PRESENT STRUCTURE OF N.Z. DAIRY INDUSTRY EXAMPLE OF DEMOCRATIC ORGANISATION & CO-OPERATION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 98, 13 June 1949, Page 5

PRESENT STRUCTURE OF N.Z. DAIRY INDUSTRY EXAMPLE OF DEMOCRATIC ORGANISATION & CO-OPERATION

(By W. H. Mandeno, Consulting Officer, N.Z. Dairy Board, Whakatane) Since the introduction of the Guaranteed Price for dairy produce many farmers have come to consider that the Government is now operating the industry. This is an unfortunate error when it is realised that the N.Z. Dairy Industry is one of the best examples of democratic organisation and co-operation.

A most interesting booklet on “The Dairy Industry in N.Z.” written by Dr. W. Hamilton, was published during the war as bulletin 89 of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.

which is contributed to in approximately equal amounts by the Board and the Government.

A reprint of the annual report of the Dairy Board covering herd improvement and investigational work done by the Herd Recording Department, is available now from the Herd Improvement Associations. Analysis of data on non-stripping, production of “Three-quarter” cows, effect on fertility of abortion vaccine, breed type and production, with a statistical review of production is presented and should be studied by every farmer interested in his work. Bay Not Lacking

It gives a very readable account of development throughout the industry and is well worth its cost of half a crown. From press reports of the Dominion Dairy Conference it will be realised that there is a meeting once a year of delegates from all over the country discussing the various problems that arise. The executive head of the industry is however, the N.Z. Dairy Board. As from July 1, 1949, a newly constituted Board, giving wider representation, will function having seven producer members and one Government nominee—whereas the present constitution has been four producers and one Government member. Bay Of Plenty Delegates

The latest edition of the Board’s Sire Survey and Merit Register has just arrived from the publishers and is also available from the Herd Improvement Association at a cost of 2/6 per copy. The setting out of the booklet has been revised to make for easy reference. It is of interest to see that the Bay of Plenty is not lacking in good animals. By the use of information contained in the Merit Register it is confidently expected that the New. Zealand production can overhaul the lead gained by European competitors, who use such standards as the basis for registration of their pedigree stock.

At the ' recent Ward Conference in Whakatane the directors of Bay of Plenty factories met the Board members and discussed the chairman’s annual report. At this conference the delegates, Messrs Friis, Yeoman and Holmes, were elected as voting representativs to the Dominion Conference.

As might be seen from a perusal of the annual report the Board has many activities, from presenting the industry’s case regarding the guaranteed price down to supervision of butter and cheese containers. There is one aspect of the Board’s work which is becoming of great importance to the country. This is the activity of the Herd Recording Department. Before the war it was realised that to effectively compete with other dairying countries the production of the national herd would have to be increased. Improvement in the decade 1919/29 was estimated at twice the rate as in the period 1929/39 and then the per cow production remained about stationary. N.Z. Well Behind

When it was revealed that the average grade cow in New Zealand equalled the pedigrees as regards production Dr Hamilton asserted that “New Zealand has lagged 30 years behind Denmark and Sweden in its approach to problems of animal improvement.” The Herd Recording Council consisting of delegates from the Herd Improvement Associations, representatives of the Dairy Research Organisations, Breeds Federation, and the Dairy Division of the Department of Agriculture, was set up to implement the Herd Improvement Plan involving:— (a) Amalgamation of all the local Testing Associations into the six autonomous Herd Improvement Associations to reduce overhead expenses and give uniformity of practice.

(b) Collection and analysis of a wide variety of statistics to fcrm the basis of further investigation.

(c) Inauguration of the Sire Survey and Merit Register as a means of isolating and giving prominence to the best breeding strain in the country.

(d) Appointment of a Consulting Officer to each Herd Improvement Association area to assist farmers in making fuller use of test sheets as an aid to better management, feeding and breeding.

It is important to point out that the Herd Improvement Associations carry on the functions of testing on a co-operative basis. Local committeemen are elected by the testing members and the costs are determined for the normal services of testing. Grants are made by the Board to the Associations to cover the costs of extra clerical work involved in providing statistics for analysis and to cover losses incurred by testing small herds. As it was realised that herds under con-

tinuous test would provide information of greater value for investigational work than other herds, a discount in fees was granted to encourage this practice and to reimburse such members for work involved in recording and supplying such information as required. Keahibiltation Assistance To assist rehabilitation of ex-ser-vicemen in the practice of herd recording discounts have been granted on testing fees for the first two years, so long as testing is commenced within three years of the acquisition of the herds. These payments, which are handled through the Association, comprise nearly half the income of the Herd Recording Department of the Dairy Board