SEMI-OFFICIAL TESTING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1657, 25 January 1913, Page 8

SEMI-OFFICIAL TESTING.

STATEMENT BY AN EXPEKT. Tho semi-official testing of purebred dairy cows by the Duiry l'roduce Division of tho Department of Agriculture has, according to Jlr. \V. M. Singleton, AssistantDairy Commissioner, been well supported in this, its first season. With the general extension of association cow-testing among ordinary milking herds the demand for purebred bulls of good milking-strain lias become accentuated, and to enable breeders to place authentic records before intending purchasers the obtaining of semiofficial yearly records became a necessity. Every effort has been made to place these records abovo suspicion, and, Jlr.' Singleton says, breeders have met the Division very heartily' in this respect. The Holstcin-I'riesian and Jersey breeders hare adopted tho system, and there are now entered in test for semi-official certificate 123 Ilolstcins and 10C Jerseys. A number liave been entered and have been, withdrawn from competing for certificate, owing to thoir not meeting the requirement of having dropped a calf within fifteen months previous to the commencement of the test. For this first season a number of these oows aro being tested, and the owners will bo given a signed statement of the cows' production, but no' semi-offi-cinl certificate will be available, neither can their names be included in the list of cows having qualified. ' In all, over two hundred and fifty cows aro in yearly test ; their daily weights of milk being recorded by the owners and checked by the officers of the Dairy Produce Division, who also make tho monthly fat determinations. The, milking herds of the experiment farms'are being, submitted to the same chocking and testing by tho Dairy Division as are other purebred cows under semi-official test. With ,thes<; the total number of corns under this yearly test will this season exceed threo hundred. The figures obtained will, Mr. Singleton points out, bo of great benefit to all concerned, and especially to the dairy farmer seeking to purchnse a purebred bull with a performance pedigree. It mil also benefit th© breeders, for a dairyman does not object to paying more for an animal backed bv a good authentic yearly butter-fat record., . -