HIGH BUTTERFAT RETURNS.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 117, 21 January 1926, Page 7

HIGH BUTTERFAT RETURNS.

MORRINSVILLE HERDS. Many Fai-mers Testing. This season has seen a large increase in the numbers of farmers adopting herd testing, there being at present five groups operating in the Morrinsville district. These are : Morrinsville, Tauhei, Tahuna, Kiwitahi and a portion of the Waitoa group. Despite the fact that this season has not been as favourable as the preceding few dairying periods, some high returns have been noticed, many of these coming from Mangateparu. A few have already been quoted. A few more follow. A SMALL HERD. A small herd of 15 owned by Mr. C. Hammond, of Tahuna road, attained a fairly-high average for December, the average amount of butterfat per cow being 49.391 b. A two-year Jersey heifer in this herd is doing remarkably well, being credited with 2171 bof fat on 142 days. For December 70.081 b of butterfat is attributed to this animal, the test being, 7.3. As this appeared a particularly high record for such a young animal a further test was taken a few days later but the result showed very little difference.

LARGE HERD’S BIG YIELD. A large herd is not expected to perform as well as one where more attention can be bestowed upon each unit but Mr. F. Middleton’s mixed herd of 83, chiefly Shorthorns and Jersey cross, on Mr. Carol’s property on the Tahuna road, has been doing far better this season than many a small one. Seventeen heifers are included among the total of 83 but apparently the production has not suffered to any extent by their inclusion as each of these heifers has been giving over lib of butterfat per day. For the purpose of replacing culls Mr. Middleton selects heifers of his own breeding and this season’s quota have quite fulfilled expectations. Last season was the first that testing was done in connection with this herd, the season’s average per cow being 2641 b of butterfat, 33 cows out of the 74 under test giving over 3001 b. Judging by the present indications this herd will reach the 3001 b mark this season.

The following are averages per cow for the past four months :

September.—s 4 cows, 9681 b of milk, 4.2 test, 40.751 b of butterfat. October. —74 cows, 9691 b of milk, 4 test, 38.931 b of butterfat. November. —79 cows, 10741 b of milk, 3.7 test, 39.781 b of butterfat. December.—B3 cows, 10361 b of milk, 4.1 test, 42.561 b of butterfat. The highest individual yield was j given by a Slitorthorn, which in September gave 94.031 b of butterfat with a 5.5 test. Up to tltat time this was the highest individual monthly yield given by any cow tested by the association this season and very few have beaten it to date. For 115 days this cow is credited with 253.461 b of fat, quite a substantial amount.. Two other good performances were put up in December, one by a newlycalved Shorthorn, which is shown on the test sheet as having produced 82.351 b of fat in 30 days, while a Jersey-cross cow has 74.761 b of fat against her name for the same period. Other creditable performances are : Shorthorn cow, 226.041 b of fat on 142 days ; Jersey, 203.891 b on 140 days ; Jersey, 201.621 b on 121 days. MANGATEPARU DAIRYING. The Mang-ateparu soldier settlers are now beginning to reap the harvest of their several years of toil and privations which they endured as the result of starting their new venture on fescue-ridden country and at a time when the boom was turning into a slump. They paid the highest possible prices for everything and by 1 the time they had something to mar-

ket the. prices were at their lowest. The majority of the men, however, retained their holdings and have proved to be first-class dairy farmers. This season, judging by the herd-testing figures, many are doing better than their civilian neighbours. Certainly many have a good class of cattle, and, by breeding their own heifers from pedigree bulls with good butterfat backing, have improved their herds to a wonderful extent. One of these men is Mr. M. E. Barrowclough, on the Tauhei road. He states that when he first went on to the settlement seven years ago he took with him 17 cows and 3 horses to graze on 92 acres. There was not sufficient feed, even with liberal quantities of hay which he had to buy, and if he had not taken the cattle and horses off the place they would most surely have died. At the present time, if he did not keep any young stock, he estimates that he could milk 50 cows without buying any feed. He is at present carrying a milking herd of 40 cows, 8 head of dry stock, 2L calves and 3 horses as well as pigs. During his first season on the settlement his total butterfat was 11001 b, while this season he expects to produce 11,0001 b. The following are the averages based upon the last four tests : October.—34 cows, 42.141 b of butterfat with a 4.2 test. November.—37 cows, 39.311 b of butterfat with a 4.1 test. December.—37 cows, 39.51 b of butterfat with a 4.5 test. January.—3B cows, 34.931 b of butterfat with a 4.7 test.

As will be noticed, the dry weather upon the hill country has had its effect, the best average being in October.

The factory averages would no doubt show a slight decrease upon the testing returns, as Mr. Barrowclough has a number of calves of his own breeding which, when newly calved', are fed upon whole milk. Th« calves are of particularly-good quality, being from a pedigree bull of good butterfat backing, and recently Mr. Barrowclough sold half a dozen grade yearlings at the particularlygood price of over £7 per head. The performance of the herd is particularly pleasing when it is taken into account that thei'e are included 11 heifers as well as 10 second calvers. He has effected a complete transformation of his herd during his seven years by persistent culling and replacing with heifers of Iris own breeding, so that what was once a mixed herd now comprises Jerseys with just a few of his original Shorthorns. Some of the best individual performances to date are : Shorthorn cow, 337.81 b of fat in 180 days ; Jersey cow, 323.761 b of fat in 172 days ; Jersey three-teater, 208.941 b of fat In 140 days ; Jersey cow, 227.021 b of fat in 127 days ; Jersey cow, 192.311 b of fat in 97 days ; Jersey heifer, 204.631 b of fat in 183 days’; Jersey heifer, 178.151 b of fat in 141 days ; Jersey heifer, 174.61 b of fat in 100 days. In addition Mr. Barrowclough has two . pedigree Jerseys under semiofficial test.