HERD TESTING

Hokitika Guardian, 27 February 1930, Page 3

HERD TESTING

Mr C. M. Hume, Federation Supervisor of’-llerd Testing with headquarters at Hamilton spent last week in Westland rvrtii che object of stimulating interest in a movement which has been of enormous help to the dairy farmers in other parts of the Dominion.

Meetings arranged by Mr F. W. •'Bailiio, the Secretary of the Farmers’ Union, have been held at Arahura, Kokatahi, Ngahero, Ikamatua, Innangahua Junction, Harihari and Wataroa, when* the keen interest shown practically assures tho establishment of herd testing in Westland next season. A visit was also made to Ratotnanu.

;So that Mr Hume may keep in touch after he leaves the district, committees have been appointed in each centre. The following are the- appointments: Arahura:—Messrs D. Jolly, C. Cook, L. A. Diiely. Kokatahi: —Messrs T. O’Neil, 0. Lock, P. Jones. Rotomanu:—Messrs Jas. Ryan, A. Graham, W. Valla nee. "Ngahero:—Messrs J. Mulcare, W. Fisher, R. Carter. Ikamatua: —Messrs W. T. Bcgg, A. Bradley, J. Teasdale. Inangahua:—M'-ssrs A. W. Bell, D. W. In wood, j. I). A ndrew.

Crpnadun.—Messrs E. C s Watts, E, McMahon. M u; 1 ,

' Harihari:—Messrs J. J. McKay, W Thiele, :W. J. Hewer. Wataroa: —Messrs T. Nolan, P Piiiceil, J. Friend.

INCREASING PRODUCTION,

ADDRIFSS BY MR C, M. HUME.

VALUABLE INFORMATION GIVEN

Mr Hume said that lie could not understand any dairy farmer milking cows without testing them to find out definitely just what return they wore giving. After giving the history of the group movement which was first adopted in the Dominion by the Waikato Farmers’ Union in 1922, he dealt at length with the different aspects of' herd- testing; ; particularly stressing the fact that testing was really educational work. Experience hrt! shown that once a farmer took up testing, he automatically went in for : bettor feeding and fetter breeding, The. fees’ paid for .-testing jvere more than made up each year by tire extra attention given to the herd, especially fo. file milking’., There were many share-milkers to-day in certain district w’-o would not take a herd on shares unless the herd was under test. There were hundreds of cases on record where the average production of the herd had been increased Jby lOOlbs of butterfat. per omv as a result of testing for five years. What would this mean to a man milking a herd of 40 cows? An increase of 209 to 300 lbs, the average would represent approximately . £7~ 10s per .cow or. 0300 for tin* 40 cows. What did it cost to get this £300? -...The working expenses had fennined approximately’ the same, the same number of .cows bad been milked, ; but they bad., been better cows, and the net result from the farm bad l>een a profit instead of a loss.

With examples like this it was hard to understand why so many men were prejudiced against herd testing. The advice to these men was to study the growth of the herd testing movement. Seven years ago there were. 45,564 cows under test throughout the Dominion, whereas during the past season the number had increased 1 o 254 000. If there was any catch in the business it would have been exploded long ago. It was interesting to know that herd testing was started in Denmark in 1895. and it was to testing that Denmark owed her position to-day. .

Mr Hume pointed out that each ]olb increase in tlie average per cow production of the Dominion represented a# additional £1,000,000 to the income of the country. He considered that,, with our wonderful climatic conditions, we should have an average of 300! bs per cow as against the present return of 200 Tbs. This would mean an - additional £10,000,000 annually to our dairy farmers without increasing the nunuber of cows" in milk and -without appreciably • increasing the expenses. Such an average would result, in our dairy farmers producing blitter fat at a. lower cost than anv country in the world.

THE DAIRY SIRE

Jn speaking of the dairy sire, lie was more than half the herd. Mr Hume stressed the importance of the pedigree lull'd with constitution ari'l hutter-fat hacking, being the first step towards definite increase in production. The bull should he kept till his daughters were tested. Many a farmer has had a bull which proved a veritable gold mine, but unfortunately he was disposed of before his real worth was ascertained. The best bull was the proved hull, the bull which would consistently leave, daughters a. higher butterfat production than their dams. The greatest waste in the dairy industry to-dav was the pedigree hulls. The practice of using a bull for a few months and then selling him, usually to go to the' freezing works, was not only wasteful, hut was delaying the realization of the objective of 3001 b. per cow. This problem was now under consideration by the Federation, and it was confidently expected that a scheme would be brought forward which would induce farmers to hold their hulls in' the hopes that the daughters would add much to the financial value

of their sires. Just as the low producing cows were culled out through testing, so should the best bulls be found and retained for further use.

The undermentioned figures from the Waikato Association were quoted as indicating tire very definite improvement which had taken place in that district during the past six years: 1923-24 season, 48 per cent. (14,953) of the 31,003 cows tested produced less than 2001bs. fat.

1928-29 season, 29 per cent. (22,967) of the 77,591 cows/tested produced Jess than 2001 bs fat.

1923-24. season, 45 per cent. (282) ol the 630 herds tested averaged less tliai 2001bs. fat.

1928-29 season, 16 per cent. (284) of the 1712 herds tested averaged less than 2001 bs. fat.

1923-24 season, 12 per cent, or 3599 of the cows tested averaged over 300Ibs. fat.

.1928-29 season, 25 per cent, or 19,08] of the cows tested averaged over 300 lbs. fat.

1923-24 season, 3.65 per cent, or 23 herds averaged over 3001 bs. fat. 1928-29 season, 13 per cent, or 222 herds averaged over 30011>s. fat.

CONVINCING FIGURES

Taking the Dominion figures, Mr Hume drew attention to the fact that in the 1921-22 season the’number of cows under all methods of testing was 45,564 as against 254,000 for the past season. Surely these figures, lie said, would convince the most sceptical that herd-testing was beyond the experimental stage and should be universally adopted.

DOMINION GROUP HERD-TESTING FEDERATION.

The Dominion Group Herd Testing Federation was formed on the 12th. July, 1926 with the object of bringing abo'iit uniformity of Group Testing methods, and the protection and development of the Calf Marking scheme. During the first season (1926-27; eight Associations were admitted to membership. The next season tins \va,iucreased tc? 12, and the past season closed with a membership of 21. Practically all the Group Testing Associations in the Dominion are now linked up with the Federation. Each affiliated Association registers a delegate who attends the Council, meetings (usually once a year only) of the Federation, and each delegate, quite irrespective of tjie size of .the Association, have one vote. The affiliation fees have been at the rate of -Jd per cow.

The Annual Meeting of the Council is held the day before,, and at the same place as the National Dairy Association. The next meeting will be Held in Hamilton some time in tin month of June. Tlie following is the Management Committee (elected annually by the Council) for the present season: Dynes Fulton, President (N.Z. Coop. Assn. Hamilton), G. It. Herron ('Southland Assn.), J. Parlane (Canterbury Assn.), G. H. Bell (Taranaki Assn.), J. Stratford (Southern Hawke’s Bay Assn.), P. Dill (Northern Wairoa Assn.),—W. J. Law (Bay of Plenty Assn.), with C. M. Hume, Secretary. The Management Commitee has this season Received a special grant from t..e Herd Testing Central Executive which has enabled them to appoint Mr C. M. Hume as Federation Supervisor of Herd Testing throughout the Dominion. Air Hume’s duties include the encouragement- and establishment in District?' where no testing is at present carried on,

HERD TESTING CENTRAL EXECUTIVE.

The Herd Testing Central Executive was set up bv the Minister of Agriculture, Hon G. \V. Forties, in July last to act as a connecting link between the Department of Agriculture anu the Dominion Group Herd Testing Federation.. The Executive control any moneys granted by the Government towards • Herd. Testing and lay down the policy of Herd. Testing, leaving it to the Management Committee of tho Federation to see hat the policy is carried out.

The Central Executive is composed

The Director General of Agriculture (Dr Reakes).

The Director of the Dairy Division (Mr W. M. Singleton). The Chairman of the New. Zealand 'Dairy Produce Bouird (My W. A.

Trons). Professor \V. Riddle of Massey Colege, and the four members of the Management Committee of the Dominion Group Herd Testing Federation— Messrs Dynes Fulton (Waikato), G. R. Herron (Southland), G. H. Bell (Taranaki), and P. Hill (Northern Wairon). Mr Dynes Fulton is Chairman of the Central Executive.

HEIFER CALF .MARKING

Tli roe essentials are necessary

Ist.—That the dam has produced under group herd testing as a two-year old 250 lbs of butterfat; as a threeyear old 275 lbs; as a four-year old (or old animal) 30011>.5. In not more than 305 days. 2nd.—That the sire of the calf is a registered pedigree. 3rd.—That the owner gives a statutory declartion as to the percentage of the calf.

The marking is done hv way of tatoo in the ear, and is as follows: T (T in •shrekl), representing the, registered mairk of the' Dominion Group Herd Testing Federation, “E” as indicating the calf was born in the 1929-30 dairying season (next season the letter F will h eused), and a number indicating tlie calf’s number in the Heifer Calf Register—numbers are not dupli-

eated and this year they range. frjptii lj up to at least 15,000. A certificate is issued to the owner for each calf marked. It .sets out the tatoo marks to be found in the calf’s ear, the date of birth, the name and breed of the dam, and her butterfat production for each season she has been under test, and the name and butterfat backing of the sire of the calf. Calf marking is now recognised as a. hall mark for dairy stock and provides the opportunity for the man who is prepared to pay a premium for stock which can lie relied upon to prove profitable producers. Call’ marking is now in its fifth year of operation in the Waikato where the scheme was involved. When they began good calves brought from 30s to 35s each. The consequence was that men who had good surplus calves were not rearing them, but were knocking them on the head. This had the effect of bringing a lot of rubbish into the herds, and something had to he done to preserve the good calves. It was out of this problem they evolved the scheme of marking calves. Last year they marked about 7000 calves, and this year they would probably do from 8560 to 9000.

There was a big trade in “marked” oalves in the Waikato at the beginning of each season. Marked calves at two weeks old brought from 25s to £3 10s, and some at ten weeks brought as much as £lO, though the latter were from cows which were doing oyer l () lb. .of butterfat. A man with 34 lo 40 cow’s doing from 3301 b. to 3401 b. of fat would more than pay his testing fees out of the sales of his surple calves. That was sound business made possible hv testing and marking. He was sure that the same sort of thing could he brought about down here. The question had often been put to them that, while it was insisted that a dar must have a standard of production, no standard was required of the sire. His answer to that had always been „.iO same, namely, that they must give ihe breeders time to get all the per 1 gree cows under test. They were doing more now than in the past, and as the standard of grade cows was raised so the breeders would have to raise me standard of the cattle they were raising.

This would mean ultimately that only pedigree bulls from dams with a. record would be reared. There must be the same need for culling among t>* pedigree herds as in the grade herds. When tiles bulls come into use they must improve the herds for which they were purchased." • :f .•■" : -

MILLIONS WITHIN REACH

“Adopting the system I have outlined,” Mr Hume went on to observe, .-‘.•uid building up higli-prod'ucinjf lairds;, throughout the Dominion, it is going to be a matter of only a few years before we lift the average dairy production of the Dominion; to j a ypgfft much higher level. I do not think(there is going to be any difficulty ,i.u...raising the. Dominion average, of butterfat. production of 3001 b. pei-, cow ( ;. (which would bring an additional tep millions sterling info the country every year! Wo have in the ..Waikato,.plenty of two-year-old heifer? .that are prcduc-. mg 8001 b. of butterfat for the,..season. That means approximately','lsolb. -for 7 a four or five year-old coming when" stock that is not marked, will not be recognised ns dairy stock -ivi will have to go into tlie beef pens, f'iministanons will -;eoiw>el even the least progressive dairv farmer to go hi for tostimr and. calf marking. The progressive farmer does not need to be forced. He is going in for these methods now.” . . ;

METHODS OF TESTING

fn reply to Questions, Mr Hume explained that there were two methods yf. testing, the “Association” system, and the “Group” system. The “Association” method is really of benefit only to the farmer who is carrying it out. Tt provides a cheap and effective method of ascertaining the true producing value of liis cows.

Experience has shown, however, that a great percentage of farmers fail to carry on the work for the who!" season, and in many cases, through the figures being incomplete, the results are quite misleading. Under this system tit" work m usually associated with a Dairy Comnnnv. The farmer is obliged to huv a sample box, scales and dipper, and each month, sends to the factory the samples taken for usually two consecutive milking. He submits a list of his cows on a form supplied gratis by the Government. The former shows the oollimv dates and the weight of milk given by each cow for the night and morning and samples are taken. The samples are then tested at the factory and the . completed form showing the estimated butterfat production from each cow is then returned to the farmer. Tills procedure is repeated each month "throughout ,thc season, and tlie final figures provide the farmer with a true comparative value of tlie cows in his herd. Tho cost of this work is from 2s to 3s per cow for tlit* season.

In the case of the farmers who arc machine milking they are faced with purchasing test buckets to enable the sampling to he carried out. Half marking is not impossible under tbo “Assoeiation ’ ’ system.

rr he “Group” system "s more eom - plete and therefore a Uthie more expensive. A “Group” represents that number of herds v-bO r.. ln be led by a testing officer in a month'. Usually tbis is 27 herds comprising 1699 to 1200 rows. Tlie members pnv a fee of about 5s per row. giving an order for the total amount on the dairy company they are supplying. This is usually deducted in five instalments ■spread over the “flush” months, and is pnlfl to the Management Committee selected by the “Group” members. A

testing officer is appointed'who duty it is to visit each herd each month throughout the season. He arrives on the farm in the afternoon with bis testing buckets, the property of the “Group.” These buckets are adaptable to any type of milking machine. He we-glis and samples tlie milk from each cow at that evening’s milking, and again at the following morning’s milking. The samples are tested on. the farm, the testing machine also being the property of the “Group.” The completed test sheet is left by the testing officer before departing for the next farm. The farmer must of course pro‘Y’dw+hp officer with meals and accommodation during the time he is on the farm. This procedure is repeated month after month throughout tin* season. The presence of /the testing o ffl cer enables the milking at testing time to be carried out without any undue delay, and it provides that antbou tication of the results which is so emi- • lontlv desirable. Of ‘ho 300.000 cows under test, in flu* Dominion this season. at least 250.0n0 are under tin* “Group system. C-If ninrtdng is carried out provided the Association, of tfio “Ovr*n,-i” ,'s p"’-t. is nffilintod w-'+h the Dominion Group Testing