HERD-TESTING

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4870, 26 August 1925, Page 2

HERD-TESTING

WORK OF THE ASSOCIATION. FIGURES FOR THE YEAR. How .any dairy farmer who does not systematically test his herd can close his eyes to the glaring evidence frequently produced of the need for finding out which cows in life herd, are unprofitable and which are paying for themselves has often been asked. Figures are now to hand bearing on last season’s testing by the N.Z. Co-opera-tive Herd Testing Association, and they make inteersting reading ; in fact, every dairy farmer should study them. Summary of results for the season 1924-25: 1257 herds, representing 55,74'5 cows, averaged 227.521 b of fat in 238 day's ; the lowest cow of any group (44 groups) averaged 28.611 b of fat in 223 days; the lowest cow in each group averaged 86.361 b of fat in 225 days ; the 10 lowest cows in each group averaged 108.721 b of fat in 221 days; the lowest herd in each group averaged 143.151 b of fat ill 184 days ; the 10 lowest herds in each group averaged 183.311 b of fat in 216 .days ; the highest cow of any group produced 746.981 b of fat in 302 days ; the highest cow in each group averaged 518.211 b of fat in 293 days; the 10 highest cows in each group averaged 454.001 b of fat in 286 days ; the highest herd of any group averaged 372.66 lb.of fat in 288 days; the highest herd hi each group averaged 320.711 b of fat in 267 days; the 10 highest herds in each group averaged 270.971 b of fat in 254 days. INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTION. During the season the Association tested '55,745 cows, and the following table will show the producing capacity of all cows tested : 2269 cows produced under 1001 b of fat; 8472 cows produced over 1011 b and under 1601 b of fat; 10,293 cows produced over 1611 b and under 2001 b of fat; 14,379 cows produced over 2011 b and under 2501 b of fat; 11,020 cows produced over 2511 b and under 3001 b of fat; 5879 cows produced over 3011 b and under 3501 b of fat; 2425 cows produced over 3511 b and under 4001 b of fat; 58 cows produced over 5011 b and' under 6001 b of fat; 5 cows produced over 6011 b and under 7001 b of fat 1 coW produced over 7461 b of fat. The following table will show the percentages of all cows tested which niay be regarded as profitable and unprofitable :— Profitable : 34'33 cows., or 6.16 per cent, gave 3511 b of fat or over ; 31,278 cows, or '56.11 per cent., gave 201 to 3501 b of fat; 34.711 cows, or 62.27 per cent., orofitable cows. Unprofitable : ■'0,293 cows, or 18.47 per cent, gave 161 to 2001 b of fat; 10,741 cows, or 19.26 per cent., gave 1601 b if fat and under ; 21,034 cows, or 37.73 per cent., unprofitable cows.

In the 1923-24 season 1168 cows were tested, and 67 per cent, of thetn gave from 2101 b to 6001 b of fat, and therefore may be regarded as profit-

ablc. The unprofitable cows amounted ' to 33 per cent. LOCAL GROUPS. Following are the figures for the groups in this district:— The number of cows in each group was: Shelly Beach, 1411; Turua, 1073 ; Netherton, 1322 ; Waitafcaruru, 1223, These figures represent 26. 23, 30, and 25 herds respectively. . In the Shelly Beach group the highest ten -herds averaged 258.471 b, and the lowest 116.961 b, over a period of 243 days. The highest cow gave 471.101 b of fat and the lowest 109.781 b. At Turua the highest ten herds averaged 250.961 b . and the lowest 188.281 b over, a period of 237 days. The highest cow produced 515.771 b of fat and the lowest 101.501 b. The highest ten herds at Netherton averaged 235.211 b and the lowest 161.491 b in 226 days. - The highest cow gave 415.651 b of fat and the lowest 74.561 b. In the Waitakaruru group the highest ten herds averaged 228.191 b and the lowest 158.221 b during 230 days. The highest cow produced 450.551 b of fat and the lowest 60.991 b.