FEED, BREED AND CULL

Hokitika Guardian, 2 August 1927, Page 4

FEED, BREED AND CULL

TRIBUTE TO FARM INSTRUCTORS The beneficial results that have accrued to farmers throughout New Zealand through the instruction of the Government Dairy Division, was referred to last week hy Mr J. Neville Brown, the dairy expert, who is .giving practical demonstrations at the Auckland "Winter Exhibition on how to arrive at hut ter fat percentages in milk. Mr Brown is associated with the X.Z. Co-op. Herd Testing Association.

“Look around you at these exhibits of dairy products,” he invited a press representative, “and note particularly the exceedingly high quality of them as indicated hy the scoring'on the cards. How has this come about? Mainly, I say. through the following of the able advice of the Government instructors and scientific staff both on the farm and in the factory. These products stand amongst the highest in the world’s best markets.” THE BUSINESS OF FARMING.

After referring to the various ingredients in milk drawn from the Dominion's vast herds, Mr Brown stressed the fact that the production of butterfnt was a business just ns much as was the making of bread, boots, clothes, etc., and the producer who employed up-to-date methods and machinery would always conduct bis business more efficiently and make larger profit than the one who operated on “rule-of-thumb” methods and obsolete plant. The dairy farmer who paid proper attention to the selection, handling and milking of his cows would earn greater returns. Mr Brown dealt with the relation

between town and country, and pointed out that when the farmer was doing well so was everyone else. lie drew attention to the fact that a country that imported more than it exported was not in a sound position, as money was being drained from it all the time. New Zealand being a. primary producing country, it was up to everyone to strive as much as pos-

sible to ffieh» the farmer to increase his -production and lower his costs so that one and all might prosper. “If we could raise the average piode'.tion of New Zealand herds by only 1011, per annum, it would mean about one million sterling to this country,” Mr Brown added. “The Auckland province’s average has been raised -181 b in four years by good feeding, breeding and culling.

'“The average wastage from various causes i.n our dairy herds is from 12 per cent, to Hi per cent, and to replr.ee tins safiisfai torily we have now the means by .knowing the fat production of our best cows, and mating (hem with purebred hulls whose dams have known high production and good constitution also.” In conclusion, Air Brown urged farmers to get busv, “put their houses m order.” and lock to the. advice of the agricultural officers. Their slogan should he: “feed better, breed better, and cull.”