BUTTERFAT PRODUCTION

Hokitika Guardian, 3 September 1927, Page 4

BUTTERFAT PRODUCTION

A NORTH WAIROA SETTLER’S ACHIEVEMENT.

STRIKING VALUE OF TESTING

One of the leading herds in the Dargaville district, owned by Mr D. Alarm, provides (writes the Dargaville correspondent of the Auckland “Star”), a striking object lesson in the possibilities of dairying in the Northern AVuiroa, or in fact in any part of North Auckland.

Last season Sir Alarm milked 2! cows on lii.s 32 acre farm. Four of these cows are under semi-official test, while the remaining 20, which included four two-year-olds and four threo-yenr-olds, were tested with the Northern Wairoa Herd Testing Association, and made the splendid average ol 381.82 in 267 days. Some of the cows mine in very late the previous season, and Mr Marrn decided to keep them empty through the winter, and get them in calf in the late spring, so that they would come to profit early this season. This proved a wise move, as, although their production went off slightly in the winter, it increased considerably when the flush of feed came. Air Marra bought his farm at Awnkino Point in 1920, and at that time it was very much in tlie rough, comprising nothing hut pennyroyal, rushes, logs, etc., iu fact it was so bad that tlie first year only ten cows were milked, and they had to he graced out in the winter. At present 41 head of catt'fe are being wintered on the farm, and three is plenty of feed. The 52 acres are cut up into 14 paddocks, with a race up the middle of the farm, thus giving access to any paddock without tramping across others. Air Mann made about 20 tons of hay during tho season, and has been feeding it out since May, there being still a good supply left for the cows coming in during the early spring. When breaking in his farm, Air Marra had the plough working overtime, and kept this going until the farm was fairly clean, with the exception of six acres, which are still unimproved. Since ho started topdressing, the plough has been scrapped, as Air Marra does not think it pays to break up a paddock once a good sole of grass has been established. He has had no green feed whatever this season, his splendid average being obtained from well-fertilised pasture.

Air Marra topdresses extensive?}’. Some paddocks got a dressing ot super and slag at the rate of 4cwt per acre, while others are topdressod with a mixture of super and lime, and he is of the opinion that the latter dressing gives the better results. Afost of the paddocks were mowed after Christmas.

as ATr Alarm does not believe in long feed for dairy cows. The cows are all milked by hand, as ho thinks handmilking more economical than machinemilking, where a small herd is concerned. While making rapid strides in farm improvement. Air Alarm has not by any means been backward in herd improvement. as from actual factory returns he has taken just four times as much buterfat in the 1926-27 season as he did in 11120-21. This is truly a wonderful achievement. Air Alarm has also had a fair share of misfortune regarding stock aii'irents, as iu 1921 he had thirteen cows sick, and of these seven recovered while the other six had to be shot. Even with this trouble bis returns at the end of tho season showed an increase of 9591 b fat over the pre-

vious season. In 1922, when prices were very low, Mr Alarm had a hard struggle to keep going. He went out draining, while his good wife kept things going on the farm. Without his wife to help, Mr Afarra sajs lie would have had to “walk off.” He considers the farmer’s wife is tho backbone of the farm ; and many of her town sisters haven’t the slightest idea how she has 1.0 work. The first step taken in building up the herd was to test all the cows. Air Alarm says some farmers believe in feeding first. But he believes in testing first, irrespective of' feed conditions as testing is the ABC of dairy fanning. Although knowing nothing about farming, he soon found by consistent testing which cows were doing the work. Those that were in good condition when dried off proved to ho loafers. Not knowing any better, Lbe first Anil ho bought was a “scrub,” but Air Alarm was so disgusted with this lnili' ! s stock that he had to consider buying a pedigree bull, ’the problem was a liig one, as he was very short of money (.a. complaint which has become general in 1927). However, not to fie denied, he went working off the farm and saved enough money to get a pedigree hull. This hull proved a great success, as besides leaving good producers, lie took several firsts in tho show ring. Air Alarm later bought three pedigree cows at Air Yalder’s sale, and has bred up from those cows which have proved themselves good producers, as under tho C.O.R. test, one produced 5281 b fat and one 3231 b fat, each under herd conditions. The third one was not so fortunate, as she died after giving birth to Alaid’s Farewell. Afr Afarra is certainly breeding groat producers, as fast season four two-year-old heifers averaged 3681 b fat in 208 days, four tlirec-ycar-ohls averaged 3191 b fat, while the highest cow produced 4001 b fat in 300 days. There are eight pedigree cows on the farm at present. One heifer, Bettina, by Distinction, is under semi-official starting test at 18 months, and is expected to finish up with well over 3001 b fat, and a throe-vear-old under the same test will do over 3001 b fat. The herd sire is Distinction, a bull of good type. Mr Alarm also has a nice young hull, Bethune Marshal Nev, who has a great butterfat backing on both sides. In conclusion, Air Alarm says had lie not tested he would have gone on milking nondescript cows, and Is certain he would have had little more than half the average he attained this season. The following is Air Alarm’s record of butterfat during the past seven sea- i sons:—l92o, 2159.821 b; 1921, 2652.921 b; 1922, 3283.221 b; 1923, 4183.151 b; 1924, : 3147.741 b; 1923, 3801.3011); 1920, : 8379.421 b. i The total increase in the seven sea- i sons was 6209.601 b. and tho figures are i taken from the Northern Wairoa fac-M tory returns. I i