HERD TESTING

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3679, 18 August 1927, Page 3

HERD TESTING

At the conclusion of the annual meeting of shareholders of the Shannon Co-operative Dairy Co., on Saturday, Mr. J. Fergusson, representing the executive of the Manawatu Herd Testing Association, addressed those present, on herd-test-ing. He stated that the Association had started at Rangiotu four years ago with 1600 cows. Last year they tested 8300 cows and this year it was expected to have 12,000 cows. Up till this season they had not invaded Shannon and Tokomaru, but across the Manawatu river they bad some 2000 cows last season. They proposed, if sufficient inducement offered, to operate in these two localities this season. Their system was to divide the district into groups of 1500 cows, with a competent man in charge, who was equipped with the necessary gear to carry out testing on each farm, which he would visit once a month, testing night and morning. The cost would be 4/- per cow to new members, but as the Government gave a subsidy of £BOOO, which works out at 1/- per cow, the farmer got this benefit, which reduced the cost to 3/-,per cow. Each group had its own committee, who also had representation on the Executive, which met once a month. After answering a few questions, Mr. Fergusson was thanked for addressing the suppliers. On the motion of Mr. R. Law it was decided to recommend to the directors that the Company subsidise herd testing as follows: One shilling per cow towards the group system and sixpence per cow to the Association.