HERD-TESTING

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 19, 15 October 1937, Page 48 (Supplement)

HERD-TESTING

New Zealand Compared with Overseas An interesting survey of herd-testing systems in otber countries was given in Hamilton recently by Professor W. Riddet, of tbe Dairy Eesearcb Institute, of Palmerston Nor'th, wbo stated tbat tbe New Zealand systcm compaTed more than favourably witb fnose elsewhere. Herd-testing work in tbe IJnited States took two forms, he said. Tbe semioffieial brancb approximated to tbe semi-official Government testing in tbe Dominion, a#d tbere was also tbe berd improvement brancb, tbe work of wbicb closely resembled in its general methods tbe work of tbe Dominion Group Herdteating Federation. Tbe latter branch, said Professor Biddet, bad grown in popularity in recent years at' tbe expense of tbe former systems. Breed societies were also taking steps now to improve berds as a wbole ratber tban to f ocns attention on individual animals The agricnltural college3 of America fiayed an important part in drawing ep fbe rules and xegulations of tbe jfeasting assocfetipiijs, workinj; yncler |he

supervision of tbe State agricultural departments^ but tbere was not tbe same voiee given to tbe individual farmer in tbe United StatCs as was given bim in New Zealand. In England and Wales herd testing was not so common as in New Zealand, and tbe work was organised by separate associations, as in America. ' Tbere was at present uo central bodv and no iusti- ; tutions corresponding to Now Zealand 's Herd Recording Council, though tbere was a tendency toward centralisation. In Scotland tbe testing system was almost idenfical witb tbat in New Zealand. In Denmark," said Professor Eiddet, tbere was a relatively bigb proportion — 40.6 per cent — of animals tested, and one of tbe reasons for this was tbe need of tbe Danisb farmer to bouse bis ani-. mals from October to May. Tbe testing of tbe animals served tbe secondary purpose of assisting tbe farmer to keep tbeir feeding on the level necessary to maintain a steady standard of quality. Testing was also being extensively carried out in Sweden, wbere tbe average production was high, being about 2761b Of tbe cattle in Sweden 26 per cent. were Friesians, witli an average tesi of 3.53. and 63 per cent. were xed and wbite cattle, a development of tbe Avr shire breed, witb an average test oi 8.9. . Testing societies in Sweden we • run along the same lxnes as tbose t 1 New Zealand, but ratlier more were tested under tbe organisaliyti