State Dairy Herds.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 21 August 1911, Page 4

State Dairy Herds.

TV assistance that has been already rendered by the State in establishing -dairy herds at the various ■experimental farms cannot fail to have a good influence in raising the standard of dairy cattle. Since t-lio benefits of systematic cow-test-ing have been demonstrated, it will not 'be long before t'ho practice will become general. It has been proved that thousands of cows are. now being milked and fed which show little or no profit to the owners. These uaiprofitablc cows will have to be culled out and replaced by others; but little advantage will be gained if a good supply of better class cows are not forthcoming to fill the vacancies. It toas been estimated that tihe loss to dairymen, and the country, from this source alone is about otie million pounds sterling annually. This is a most important iflatter, and is one in Which the State can render valuable assistance by establishing herds and making importations of milking strains of the best "dairy cattle. The output of dairy produce last year over five million pounds' worth, and the Minister of Agriculture. (Hon. T. Mackenzie) recently stated that the department had, spent ten thousand pounds in assisting the dairy industry. "When the important part dairying is playing in the development and settlement of the dominion is considered, ten thousand pounds i-s a comparatively small amount for the State to contribute. Dairying is only in its infancy in this country, ajxl, independent of the 'high prices thvfc are being paid for suitable land for the purpose, it is only a question of a few years when largo areas that are now devoted to agricultural and pastoral uses will eome under the- scope of the dairyman. The importations of dairy strains that have been made by private owners h,ave been _ of great service, and the associations tlwit have been formed to promote the best interests of the various breeds under their control have done j'eoman service during I/he few years that they have been in existence. By this means the standard of dairy cows has been oradtia,lly uplifted; yet, there is room for greater improvement, and any assistance that is given by tlie State to enable dairymen, especially those who are straggling for a start, to obtain the services of a high-class bull as a foundation to build their herds upon must eventually benefit the cou.ntrv more than it does the . individual, therefore any public monev thus emnloved is for the good of all.—Now Zealand-Times. :