INCREASING THE MILK.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 19, 17 October 1907, Page 2

INCREASING THE MILK.

BETTER BREEDING, BETTER FEEDING. Dairy stock can be improved in two .principal ways. First, by better feeding, and management, and, second, by up-grading and culling. Both of these forces are busily at work, not only in New Zealand, but all over the world. Tho Hon. R. M'Nab's scheme of brooding purebred stock from selected parents for sale to' farmers will carry us a great distance along one of the two roads, and tho unwearying educational labours of the Departmental officers for up-grading and better feeding and treatment of the stock have already borno excellent fruit. A Michigan Schqme. At the Michigan Experiment Farm an advance is being made on a rather new lino for increasing the milk yield of a strain. For tho foundation of the experiment a herd of twenty has been selected from the healthiest and best milk-yielders obtainable. These are divided into four groups, which are to bo graded up by tho use of pure sires of four dairy breeds. Ono group and its progeny will be bred continuously to Jersey bulls, another to Holsteins, the third to Guernseys, and the fourth to Shorthorn^. The Hon. R. IW'Nab's Proposal. The scheme reminds us of the Hon. R. M'Nab's desire, expressed at Palmerston, tc start pure-bred strains of four of the dairy broods. Tho Shorthorns are already obtained. Wo are still waiting for three wealthy' farmers to donate £100(5"each to start tho other, three herds. A Good Foundation. , The averago results to date of the Michigan herd are as<follow:—Milk, 62951b;; butter, 2081b.; cost of feed, $33.07; "value of products, $69.65; and profit over ■ feed, 536.58. The poorest cow gave in the yeai 12051b. of milk, 481b. of butter, and was kept at a loss of $9.88. The most profitable cow gave 81131b. of milk, 4221b. of butter, and returned-a not profit ovor feed consumed of £60.61. Tho logic of these facts is that it pays to test.