COW-TESTING WORK.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 12 June 1912, Page 4

COW-TESTING WORK.

Mr L. J. Wild, M.A., says :— The Marlborough Higb. School Cowtesting Association owes its origin to an offer made by me to seven suppliers of the "Wairau Butter-factory to test thoir herds in accordance with the method adopted by the Dairy Produce Division of the Department of Agri* culture. The scheme was made possible by the courtesy of Mr Valentine, manager of the factory, whoundertqok to collect the samples and deliver them to me at the Marlborough High School where the testing is carried out. The members of the association re~ present different parts of the district, and it was soon discovered that their herds varied from " good " to " indifferent "in quality. Testing began in October, 1911, the majority of the cows coming into milk during that month. Some, however, had come in early in the preceding winter, and their milk-yield was thus on the decline. The testing in these cases is somewhat unsatisfactory as the cows are credited with a lower yield than is their due. However, it is intended to take them up again as soon as they come in on next calf, and so their true value will be probably found next season. Before testing began members were asked to select what they considered to be their best four cows. It is interesting to notice how the selection agrees with the facts indicated by the test. In one herd there \?as chosen as third-best cow an animal that in 124 days gave 107.6 lb. of butter-fat. This cow was beaten by ten unselected cows, one of which gave 134.5 lb of fat in 113 days. Three of the four selected cows in this nerd will undoubtedly be beaten by at least eight others. In another herd the cow placed third has produced 279.58 lb of fat in 166 days, while the animal chosen as best has produced only 241.634 Ib. in 107 days. Another man placed as sixth the .cow that will probably turn out to be his best, judging from the results of the testing up to the present. It has produced 371.65 lb. ox fat in 305 days, and, by the way, was bracketed equal with a cow that produced 291,94 lb. in 314 days. On the whole, however, good selections were irade by nearly all, and the mistakes made chiefly consisted, not in failing to select the best cows, but in not arranging them correctly in order of merit. This evidence of correct judgment is to be attributed in some degree to the fact that tho value of testing has for a considerable time been recognised in this district, and many dairj men have been m the habit of having individual samples tested from time to time at the factory, though no attempt at a computation . based on weight and test combined was necessarily made. This precaution, though useful, has its limitations and the work of the association, humble though it be, goes to swell the volume of proof that the productivity of any particular cow can be deteimined only by a regular test of both the quality and quantity of the milk.