TESTING COWS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4319, 19 September 1921, Page 1

TESTING COWS.

TWELVE ADVANTAGES.. . An interesting booklet issued by the N.Z. Jersey Breeders* Association gives the following summary of the advantages to be gained from systematic testing qf dairy cows : 1. It proves superiority > of- the breed.

2. It proves 'the relative value of each animal, whether high or low. it is often found that cows regarded as only average producers are the best in the whole herd when science supersedes guess-work. 3. Comparison of. points and type will.' demonstrate the perfection of form, and this must,always claim the close attention of the' breeder, because the reward of both financial and aesthetic, will be reaped by those breeders .who can combine in their herds a high productive capacity with the perfect type of form. For in such matters beauty means utility, and utility means beauty.

4. Without authenticated records the herdsman i.- often guided by sentiment in the selection of! cows to be retained in the herd ; .the temper and the disposition of a cow will often lead him to decide which heifers are to be kept. .But the tests disregard these as factors, when looking fo l ' the re,al producers.

5. The persistency and regularity of the milk flow is the one qualification that outranks alii others in the valuable cow; it cannot be assessed by mere observation with enough accuracy to make the figures of real value, but the <est will bring the matter conclusively before the owner. 6. The test records aliways remain very valuable as references in future years, affording reliable data of coni: parison as regards feeding and managing a herd. 7. Test-records are the best educastion: they develop thinkers, better dairymen, .and better .dairy methods : they check bo,th over and under-feed-ing, and ensure greater net profits.

8. The monthly visits of the professional tester,' the general talk and interest in his experiences, arouse interest and increased discussion in the locality ; they tend to widen the outlook, and induce reading and study of the questions at issue. 9. The professional tester necessar-

ily takes greater interest in the work. 10. Cows from regularly-tested herds bring much higher prices, and so do their calves and heifers.

11. It has-been observed that both boys and girls become deeply interested in the tests, and that no other fact appeals to them so strongly as

the taking of these accurate and systematic records ; it is a practical'continuation of the definite and precise teaching they get at school, and they, are only too glad to have the chance to apply at home the things and methods they learn at schoo,l. The oldfashioned way did not interest them, but if you afford them the opportunity you will see that the newer, methods do.

12. It pays 'to spend the time and money required to make a record, official or private. Recently a member of the Dairy Department of the University of Illinois kept a record of prices paid for animals whose productions were, or were not, authenticated by official tests :

In five different sales—.lB7 cows, without records, averaged £s> 10s.

171 cows, with, records, averaged £93.

That is, the men who kept records were paid £35 10s per cow for doing so! Furthermore — 184 heifers, from dams without records, averaged £42. 133 heifers, from dams with records, averaged £6B 10s.

That is, that even before milking age, the record of the dam was worth £26 10s per cow !• Cow and heifer, sold together, made the recording of the former worth £62. Not a bad showing! These figures show conclusively that it doess, pay. These are all our own statements, established and vouched for by the Breeders’ Associations.