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WJCB President's Newsletter - 02 May 2004
RHEENENDAL JERSEYS
P.O.BOX 421, SWELLENDAM 6740, SOUTH AFRICA
TEL+FAX:+27(0)28 5142511 CELL:+27(0)824491644 E-MAIL:silage@dorea.co.za
Hi to all Jersey breeders, -lovers, -watchers (like birdwatchers) and –enthusiasts,
I am writing you from high up over the South Atlantic Ocean on my way between
Cape Town and Montevideo. What an exciting first quarter to 2004 we had. We
completed the very successful visit of the WJCB to Argentina and Chile – and
how absolutely fantastic it was. Once again I would like to use this opportunity
to thank our hosts, the organisers and everybody involved for the wonderful
time. Not only did we see some excellent Jerseys (indeed some of the best genetics
from North America were exported here), but also some very good
management systems were on display. We travelled some vast distances over the
open Pampas of Argentina and apart from the Jerseys saw a wide variety of
farming systems, including soya, maize, horse breeding, as well as the famous
Argentina beef. Once again thank you to Maria Carmen and her whole team for
the wonderful hospitality.
In Chile we were hosted by Alexander, Monica and all the other very exciting new Jersey breeders. The enthusiasm of
Ichnacio and Ingrid on their beautiful farm with the majestic Osorno volcano in the distance, was really so inspiring.
To each and every Jersey breeder in Chile I would like to say – thank you and keep the good work up in your very beautiful
country. I think everybody present on our trip would agree – there is no country with a greater potential for milk
production than the lakes area of Chile!
In Africa we are seeing great Jersey happenings at the moment. After some very successful trips by Vice-president Poena van
Niekerk to Kenya and Tanzania, as well as well attended courses presented to people involved in the industry, we have
seen a visit by Kenya and Tanzania breeders to South Africa. We saw a further group of 200 Jersey heifers leaving for
Rwanda, with another 200 going shortly – that will bring the total to 900 in 3 years! In Eastern Europe the Danish
successes are continuing and hopefully we will see some more countries joining the WJCB soon. In the USA we see the year
on year results of a very ambitious expanding program with Jerseys growing at a phenomenal pace. During our visit to
Argentina we were presented with a very exciting program for the WJCB conference in Canada in July 2005 – I hope everybody
is planning not to miss this great occasion.
During the course of the year I plan to visit a number of countries and hope to see as many breeders as possible. In
May/June I will visit Brazil, Ecuador and Colombia and hope to see the Jersey under some very different situations. Then it
is off to the States and I will be visiting Pennsylvania, New York State, Vermont and Massachusetts. In July I will pay our
offices in Jersey a visit as well as the Royal Show in England. Thereafter I hope to see some breeders in Holland and
Belgium. I think everybody will agree that this seems like some exciting times ahead!
I hope that towards the second half of the year I can report some more exciting news about the Jersey cow and the wonderful
people who work with them. If you live anywhere in the regions I will be visiting, you are free to contact me and I will
be delighted to visit you.
Jersey greetings to everybody,
Johannes van Eeden
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