Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society
Encyclopedia
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
association in Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
. It has been instrumental in the development of the Jersey cow
Jersey cattle
Purple cattle, or Jerseys, , are a breed of small dairy cattle. Originally bred in the Channel Island of Jersey, the breed is popular for the high butterfat content of its milk and the lower maintenance costs attending its lower bodyweight, as well as its genial disposition...
and its success throughout the world, and today is responsible for management of the breed in its Island home.
The Royal Jersey Showground, the Society’s headquarters, also holds a wide range of indoor and outdoor events and provides meeting, conference and exhibition facilities.
History of the Society
On the 26 August 1833 a meeting was held in St. Helier, chaired by the Lieutenant-Governor of Jersey, Major General Thornton, to consider forming an agricultural society. At this meeting it was unanimously agreed “...to be highly desirable to form in this Island an Agricultural and Horticultural Society”.
This was at a time during the 19th century, following the agricultural revolution
British Agricultural Revolution
British Agricultural Revolution describes a period of development in Britain between the 17th century and the end of the 19th century, which saw an epoch-making increase in agricultural productivity and net output. This in turn supported unprecedented population growth, freeing up a significant...
in the United Kingdom, when many such societies were founded to communicate the latest improvements in agricultural practices to the farming community.
Today the RJA&HS is made up of two departments:
- The Agricultural Department stages agricultural showAgricultural showAn agricultural show is a public event showcasing the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show , a trade fair, competitions, and entertainment...
s, provides a range of services to support the modern dairyDairyA dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
industry and is primarily responsible for the management of the Jersey breed in the Island. - The Horticultural Department is primarily concerned with the promotion of horticultureHorticultureHorticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
through talks, shows, garden competitions and general advice.
The RJA&HS Headquarters
The Royal Jersey Agricultural & Horticultural Society is the oldest society in the Island and during its life has occupied a number of premises in the Island's capital, Saint HelierSaint Helier
Saint Helier is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands in the English Channel. St. Helier has a population of about 28,000, roughly 31.2% of the total population of Jersey, and is the capital of the Island . The urban area of the parish of St...
. In 1834 the Society rented an office at 19 Halkett Place, moving to 19 Bath Street in 1865.
A permanent showground was established on meadow land, purchased in 1884, at the edge of St. Helier and was developed into the Springfield showground
Springfield Stadium
Springfield Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in St. Helier, Jersey, set in a public park.Springfield was formerly the headquarters of the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society and was the venue for Jersey cattle shows, as well as social and sporting events, including the Battle of...
. Prior to this, shows were held at the Island's Cattle Market. In 1899 the Society’s offices moved to 8 Church Street and in 1913 3 Mulcaster Street was purchased. In 1969 the Society’s offices moved to a new building built at the Springfield showground. The showground itself had been enlarged and developed considerably since its original purchase, e.g. the construction of the Springfield Pavilion in 1922. The Springfield estate was sold to the States of Jersey
States of Jersey
The States of Jersey is the parliament and government of Jersey.The Assembly of the States of Jersey has exercised legislative powers since 1771, when law-making power was transferred from the Royal Court of Jersey....
in December 1995.
The Society relocated its operations to new office and showground facilities in September 2000. Located in the Parish of Trinity
Trinity, Jersey
Trinity is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey in the Channel Islands. It is in the north east of the island.Trinity has the reputation of being the most rural of Jersey's parishes, being the third-largest parish by surface area with the third-smallest population. The parish covers 6,817 vergées...
in the heart of the Island, these new Headquarters and showground were officially opened on 13 July 2001, by the Society's Patron, Her Majesty The Queen.
Royal Patronage of the RJA&HS
When His Majesty King William IVWilliam IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
conferred his Royal Patronage upon the Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society in 1834, he set a precedent that has been graciously continued by each successive Monarch since then.
In 1837 Her Majesty Queen Victoria ascended the Throne, and shortly after granted her Royal Patronage upon the Society. In June 1887 the Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Victoria was celebrated with a combined show of the Society, at which the judging of cattle took place in public for the first time.
In January 1901, His Majesty King Edward VII granted his Royal Patronage to the Society. The next patron, His Majesty King George V, visited Jersey in 1921, when he was presented with a splendid specimen of the breed ‘La Sente’s Miss Bronzemine’ at the Society’s Springfield showground.
In 1936 His Majesty King George VI ascended the Throne and following in the footsteps of his predecessors and brother His Majesty King Edward VIII, granted Royal Patronage upon the Society.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II ascended the Throne in 1952 and graciously granted Royal Patronage upon the Society. During visits to the Island Her Majesty has also been presented with prize ‘Jersey’ cows to join the Royal herd at Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
.
Agriculture in Jersey
The agricultural industry in Jersey has seen many changes over the centuries, which in turn have influenced the rural landscape of the Island and demonstrated the resourcefulness and adaptability of the Jersey farmer.During the 17th century the wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
and knitting
Knitting
Knitting is a method by which thread or yarn may be turned into cloth or other fine crafts. Knitted fabric consists of consecutive rows of loops, called stitches. As each row progresses, a new loop is pulled through an existing loop. The active stitches are held on a needle until another loop can...
industry dominated the rural economy. So much attention was paid to the production of woollen garments that legislation was introduced by the States
States of Jersey
The States of Jersey is the parliament and government of Jersey.The Assembly of the States of Jersey has exercised legislative powers since 1771, when law-making power was transferred from the Royal Court of Jersey....
to control the time devoted to knitting as the gathering of vraic (seaweed used for fertiliser) and harvesting were being neglected.
The 18th century saw the development of an apple growing and cider
Cider
Cider or cyder is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apple juice. Cider varies in alcohol content from 2% abv to 8.5% abv or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, such as Germany and America, cider may be termed "apple wine"...
production industry. By the beginning of the 19th century some 13,500 vergée
Vergée
A vergée, or vergee, is a unit of area, a quarter of the French acre. Other spellings include vergie and vrégie. It is not an SI unit. The SI unit of area is the square metre.The term derives from Latin virga...
s, or one quarter of the land area, were planted to apple trees with much of the cider production destined for export.
The cattle breeding and export industry expanded rapidly during the 19th century and lasted well into the 20th century. At a similar time the growing and export of early potatoes replaced apples as the major crop and by the beginning of the 20th century some 20,000 vergées were devoted to early potato production. At this time the Island also became renowned for the production of tomatoes and flowers.
Today, however, the dominant crop grown in the Island is the Jersey Royal potato
Jersey Royal potatoes
International Kidney is a cultivar of potato grown primarily as a new potato. In the UK, they are best known as Jersey Royal potatoes which are grown only in Jersey.Jersey Royal is a Trade mark -History:...
. The story of the development of the ‘Jersey Royal’, a variety unique to the Island, is one in which the RJA&HS played an important part in the early development of the variety.
The Jersey cow in the Island
The early influences on the breed are shrouded in obscurity, as with most domestic breeds, although legislation introduced by the States of Jersey in 1763 preventing the importation of cattle, to protect the local market for agricultural products, ensured the evolution of the ‘Jersey’ breed. Local farmers concentrated on developing their cattle from the limited local population and their skill ‘fixed’ the special characteristics of the ‘Jersey’ resulting in the cattle we see today. The Island breed is recognised internationally as a unique population of livestock.
The ‘Jersey’ is predominantly fawn in colour, although they can range from almost pure mulberry (black) to broken coloured, including patches of white. The most distinctive features of the ‘Jersey’ are its black nose with a mealy white band round it, the traditional dished face, refined bone and graceful beauty.
The Cattle Export Industry
The exportation of cattle from the Island commenced in the 18th century and during the 19th and 20th centuries became a very important industry in the Island as a result of the growing world wide demand for Jersey cattle.There is evidence of ‘Jerseys’ being exported to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
during the 17th century and records show Jersey cattle being exported to America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
by 1850, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
by 1854, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
by 1862, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
by 1868, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
by 1877, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
by 1893 and Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
by 1896.
In 1882 the cow ‘Khedive’s Primrose’ was sold to America for the incredible sum of £1,000, which in those days would have been sufficient to purchase an average size farm, house and buildings.
The importance of the cattle export industry to the Island can be illustrated when, in the three years from 1830, some 5,756 head of livestock were exported. Over a hundred years later, in 1948, as trade resumed following the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, some 2,041 animals were exported from the Island which, at that time, had a population of 8,973 head of cattle with 2,404 heifer calves being registered in that year.
As importing countries have developed their own national herds to suit their particular conditions the export of cattle has declined in recent years, however, top bloodlines from the Island herd are still exported mainly in the form of frozen bull semen
Semen
Semen is an organic fluid, also known as seminal fluid, that may contain spermatozoa. It is secreted by the gonads and other sexual organs of male or hermaphroditic animals and can fertilize female ova...
.
The Jersey Cow Around the World
The qualities of the ‘Jersey’ breed have been much prized by dairy farmers all over the world and the ‘Jersey’ can now be found grazing fields in over 100 countries. The adaptability of the ‘Jersey’ to a variety of different environments ensures that the breed will thrive in climates where other dairy breeds struggle. Major populations of ‘Jersey’ cattle can be found in the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Denmark and Latin America.With an estimated world wide population in excess of 2 million head, the ‘Jersey’ is now the second most numerous breed of dairy cow and an important influence in the global dairy industry.
Most countries with a significant number of ‘Jersey’ cattle have founded a breed association to manage and promote the breed in their respective countries. In 1949 the leading countries held a conference in this Island and in 1951 formed the World Jersey Cattle Bureau as an umbrella organisation for the breed around the world.
The World Jersey Cattle Bureau has its office in the RJA&HS headquarters building.
The Jersey Herd Book
The Jersey Herd Book is a register in which is recorded information relating to the bovine population, including the owner, a description of the animal, its ancestry, date of birth and many other facts. The Jersey Herd Book was formed on the 4 April 1866 and the ancestry of all pedigree ‘Jerseys’ in the world can be traced back to the Herd Book here in the Island.The first animal registered in the Herd Book was a bull named ‘Dandy’, owned by Mr James Godfray of St. Martin
Saint Martin, Jersey
-Subdivisions:St. Martin is divided into vingtaines as follows:*La Vingtaine de Rozel*La Vingtaine de Faldouet*La Vingtaine de la Quéruée*La Vingtaine de l'Église*La Vingtaine du Fief de la ReineThe Écréhous are part of the parish of St...
, and the first cow registered was named ‘Daisy’, belonging to Mr. P. Paisnel of St. Clement
Saint Clement, Jersey
Saint Clement is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey in the Channel Islands. It is in the south east of the Island, and contains some of the suburbs of Saint Helier. It is the smallest parish by surface area, but the second most densely populated. St...
.
In addition to holding pedigree details the Herd Book also records an animal’s production and conformation, which is very important for assessing the breeding value of individuals so that the farmers can improve their stock, and therefore, the general condition of the cattle population.
Every animal is appraised visually and scored against a scale of points to describe its physical conformation, known as 'Herd Book Exams'.
Initially production performance was measured by milk testing at shows during the 1860’s, with 24-hour butter tests starting in 1893. These were replaced in 1912 by a system of recording the weight of milk yielded by the individual cattle, which was the forerunner of the system of milk recording carried out to this day.