NEW ZEALAND DAIRY COWS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 366, 9 April 1918, Page 1

NEW ZEALAND DAIRY COWS.

Improvement in Average Production. By W. M. Singleton, Assistant Director, Dairy Division. (From " The Journal of Agriculture.") It is approximately three-quarters of a century since the earliest importations of cattle into New Zealand. The first to arrive were Shorthorns, and a few years later Ayrshires were introduced. The Ayrshire crossed with the Shorthorn provided the foundation of our earlier dairy herds. The Jerseys, Friesians, and Guernseys were introduced later and during the seven decades since the first Ayrshire was imported dairy cattle have been increasing in numbers, until the 1016-17 enumeration (31/1 17) credits our herds with 777,439 dairy cows. The 1911 census showed 633,733 dairy cows, the six-years' increase thus being 143,706, or22£per cent. PRODUCTION. For many reasons it is not an easy task to compile a satisfactory estimate of the yield of the average dairy cow. Not all cows that calve milk the full season, and some cows do not come into milk at all. Dairymen will seldom state the number of their dairy cows above those that are in milk and sometimes two heifers are counted as one cow. The returns made to the Government Statistician are likely to indicate the position more accurately, but-even these, in the writer's opinion, are more likely to be understated than overstated.

Probably the most satisfactory manner of estimating the butterfat yield of the average dairy cow—in milk and dry—is to calculate the total production of butterfat for the Dominion. This includes the portions exported as butter, cheese, dried milk, etc, and the quantities of these commodities consumed locally, together with the local con-sumption-of milk, cream, and condensed milk. Figuring on this basis, it is estimated that during the 191617 season over 125,800,0001b of butterfat was produced by the 777,439 cows indicated by the Statistician's figures as being in milk and dry. For the season 1910-11 it is estimated that over 90,000,0001b butterfat was produced by the 633,733 cows indicated in that year's census. Between the two periods the increase in the number of cows is 22£ per cent, whereas the increase in the butterfat produced is over 39 per cent. These figures bear testimony to the improvement in the producing-capacity of the average dairy cow. On the foregoing basis the average cow for the 1910-11 season is credited with a production of 142.1 lb. butterfat. The yields had been so improved in the following six years that for the 1916-17 season the credit for the average cow is 161.8 Ib. butterfat. This represents an increase of 19.7 lb. butterfat, or 13.8 per cent, over the yield of the average cow fdr 1910 11.

MONETARY RETURNS DUE TO COW IMPROVEMENT.

The 777,439 cows of the 1916-17 enumeration producded last season over fifteen and a quarter million pounds more butterfat than would have been obtained on the average yield of the 1910-11 cow. As the local consumption in any case receives first consideration regarding supplies, it follows that our exports have been directly increased by the total amount of the improved yield. Much of this extra milkfat and accompanying non-fatty solids was devoted to cheese-production, for which the suppliers received payment at rates varying up to 24d. per pound butterfat. Butter factories paid suppliers an average of more than 18Ad. per pound fat for the past season. Reducing the exports in butter and cheese for the 1916-17 season to butterfat, the figures show that a little more butterfat was exported in butter than in cheese. It is conservative to value the increased production per cow for the 19KM7 season at 20d per pound fit. The value of this increased yield of butterfat would thus amount to £1,276,000, paid to milk and cream suppliers Further, this increased butterfat ppr cow means more milk and therefore more by-products, such as whey, skim-milk and butter milk. Roughly, these would amount to more than 36,000,000 gallons and must represent a very material increase in the Dominion's carryingcapacity for pigs and calves.

Moreover, the economic value of the increase to the Dominion has been greater than these figures represent In addition to the suppliers' receipts, this extra butterfat has paid for all labour and other charges incidental to manufacturing and shipping the produce. Much of the extra amount has been paid to labour for services in the dairy factories, in the supply of fuel, timber, transport and wharf handling. Many of these services are not connected directly with the dairying industry

An increase in the Dominion's exports of food products due to the keeping of an increased number of cows is commendable, but evon more praiseworthy is the increased pro-

duction due to the improvement of the average dairy cow. Factors are at work in this connection which indicate that a further increase of production per cow will yet result. New Zealand's asset in her dairymen and dairy cows is appreciating more then is generally realised. SOlA) FACTORB TJIAT EFFECT IMPROVEMENT. The period during which this improvement in the production of the average New Zealand cow has been brought about aynchronizes with that during which the cow-testing movement has been developed. The adoption of this work as an intelligent guide to culling out unprofitable producers and selecting the best as mothers for individuals of the future herd has been of great advantage in attaining the improvement now The culling out must be accomplished by the introduction of other producers, and it is in obtaining these that the ability of the dairyman is tested. An increasing number of our owners of crossbred cows are building up their herds by introducing heifers which they have bred and reared. The proportion of these sired by purebred bulls is greater than was the case some years since. The use of purebred bulls of. dairy breeds has had a marked influence on the production of our dairy herds, and we believe the certificate-of-record testing system carried out and given publicity by the breeders and the Dairy Division has been the most potent influence at work in increasing the demand for bulls that, wi'l assist in building up the quality of our dairy herds We do not overlook the improvement that has been accomplished in feeding the average cow, but unless an animal has the "dairy temperament" her better feed does not evidence a corresponding improvement in the yield of milk and butterfat.

In equal environment an increase in the productive capacities of daughters over their dams can only be attained through having them sired by a bull who carries transmissible hereditary factors which represent a dairy strain that is superior to that v of the cows with which he is mated. Breeders have evidence cf the keenness of dairymen to purchase bulls from C.O.fi cows. Some breeders who have extensively patronized the CO R. testing have disposed of all their bull calves before the summer was over. This is quite a contrast to earlier cffnditionsy when sales were frequently difficult to make. Buch a healthy state of affairs is tangible proof that more dairymen are appreciating the importance of a good bull, and are recognizing that his dam's record and the records of his sisters or daughters are the best indices to his ability to transmit the necessary factors of improved butterfat production. Manybsrds in our dairying districts average more than 2001b of butterfat per cow, a lesser number average over .'soolb, and in a few cases the average cow of the herd produces 4001b butterfat or more. Those herds averaging 3001b fat and more cannot be maintained on a constructive basis unless by wise selection of sires. If sires of exceptional merit are necessary in these good herds the owner of a herd of average cows producing 1601b butterfat may expect to see a greater percentage of improvement by the use of such a sire, provided the daughters have conditions which will permit of their doing themselves justice as producers. The work wfych the Dairy Division has been doing along the line of assisting the owners of dairy herds through C.O.E. testing and cow-test-ing association effort is surely more than justified by the betterment which is evidenced. The margin between the production of our average cow and that of the better herds is evidence of the great work yet to be accomplished. Economics as applied to New Zealand demand that further improvement to be made. It was reported recently that since the beginning of the war the world's live-stock statistics showed a decrease of over thirty-three million head in cattle, sheep, and pigs. This decrease is doubtless becoming greater, and indicates an increasing s lortnets of all food materials supplied by livestock. It would therefore Ob a patriotic as well as a prolitable effort for our dairymen to do all that is possible in assisting to make good the deficit.