ARTICLES APPRECIATED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 22, 17 April 1950, Page 4

ARTICLES APPRECIATED

Sir, —May I be permitted to congratulate my friend Mr W. H. Mandeno for his very fine articles from time to time on the different phrases of dairy farming. I can assure you Sir that I have spent many a very pleasant hour in conversation with him on dairy farming and breeding problems, I would like to advise all dairy farmers, grade or pedigree, who have' not yet made themselves conversant with the work of the Dairy :? oard, do so immediately by procuring a copy of the Dairy Board report, and Sire Survey and Merit Register. At time of writing the 1948-49 Survey and Register is not available, but should be out very shortly. However by applying to the Herd Improvement Association you will, I am sure, be able to secure some back numbers. Do not just glance, or merely read through them, study them, and you will be amazed at what you will find. Farmers! You will see by cold calculated facts what kind of sires you have been purchasing to head your herds. If you should be in any doubt or any phrase of your breeding problems, get in touch with the Dairy Board representative.

Mr Mandeno’s latest article is addressed to the pedigree breeder or those who have some pedigree cows. My idea of a breeder is a farmer who gets somewhere with his own efforts with his herd, by breeding to his own line. One of our leading herds today has contributed more Merit Sires than any other herd in New Zealand. Is second with L.M.R. cows, beaten only by a herd three times its size. That is not all, the most remarkable feature about this herd is that it consists of approximately two-thirds of L.M.R. and Elite L.M.R. cows. This herd averaged 4901bs fat for the 1948-49 season, and is our most intensely bred herd.

That little paragraph in Mr Mandeno’s article just merely touching on line-breeding has prompted me into writing this letter in the hope that he will write a full article on that particular subject. I believe the article should be written because it is such a tricky business and a great deal of knowledge is necessary before line-breeding should be attempted and a very large measure of luck required to be successful. Many are the pitfalls and failures of line-breeding so be very careful. Do not attempt unless you are absolutely certain that you have a very good bull, good in every respect. The foundation dam must be tops also, in type, constitution and production. Then you are ready to try the experiment, and it is only an experiment as you never know how things are going to turn out as we have found out that only a few strains have been successful, but all true breeders should certainly try.

Thanking you Sir for the space accorded me.

Yours etc.,

T. H. DOBSON. Matahina, Te Teko, April 3.