PUREBRED DAIRY COWS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 140, 8 March 1919, Page 10

PUREBRED DAIRY COWS

THE TESTING SCHEME AN INTERESTING ARTICLE llr.W. 21. Singleton, Assistant-Direc-tor of the Dairy Division of tho Department, of Agriculture, has an interesting article in the current number of the "Journal of Agriculture." He says:— "Tho progress of the New Zealand fairy industry is one of the most gratifying phases of the development, of our primary production. This growth during the period of stress caused by the war offords tangible evidence of the efforts of the dairymen to do their share. Not only has'a great effort to maintain and even increase production been crowned with success, but. there is evidence of a more general inclination to build up an industry on the best-known methods. "Our dairy farmers could doubtless considerably''further their interests b doing more accounting. The importance of: selling a weaner calf to a grazier has been much overestimated by many of the farmers. Those cows which will produce calves' most sought after by the, grazier will carry more flesh than does a special purpose dairy cow during her milking reason. This extra flesh has to be vitilised and transported wherever the cow travels, in the pastures or to the milking shed. The grass required to produce the necessary energy in this connection would, if fed to special purposo dairy cows, yield a cash return that would more than counterbalance any premium likely to be obtained for calves that will fatten readily. Exports of Purebred Dairy Cattle. "The forecast made early in the history of the certificate of record system that our butter-fat records were likely to attract buyers from outside New Zealand is being. fulfilled. A trado has been initiated with Australia which will, we trust, be to the advantage of both countries. Buyers have visited New Zealand and returned, taking with thorn representatives of some of our best dairy strains. Inquiries have also been received by letter from which business has I resulted. It is satisfactory to note! that our breeders connected with this J export are men of integrity and high i principles. This is a first essential in j laying the foundation of a trade that ■ should prove most profitable to the breeders as well as to the Dominion gen- ] erally. # j "We must also recognise that j the war has depleted the cattle! population' of Europe by probably j thirty-five to forty millions. Thero j should therefore be'a good demand for | dairy products for many years. The l distance of New Zealand from Europe may negative anyidea of exporting cattle to countries Berth of the equator, nl-1 though, if import regulations permit, we i should not be • surprised to see limited j exports even to Britain. I

Progress of C.O.R. Work, ■'The spring months of 1018 evidenced an even greater demand for the testing of purebred dairy cows than had hitherto been experienced. During the latter part of 1917 some 118 breeders were being visited regularly by the division's testing officers.. For the corresponding months of 1918 there were 155 breeders on the list for monthly visits. "We have no hesitation in advising dairymen that before purchasing a bull elsewhere they 6hould carefully peruse tho authenticated records of butter-fat production which many breeders now have to offer. The records of C.O.R. cows are obtainable from the secretaries of the respective breeders' associations, who are pleased to reply to correspondence in this connection. In this review tlu results of the year's testing appear under the names of the respective breeds concerned. "The utility of the testing of purebred dairy cows must pot be estimated on any ono year's work. The benefits are cumulative. since the records affect the pedigrees for generations. This enables our breeders to use mora intelligence in workin-' «ut their- breeding plans, Thoir work is becoming less haphazard as mora information becomes available. Tho breeder has now a better knowledge of the strain that will beget the class of animal he desires to breed. This is conducive to singleness of purpose, which induces very 'considerable thought and study in planning ths matings. Such work must, in the aggregate, yield results such as are in the best interests of our dairy breeds, to vhich we must-look for the sires that will improve the production of tho average dairy cow in New Zealand."