HERD TESTING

Hokitika Guardian, 1 November 1930, Page 6

HERD TESTING

(Christchurch Times)

The Director of the Dairy Division, in a review of herd testing during the 1929-30 season, was able to report steady progress. The number of cows tested showed an increase of 24,137 ..oyer, the total of the previous season, bringing the percentage up to 20.4 of the dairy cows in the Dominion, hut ffhe returns would have been very much better had the South Island shrowed the same interest in this important, work as has the North Island.

Nearly 25 per cent, of the cows in niilk in the north were tested, hut in the south the percentage was only 8.5, and Canterbury occupied the-low-est place with 3.8. Four years ago there were more cows tested in the province than was the case last year, and the decline from 3524 in 1928-29 to 2816 last season must he regarded as serious.

The figures given i>v Mr Singleton should be studied by tile dairy farmer. The highest return from a cow tested hist year was 88611) of butter-'at, the period covering 350 days, and the lowest was 111 b of butter-fat from a cow that was milked for 130 days. The labour expended on the poor producer was wasted. The highest group return was 455.451 b lor 275 days, and the lowest 78.46 for 176 days, while one held tested by an association gave only 71.191 b for 139 milking days. It requires as much labour to handle a herd giving a low yield as one returning a profit, and it has been stated that, as a rule, the poor grade cow eats more than docs ail animal of provmilking strain.

The dairy farmers who are lacing the period of low prices for our exports with the greatest degree of confidence are those who know that theii herds have the producing capacity, and that cannot be ascertained definitely unless the herd is properly tested.’

There is no apparent reason why the average production in Canterbury should be well below that of Otago and Southland, except the fact that the lactation period is shorter here than it is further south, and it is clear that, by raising the standard of our herds, increased production is possible without adding to labour costs. Wo need to eliminate both the “scrub” bull and the “robber” cow.