BY THE WAYSIDE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 64, 8 December 1937, Page 13

BY THE WAYSIDE

News of Interest To H.B. Farmers THE BLEDISLOE TROPHY British Friesians again won the Bledisloe Trophy at the National Dairy Farmers' Show recently, after a lapge of four years. They have had the award eight times in seventeen years. This award is regarded as the most important for breed tests in the world. The success of the Friesians was largely due to two splendid animals, Laverscham Unique VIII. and Oakham Dainty Gem, a cow which gave a big milk yield during the show. The Friesian team also had help from Miss Whitnall's Codbury Nain II. and Mr W. Twentyman's Winchester Stella. Ayrshires in U.S.A, The "long-distance" record characteristic of the Ayrshire breed have been strengthened by the addition of five more Ayrshire cows that have recently all exceeded 100,0001b. of milk during their lives, bringing the total to no less than 118. These have all qualified for membership of the 100,000 lb Club in America. Those recently admitted include Mansfield Mains Charlotte, who at the age of 15 has produced 101,1141b of milk and 3964.431b fat. White Bosetta of Friendship has produced 100,0861b of milk, 4003.891b fat . at the age of 13. Penshurst Sun Maid has to her credit at the age of 12 the remarkablly good yield of 101,2771b of milk and 4038.461bs of fat. At the age of 6 years she gave in one test 15,5961b of milk and 6351b of fat. Penshurst Miss Armour, a paternal sister of Penshurst Sun Maid, has pu'oouced at 10 years 100,2171b of milk and 38981b fat. She gave in her last completed lactation 14,6341b milk and 5601b fat. White Diamond of Fairlea has to her credit at the age of 15 years 102,7561b. of milk and 3769.371b of fat. At 11 years she gave 14,5481b milk and 5661b fat in one lactation. i Argentine Dairying. The Governmeut of the Argentine has decided to terminate the Dairy Industry Control Board of that country. Since 1934 the board has exercised a somewhat limited control over dairy matters in the republic. The income of the board was derived from margins on foreign exchange and casein, and from a levy on locally consumed butter. Producers are reported to be interested in future developments, particularly as to whether the system of preminums on butter fat, at present in suspense because of prevailing high prices, is to be resumed or permanently abandoned. Jerseys in Victorla. Aecording to a progress Teporf of the Victorian branch of the Autetralian Jersey Herd Society, there are more than 50,000 registered Jersey cattle owned by members of the branch in thia State. The average number of animals owned by each member is estimated to be. just under 25. All the long-established herds comprise only registered stock, and ip. many districts there are herds of registered Jersey cows which are managed on purely dairy lines. One of the objectives of this branch is to increase the size and number of predigree herds by demonstrating the suitability of the breed for commercial dairy purposes. T.B. Increases. Bovine tuberculpsis showed an increase in England and Wales of nearly 1500 cases last year, compared with the previous year. It was reported to exist on 26,744 premises, and 23,802 animals were ordered to be slaughter ed, Compensation reaehed £100,342, a higher sum than in any of the four preceding years. Progress of the attested herd scheme was slow during the year, the total on the register at the end of the year being 192. A good rate of progress was maintained in the first quarter of this year, during which 58 further herds qualified for admission to the register. Milk for Children. The dietary. rule of a quart of milk each day for every child is much more a precept, based on individual opinion or drawn by analogy from feeding experiments on lower animals. It now rests on seientifie evidence, obtained by ext.ensive and intensive experiments directly upon the children themselves. Herd-Testing and Breeds. A statement of significant importanee to breed societies appears in the 1937 annual report on grade herd-test-ing conducted by the V.U.C.T.A., which relates to the composition of the 81 per cent. of registered bulls used by members of herd-testing associations. In 1932-33 there were 77 per cent of registered bulls in iise, and. of this number the various breeds were represented as follows: — Jersey, 74.4; Ayrshire, 10.3; Friesians, 4.4; Guernseys, 1.3; Milking Shorthorns and Illawarras, 6.0; Bed Polls, 3.6 per cent. Four years later the percentage increased to 81 per cent., and whilst Jerseys increased tp 79.0 and Guernseys to 2.5 per cent., other breeds showed a decrease to — Ayrshires, 8.0; Friesians, 3.0; Milking Shorthorns and Illawarras, 4.5, and Bed Polls to 3 per cent. Grassing Sand. An interesting experiment on the grassing of maritime sand country is being carried out by the Department of Agriculture at Portobello, on the Otago ! Peninsula. The area selec.ted'is sandy and undulating, and exposed to prevaiiing winds which cause considerable drift on the ridges and hummoclcs. The land is typical of large areas round the sea coast. Seed covering on this class of land is a major problem in pasture establishment, as the seed, being lightcr than the sand, shuffles to the top. In November of last year eight • plots were rown. One ton of lime and *6Wt, of fuperphosphate were applied j

• " » to the acre prior to the aowing, and 301b of xyecorn an acre to act as a nurse crop was applied with the manure. The area was then harrowed, and the seed mixed with sand before sowing, in order to obtain a better spread and ensure quicker sowing. A number of kikuyu roots weer planted in one of the plots. Attested Herds. It is a striking fact that on the register of attested herds published by the Ministry of Agriculture for England and Wales and the Department of Agriculture, for Scotland, there are 38,965 Ayrshires whilst all other breeds combined only total 15,690. This is the the total of all the other breeds comnumber of Ayrshires more than double bined, justifying the claim for excellence in dairy production which has made the breed famous throughout the world. Indian Dairying. On the invitation of the Govemment of India, Dr. NoTman O. Wright, Director of the Hannah Dairy Besearch Institnte, England, visited that country last winter to review dairying conditions, and in his report now presented Dr. Wright emphasised the need for increasing milk production to at Ieast twice the present output. As the present average yield is only 6001bs, per cow, the first necessity was to increase this, and he is convinced that the best general breeding policy for India is the systematic improvement of indigenous strains and not cross-breeding with foreign cattle.