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2004 WJCB Meetings & Tour
Argentina & Chile - March 2004
Report from the Secretary - Treasurer (Derrick Frigot) - Wednesday, 24th March 2004
We are now in Chile, which is a very different country from Argentina. Here they have much more rain being on the west side of the Andes and the country basically being a coastal strip. It is very fertile in the southern part where we are and much like Bavaria - also this part was mostly settled by Germans and this is reflected in the landscape, architecture, people etc. Only 3.5% unemployment in the area and only 7.9% nationally - much different from Argentina.
We have visited a couple of farms so far, only one with Jerseys. The farmers in this region are very interested in moving to Jerseys and many are cross- breeding to upgrade to our breed. The milk price is still volume-based but is changing to solids payment which will speed the change to Jerseys. Tomorrow we go to Alexander Kaufmann´s farm where he has pure Jersey stock, from Denmark orginally.
Back to the Council...below are some of the pertinent points of the Council Meetings held last week:
YOUNG PERSON´S COMPETITION
The WJCB is to launch a global competition to sponsor five young people to attend the 17th International Conference in Canada in June 2005. The age range will be from 18 to 40, and 7,500 pounds has been earmarked from a specific trust fund to finance the travel to Canada and their stay in the country for the Conference week. Details of the competition, which will be open to Jersey breeders from any part of the world, will be circulated soon.
WJCB LIFE MEMBERSHIP FEES REDUCED
In an membership recruitment initiative the WJCB are adjusting their Life Member fees downwards to meet current regional economies around the world. The WJCB offers Jersey breeders an opportunity to join the global family and participate in the WJCB programmes and activities.
In a separate initiative , it has been agreed to offer one Life Membership free, to be awarded annually to each Member country (currently 33 countries) as a competition prize. Each country will decide the type of competition they wish to run, but the aim is to bring in more younger Jersey breeders to the global organisation.
WJCB
The WJCB has declared their support and endorsement of higher ethical conduct in showing Jersey cattle and also publishing pictures of Jerseys to ensure the integrity of our activities in dairying, both within the industry and to the wider pùblic audience. Member country associations are urged to support this and to encourage show organisers, and participants in Jersey showing, as well as bovine livestock photographers to heed the initiative.
Report from the Secretary - Treasurer (Derrick Frigot) - Saturday, 20th March 2004
The World Jersey Cattle Bureau Council is currently meeting in Argentina with some 60 delegates from a dozen countries attending. The programme of farm visits in the Buenos Aires province has demonstrated the Jersey cow in various conditions and a very postive light. The breed is growing here in Argentina, and also in neighbouring countries of Latin America. It is evident that to increase the amount of "Jersey" breeding, many dairymen are cross-breeding their Holsteins with Jersey bulls and we have seen excellent results of this practice. The Jerseys in Argentina mostly derive from USA and Canadian breeding, although we visited one herd of 1,200 cows which has been exclusively bred to New Zealand Jersey sires for the past fifteen years.
The herds number from about 100 cows to 1,500 cow units, and here in Buenos Aires, including part of the renowned "pampas", the conditions for dairying are superb with extremely fertile soil, good farming practices, and vast areas of farmland.
Today, the traditional farming practice of beef rearing still goes on, but on a reduced scale, while the growing of soya beans, corn, and other cereals have increased. Eighteen millions hectares of soya beans are being grown this year in Argentina, which is returning the farmers US$230 per tonne. This makes it a good cash crop and is likely to increase the area of soya beans in the coming years.
The two breeds of beef cattle are predominently Aberdeen Angus, and less so, but still huge numbers, of Herefords. Argentina basically has two breeds of dairy cattle - Holsteins and Jerseys. The trend is an upward one for Jerseys - now about 7% and increasing, with another 8% of Jersey x Holsteins. The Holstein breed has been the major dairy cow with about 85%, but the Argentineans are seeing colour changes in their dairy cattle as the years roll on!
The international group of Jersey breeders have been entertained in the most lavish way, with a varied programme of events, the local breeders accompanying their visitors throughout. The President of the Argentinian Jersey Association, Senora Maria Carmen Peres Companc has been a gracious host and with her strong team of family and friends, the visiting Jersey people have enjoyed an exquisite and educational tour of this great farming country.
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The 2004 annual meetings of the WJCB Council have continued the global work promoting the Jersey breed. Welcoming members this week is the new journal of the WJCB, "Global Jersey", edited and published by Poena van Niekerk and Jersey South Africa. This journal will be landing in the letterboxes of all registered Jersey breeders throughout the world in the coming weeks. It comes free of charge and is a lively publication supported by international advertisers, and containing some in-depth articles on cattle breeding, the challenges of inbreeding, and breeding better, longer-living Jerseys.
The Council have agreed to introduce an initiative to increase Life Members of the WJCB with a reduction in fees to about US$50, depending on the region of the world a Jersey breeders lives. This provides a great opportunity for Jersey-men, and women, to join their world organisation and be part of the global Jersey family in a real and rewarding way.
A presentation from representatives of Jersey Canada, Tammy Sparling and Virginia Warwick, has given a taste of things to come at the 18th International Conference of the WJCB to be held in Canada in June 2005. Certainly, Canada is the place to be in the summer of 2005 if you love the Jersey breed!
Looking ahead, the Council accepted the invitation of the American Jersey Cattle Association to visit their country for the annual meeting of 2009. Ohio and New York States will provide the setting for that year. In the meantime, following Canada in 2005, the annual meeting visits include Switzerland in 2006, Brazil in 2007 and the International Conference in the home of the breed, Jersey, in 2008.
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