TO INCREASE YIELD.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 243, 11 September 1940, Page 12

TO INCREASE YIELD.

IMPROVING THE HERD. (Written for the “Manawatu Standard.”) The returns of various testing operations published from time to time demonstrate in a remarkable fashion the wonderful improvements that have been effected in all milking breeds of cattle by selected purebred mating. There was a time —not very long ago—when the dairy herds of the Dominion returned an average production of less than zUoip of bulteriat per year. We have now records of cows that produce more bulterfat in three months than the average cow, furnishes in one year. It would be fantastic to dream of the time when every cow going to the milking-shed would produce upwards of 10001 b. of butterfat — as quite a large number have done already—but when we reflect that one of these animals returns as much as, say, five average cows, we cannot but fully realise the folly of continuing to keep the “boarders” in the herd. However costly her feeding may he (and many of the high-producing purcbreds are almost entirely grass-fed) the “1000-pounder” can hardly cost as much as the five average animals. The difficulties in the way of the ordinary owner of an ordinary herd are, of course, somewhat great, but on every hand one sees the introduction of a few purebreds secured with a view to the ultimate alteration of the character of the whole herd. The improvements wherever eltectcd hat e come from the use of choicer blood and better management. Gulling the poor producers so as to remove their influence in making up the average, as well as to remove the influence ol their progeny, together with the use of sires from outstanding dams, has been largely responsible for the enlargement of the dairy capacity in herds in this country, as well as in the leading dairy countries of the world. The problem of the dairy-farmer to-day is to secure a higher proportion of betters cows rather than more cows.

The 3601 b producing herd (as against 1301 b) will double the income without a corresponding increase, in the cost of production. By strict culling of the poor producing animals, which would at the same time eliminate their progeny, dairying can be made more, profitable by bringing in a larger gross income from practically (he same amount of investment and effort. LAWS OF VARIATION AND IMPROVEMENT.

In New Zealand 10-day there are many breeders of purebred bulls, so that a beginning on tiie pathway to improvement can readily be made, There is no longer any need to “begin at the beginning.” In this connection Professor White, of the Connecticut Agricultural College, on “Illustrating the Laws of Variation and Selection as Factors in Improvement,” says: ‘‘lf one were to breed animals even of similar conformation and production, considerable variability would be noted in fhe resultant offspring. This law of variation is a common observation among people who work with animals and plants. The following table illustrates variability and shows the improvement that has been made in dairy herds by exercising selection in matings. The figures represent pounds of milk per year: A few Majority of A few

| “When a herd of females of inherent capacity of 40001 b. of milk is mated with bulls of the same calibre, the offspring will vary from the lower class of about 2000 to the higher class of 60001 b. The majority of them will be similar to their parents, both of whom were of the 4000 calibre class. By selecting animals to mate from those of the higher class, 6000, a new group of individuals is brought forth. The variation this time is from 3500 to 8500 with the average similar to the parents. Again, selecting from the high group, from 85001 b. parents, a group of animals will be born which continue to show vai riation, but this time the limits will be j from 5000 to 11.500. with the majority j falling around the average of the parents, {or 0500. Again, if these superior indivi- | duals are mated, the variation ranges i from 7500 to 15,000, with the majority of j them around 11,500. Of course, this is i a slow process where one starts at the j very beginning and would require sevlerai generations of animals. I “There arc several herds to-day that I have been through this operation, and we I are hearing. occasionally of herds carried !on twice-a-day milking with an average jof 15.000 pounds of milk, with the Friejsian breed. If fat is considered, the level j would be about 500 pounds for any good ! dairy breed.” ! In this age where superior animals have ; already been developed, it is quite un- ■ necessary for anyone to start at the very i beg inning and select out by the slow process indicated here in getting up'to an 18000 to 10,000 pound herd. If one has j a herd of cows averaging 4000 IR milk land selects a bull that has a 10001 b ini' herent capacity behind liim, none of the j offspring will likely produce so low as the j average of the original cows, nor will j any of them likely produce so high as | the immediate ancestors from which the j sire came. In this case, the variations will Ihe from about 45001 bto 8500 with the j average progeny producing somewhere j around 65001 b. This rnethqd of improvej rnent by taking advantage of variation through selecting the superior animals for I mating is now well-known and has been i long obssrve-d by many wide-awake pro- ! gressive stock breeders. Observations on 1 many herds make it quite clear that actual ‘experience conforms very closely to the 'figures quoted in the foregoing table, iJt has been pretty definitely established I that high milk production is dominant j over love milk production, and it will be j asserted if given the opportunity through I selection.

Matings progeny progeny progeny 1.4000x4000 2000 4000 6000 2.6000x6000 3500 6000 3500 3.3500x3503 5000 8500 11,500 4.11500x11500 7503 11,500 15,000 5.4000x. 10000 4500 6500 3500