HERD TESTING

Hokitika Guardian, 5 October 1929, Page 8

HERD TESTING

VIEWS OF DAIRY BOARD. “The subsidy of £9,500 given bv the Government for the 1927-28 season was continued for 1928-29, and has undoubtedly given an impetus to the herd-testing movement,” states the annual report of the Dairy Control Board. “Those producers who are conscious of the possibilities for increased production by herd improvement have worked hard to build up an organisation which would enable this important work to be carried forward on uniform lines, and encourage an ever increasing number of farmers to consistently test their/ herds. The Dominion Group Herd Testing Federation, with its headquarters at Hamilton, and with which the great majority of the group herd testing associations are affiliated, has done much to improve organisation. The executive of that Federation realised, however, that some more representative executive was required if the herd tqsting work was going to bo organised on Dominion lines'. They, together with the Dairy Board, have had numerous conferences with the Director-General of Agriculture in this connection. Dr C. J. Reakes has given the, most hearty support in all the negotiations. Eventually it was decided to ask the Minister of Agriculture to set up a central herd testing executive, consisting of four representatives from the Dominion Group Herd Testing Federation—the Direr-; tor-General of Agriculture, the; Di- 1 rector of the Dairy Division, the Director of Daily Research at Massov College, and the Chairman of the Dairy Board. THe Minister approved of this recommendation, and this committee has been appointed. Tin's executive will direct ,the general policy of herd testing in the Dominion, including the allocation of the subsidy, collection of information, calfmarlcing, etc. Mr 0. M. Hume who has done so much for herd testin': generally, and who will now* liesigu from the position of manager of the N.Z. Co-op. Herd Testing Association, has been appointed organiser to the Dominion Federation. The Board feels that the time given to this problem has been well spent, and confidcntlv flooks forward to a very much larger pumber of cows being put under i test.”