BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF GOOD DAIRY STOCK OUTLINED FOR BENEFIT OF WOULD-BE BREEDERS OF FINE COWS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 80, 29 April 1949, Page 5

BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF GOOD DAIRY STOCK OUTLINED FOR BENEFIT OF WOULD-BE BREEDERS OF FINE COWS

(By W. H. Mandeno, Consulting Officer, Herd Recording Department, N.Z. Dairy Board, Bay of Plenty). Too many young farmers regard’ the purchase of a “pedigree” heifer as the first rung in the ladder leading to fame and fortune in the dairy world. Only the farmer who is prepared to devote his whole interest to the care of cattle and the tedious task of keeping multitudious records can hope for success as a pedigree breeder.

Many men have sufficient love of stock to be able to produce very butterfat records. These are the successful dairymen to be seen well established in many districts—the backbone of New Zealand’s dairy industry. The rise and fall of many of the leaders in breeding in the past has been correlated with the ownership of an outstanding bull. Only those who have maintained a series of proven bulls at the head of their studs have earned continued' support of the dairyfarmers who are their mainstay. It is natural that anyone regarding himself as a breeder will have very settled ideas, but to the many who may be considering the path of the breeder—beset as it is with pleasant surprises, disappointments, and even disaster—there may be some worthwhile tips. The basic requirements of a dairy cow apply just as forcibly to pedigree as to grades and they are summarised as:—

1. Sound butterfat producing qualities; 2. Fertility—ability to calve regularly; 3. Resistance to disease; 4. Length of working life; 5. Good -dairy temperament. To those may be added type characteristics of the breed favoured. No harm can befall a breeder who concentrates on cattle that produce at a high level over a long life. Mr A. H. Ward, Director of the Dairy Board Herd Improvement, has produced figures which suggest that cows very highly commended on type are, on the average, better producers than cows not so highly commended. He stresses, however, that many type cows do not reach the higher levels which, are nevertheless attained by many cows less favourably endowed with certain beauty characteristics. Details of this analysis are contained in the latest Dairy Board Annual Report.

The only publication available containing lists of cattle that have demonstrated their ability to produce regularly at reasonable levels is the annual issue of the Sire Survey and Merit Register, and it is noteworthy that the type classification of cows is appended wherever available. As this Register also contains the results of Sire Survey—whether good or bad—of recently, proven bulls it can be an important book of reference when assessing the quality of pedigree stock.. Any book can only be a guide and it must be stressed that inspection of related cattle and the conditions of feeding is not only essential, but is welcomed by breeders with confidence in their methods. Recent work has shown the desirability of concentrating (within a hreed) on those strains which possess the characteristics of high test This quality cannot be ascertained except by milk testing, but the inheritance of fat test is comparatively high so that a heifer of good size with parentage indicating both high test and continued good production should make an appeal to- most buyers.

.The condition of the udders of older related animals will give a good indication of the likelihood of sustained high production. It is essential too that the feet be sound and show no tendency to break down.

An occasional animal of good quality may be entered into a catalogue, but human nature precludes as a general rule, selling the best of one's possession. What may be one man’s culls may, however, be animals of much better quality than the average member of other herds. A point of some interest is that an important factor in breeding is the tendency for “regression” towards the herd or breed average. This means that some pleasant surprises await the purchasers of apparent culls whilst from the selected stock retained by a vendor he can expect some disappointments.

We must not lose sight of the fact that there is at present an economic value in having “typey” cattle. Farmers influenced by those who place importance on type rather than production will still pay more for progeny of highly classified stock. For this reason a young breeder can afford to pay a little more for a pretty animal with good classification prospects than for a plainer heifer so long as both have

pedigrees, indicating equal productive ability. So many testing farmers say that animals they buy do not produce as well as their own heifers that it should not be necessary to point out that it is by breeding rather than buying that a better than average herd can best be built up. This, as usual, focusses attention on the herd sire—many of which are bought in the autumn. f The Dairy Board has shown that of unproven bulls, sons of merit sires out of L.M.R. cows are on the average the best buy. It is small wonder the Government Departments handling large numbers of bulls, are ready buyers of such animals. As they offer premiums for heifers by sons of merit sires it seems reasonable for individual farmers to seek bulls possessing credentials which will ensure, as far as possible, that their daughters are worth a place in the milking herd.