HERD TESTING.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 289, 23 May 1929, Page 6

HERD TESTING.

\ ANNUAL MEETING. New Zealand Association. There was a large and enthusiastic meeting of farmers from Matamata, Waharoa, Te Poi, Hinuera, Okoroire and other surrounding districts in the Farmers’ Hall, Matamata, on Thursday, for the annual meeting of the local groups of the New Zealand Herd-testing Association. Mr. W. Allen, Tirau, a director of the association, occupied the chair. It was strikingly evident from the attendance that farmers are showing a marked interest in the importance of herd-testing and are beginning to realise that it is essential for the jiroper conduct of a dairy herd on business lines.

Mr. C. Hume, manager of the association, in addressing the meeting, stated that despite curtailment of the programme he had yet sixty meetings to attend before the end of June. The balance-sheet disclosed that plant valued at £3500 had been paid for, and the association was free of debt. The association was fortunate in having four directors of the N.Z.C.D.C. on its board, and much valuable work had been done by Mr. Dynes Fulton. I | Average Creeping Up.

Though last season there had been ,a drop of 271 b per cow, due to the dry season and class B cows being

included in the average, it was anticipated that this year the average per cow would again reach 2501 b and possibly 2601 b. As the season was not quite completed it was not certain which group would lead the average. Ngarua had completed its returns, with 15 herds (985 cows), with an average of 3041 b per cow. Manawaru, Te Aroha West and Tairua were still in the running, and it would be a great performance if Manawaru captured the lead for the . fourth successive year. Tairua was j a soldier settlement on the Coromandel Peninsula, and their foundation stock were all procured from Manawaru and Te Aroha West. This settlement commenced testing last year, when it finished in tne 1 first four. Two Good Herds. Otorohanga and Okoroire would also be well up on the list. Two herds had reached the fine average of 4001 b and over, and it was possible for a few more to also do so. The Dominion Group Herd-testing Federation was formed by the association to standardise the working and controlling of calf-marking throughout the Dominion. In the first year eight associations joined; the second year twelve, and the pre- , sent year nineteen. There were only j four associations not linked up and I it was expected that they would join | in shortly.

The present year’s subsidy for testing Would go back to the farmer and provided there were no fresh conditions imposed by the Government, the scale of charges for test-

ing for next season would be as fol- j ’ lows: General testing fee per herd, £5, plus an additional 3s per cdw. Fees Per Cow. This worked out approximately on the following basis: 20 cow herd, 7s per cow; 30 cows, 5s 4d; 40 cows, ! 4s 6d; 60 cows, 3s 8d; 100 cows, 3s; 120 cows, 2s lOd. Two small herds , of 30 cows or under the price was | £2 10s per head and 3s per cow. In the discussion that followed Messrs. Watson and Jones held that under the proposed scale the small farmer was being harshly treated. , Mr. Hume replied that the testing

of small herds was being done at a loss and even under the new scale the small man was being assisted to a great extent by the owner of a larger herd.

A National Movement. Owing to the fact that herd-test-ing was now recognised as a national movement, it was proposed to admit suppliers to proprietary concerns to membership. The latter would have to be guaranteed by the proprietary concern they supplied. It was also proposed to divide members into two classes: testing and non-testing members. A member who failed to resign would become a non-testing member with a fee of £1 Is. This was necessary as many members failed to resign and the association was entitled to collect the full fee from them. Members and non-testing members thus being on the same footing, their calves would be marked at a fee of Is per head. A total of 3339 calves were marked last year, and probably 4500 would be treated this year. First Marked Heifers Shine.

The first year’s marked heifers to come into profit were being milked this year, and the average for 99 , head was 236.881 b, which compared

very favourably with the association’s average for all cows (72,734) of 228.371 b. The average for all heifers in the association’s groups totalled 12,472 was 183.221 b. In one herd of 66 which averaged 183.471 b, seven marked heifers averaged 2031 b. Both Systems Good, I Touching on the remarks made by 1 the president of the Matamata Jer-

| sey Breeders’ Club, Mr. H. Lewis, at 11 he annual meeting of the club, Mr. Hume stated that he did not entirely agree with them. He did not think j C.O.R. testing was any more accu--4 rate than group testing, though both systems were open to improvement. The only absolutely accurate | test was a daily one and that was impossible. 1 A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr. Hume for his address, the resolution being carried with ac- - clamation.