybrae and Athol Studs. You might ask yourselves, why Sylvia Posch had this greater influence. In part it was the focusing of breeders attention on the type of cattle favoured in the Rosevale herd, such was the respect generated by Mr EM North. It was tested so successfully by Rosevale and the continuous high production figures year after year, generation after generation came from open-framed, sharp boned milky cows. This became the type of cow favoured by many breeders whether or not they used Rosevale stock.
On the male side I would like to focus on 4 bulls that have been significant to the Association. The first is Terling Brabazon. Imported at 10 months of age in 1951 by J & I Grigg of Longbeach and subsequently sold to New Zealand Dairy Board in 1958 for artificial breeding. Terling Brabazon influences are best highlighted by two daughters who held record lifetime production awards. Lelburne Louise Brabazon VHC lived to 20 years, produced until 19 years of age and had 15 lactations. Her record was 318,830lbs milk, 13,696lbs fat in 5219 days. Tahora TB Leyma EX4 lived to 22 years of age, produced until 18 years of age and completed 15 lactations .She also broke Louise Brabazon’s lifetime record. Leyma’s record 342,832lbs milk, 14,519lb fat in 5275 days. Another significant part to this story is Leyma’s full sister Lesdale TB Lulu was the lifetime production record holder in Australia at the same time.
The next bull to highlight is MMB Linmack, or Linmack Kris King whom had progeny first registered in 1969.Linmack influence is best highlighted through Tahora Linmack Lara EX4, winner of 11 Breed and All Breed Championships, with records to 422kg fat and Te Kura Lin Kathleen EX5 with eight records over 430kg milk fat.
Another Linmack daughter Athol Lin Princess is the dam of the next bull Athol Famous Prefect. He entered the New Zealand Dairy Board sire proving scheme through the Holstein Friesian Association and became one of the most influential bulls of the breed through his sons and daughters. The bull that has made the largest contribution both in progeny and monetary gain to the Association is Top Deck KO Pierre. Proven by the Genetic Leaders joint venture scheme of Holstein Friesian New Zealand and CRV AmBreed, he has already made a huge influence through his daughters and now could be having an even greater influence through his sons.
The Holstein Friesian breed in New Zealand has considerable quality and tremendous potential. There is no doubt that the solid foundations laid down by the founders of the breed have been quietly and steadily being built upon by their successors until today when we are the breed of choice in this country. We should be extremely grateful to those who planned and set the course for us.
As the Holstein Friesian New Zealand enters a new era we should take the time to reflect with pride on the breeds accomplishments over time.
Dairy farming was very different in 1910 than it is today, but neither period could be described as easy. The best dairying pastures in 1910 would not match those of today and the best cows would in no way match the productive ability and functional type of today’s cows. The knowledge and tools available in 1910 for herd improvement certainly can not match the information, technology and skills available to us today.
When the Association celebrated 75 years, membership was at its highest – 1,797 members and 70% of the New Zealand dairy population was Holstein-Friesian. Registrations totaled 23,139 head with classification for the year totaling 17,610 cows across 520 herds.
In 2009 the Association had a recorded membership of 790, registrations for the year were 19,679 head and classification 10,901 across 478 herds.
Holstein Friesian New Zealand has always taken seriously its important role of assuring the development and standards of judges. Holstein-Friesian New Zealand is proud to support and encourage events such as this that give youth an opportunity and help improve our young judges skills.
I truly believe that we are the Breed of Choice as-
• Holstein Friesian type milk is more valuable under today’s payment system
• Holstein Friesians dominate the RAS list, showing the real efficiency of the breed
• Holstein Friesians are superior in conformation, especially breeding values
• Holstein Friesians are dominating in the show rings.
As we look forward to developing the New Zealand Holstein Friesian further, we need to extend our understanding and regard to a wider spectrum of breeding philosophies, recognising the benefits which accrue from different approaches.
100 years has seen remarkable improvements in the type of our cattle, particularly in udders. Our breeders took up the challenge and now we see Holstein Friesians dominating in show rings throughout the country……...long may this continue into the Associations next 100 years.”
