COW TESTING.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 July 1921, Page 1

COW TESTING.

Mr G. S, Ridley (Agricultural Instructor) supplies us with the following information that should prove of genera I interest.

Almost every report of progress in dairy farming districts contains points brought out by Cow Testing Associations. There are no such organisations on tlic Coast. It is not for want of clfort by a few who have been members in other districts, who lest their own cows when they can or who are eager to avail themselves of the service the dairy division offers. The Canterbury Education Board’s Agricultural Instructor reports the following work done' with two Coast herds as a trial association for illustration purposes.

For each herd—Collected :t set of loz bottles (one for each cow) and made a box witli rack, lid and lock to hold them. Got plumber to make a one oz conical dipper with handle lor sampling. Borrowed a quadrant spirit balance. Dairy Division, Department of Agriculture, supplied Bulletin “Cow Testing Associations” and regulation sheets.

Visited Messrs Baldick and Bradley, dairy farmers of Kaiata Ratepayers’ Association, both of whom test their own cows, hut are eager for establishment of an association, and got sheets filled in with list of their cons names, breed, age and (bites of calving. Numbered ami labelled bottles with cows names with non-wash off labels.

Above fanners for four consecutive milkings on 15th and Kith March sampled and weighed each eows’s milk and entered up the weights on the sheets. They sent, the box of samples and sheets to the M ost Coast I arming Co-operative Factory along with cream cans. The Manager tested the samples lor fat from which was computed the yield in lbs fat of each cow for th* period of 30 days. The boxes with sheets were then returned to fanners.

This performance was repented on loth and Kith April and tallies added for yearly sheet. Copies of sheets are available for any interested.

A lew pointed comparisons are—The highest cow in one herd for 1 month 37 11,s fat, lowest IHlbs fat; the former 3 years old, the latter 8 years old.

Of two cows of near colour, same age and date of calving (would be in same lot in tt sale yard) one gave (1371hs milk, testing \% equals 25lhs I at, the other 330ll)s milk testing 1.7“,, equals 151bs fat.

Some 2 year olds were returning more than 1 heir dams, showing what, a good bull will do in one generation. The value of a lot, of Silvia feed was show’ll in factory cheque, hut herd sheet showed w hich cow's it was worth putting feed into.

From such information as I have, the Coast average per cow is about 1201bs fat per year. There are a good main cows giving over 3001 bs, in fact, whole herds approximate that amount. The difference is not so much between p_>olbs and 300!bs total production, as between about 201bs and 200 lbs net return. This state of things is not fair to land, money, labour and hardship involved.

Government cow testers services ot'e available for the asking, provided a sufficient number of suppliers of one factory are ready to comply with the conditions, involving Cl for outfit and payment of 2s per cow for season and utmost 10 minutes extra time for four milkings once a month.