The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 1914. TESTING OF PUREBRED DAIRY COWS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 31 March 1914, Page 2

The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 1914. TESTING OF PUREBRED DAIRY COWS.

A malter erf helpful interest to any dairying community is the ascertainment of reliable data as to productiveness of herds. A Levin dairyfarmer who has given much thought to the problem of .securing- best results in respect of dairystock breeding lias contended persistently for several years past that in securing a high-grade sire for the herd fully four-fifths of 111<* dairyman's real need is contained. That view is being taken by (he Government officials. fu the an- • nual report, of the Department of Agriculture a copy of which is newly to hand Hie director. Mr ]). C'uddie, remarks that "the extension of the cow-tosting movement has manifested the need for purebred bulls of proved milking strain. Breeders have been experiencing a growing demand for authenticated records of the produel ion of the dams of-bulls they have been offering for sale. When therefore it was suggested at the beginning of the season that purebred breeders should co-operate with the Division and have their cows of pure strain seini-officialty tested it is not to be wondered at that the associations representing the Hoistein and .Jersey breeds in New Zealand immediately acquiesced in the proposal. .Nothing short of a season's test is undertaken, for it is considered that such a trial of a daily cow's productive capacity under conditions of regular breeding is the supreme test of her worth. Cows competing for certificates are expected to drop ii calf within fifteen months after the test commences, and, unless they are first-culvers, they must have dropped a ' calf wnniu fifteen months previous to the commencement of the test. Hulls from cows qualifying under these conditions should tfivc a good account of themselves. The response of the breeders has l)ccn most encouraging. In all some 170 Holsteins and 149 Jersey,s were ottered for test. At the time of writing there are. under test KiO Holsteins and 1.18 Jerseys, and of these .1-10 of the former and 98 of the latter are competing for certificates. Some of the animals wore not eligible to compete for certificates on account of irregularities regarding previous calving dates, ages, etc. The testing of nurebml cows on lines similar to those adopted this season are sure to extend. lYof only will it assist -the breeder in selecting the best strains and standardising bis herd, but it will be of benefit to the ordinary dairyfarmer, and Avill have a potent influence in improving the treatment meted out to much of the purebred sfoeek. Better breeding will be accompanied by better feeding not only in the ordinary crossbred herd, but in the -purebred herd as well. This should be conducive, to the building-up of a better conwtitutioned and more productive dairy herds." In a note on the same topic, Mr E. Clifton writes: "The bulls JTolstei us, Shorthorns, .Jerseys and Avrshires

that (Mil lie supplied from I lie farms arc being sold at very satisfactory prices. II is gratifying that I host l wlio have been purchasors in the past are again found anxious to buy. It is indeed unfortunate (lial (Lie outbreak of t'oot-and-niouth disease in Clival Britain entirely prevented the purchase of dail'V stuck to add to the herds at Hie experimental farms. It is impossible io realize how valuable it would be to the dairy industry if a la rye. n umber of purebred 1 >1111 s fiom recorded m ills in.g-cattlc could lie regularly* placed on the market. The demand of the d airy- .farmer is Cor the bull of the milking I'amilv."