CALF MARKING.

Shannon News, 13 April 1928, Page 3

CALF MARKING.

THE PROOF OF ITS VALUE.

HIGH PRICES WHEN HEREDITY

KNOWN.

(By “Tester.”) That the system of marking and registering grade heifer calves out of dams of a required standard is proving of vast importance to the dairying industry lias again been proved by the demand for this class of calf and the iprices realised. MARKING STANDARDS.

The requirements of a marked calf rare that it should be out of a dam of jany breed or breeds whatever, providing that her production under group iherd test has been: First calver, 2501 b. fat; second calver, 2751 b fat; third, calver or over, 3001 b fat —all in 305 Thb sire shall be registered purebred. The scheme was evolved in the Waikato and is now under the direction of the Dominion Group Herd Testing Federation. A registered mark (T in a shield) has been gazetted, and the strictest conditions are adhered to, so that there can be no possible, chance of malpractice. The system is absosultely “watertight,” and while the future production of the calf cannot be guaranteed, that of its forbeaik can be so certified. Only the calves out of cows tested under the group herd test by an assocition that is ' a member of the federation can be marked. Every calf has a distinct individual mark that is distinguishable at all future times.. The mark takes the form of a tattoo in .the ear. A certificate is issued at the time of marking. MARKED CALF VALUES.

In the Waikato during the past few seasons several thousands of calves have been marked. It is to this district that we must at present look for results, and they are indeed not far to seek and most gratifying. In other districts the movement is gradually coming into prominence. • While most of the calves are sold privately or held for her purposes an annual market calf sale is held. The sale for this season was held during the beginning of March in various centres. A total of 245 calves were offered, and the largest at one centre, Frankton, was 126 calves. For these the average purchase price was £4 15s, showing that the buyers realised the .value of a marked calf . The average was, tyowever, brought much lower than it would otherwise have been by some lots being in poor physical condition and by others of breeds not in demand. The top price realised was £l7 17s for a calf out of a six-year-old Jersey cow with! a record of 41*7.79 lbs fat in 288 days. Showing just what can be realised, a line of 27 calves bred by Mr J. Nicholson, of Okoroire, brought the splendid average of £6 a head. The highest record of the dams was that of a five-year-old, 398.971 b in 209 days, and the lowest that of a two-year-old, 253.251 b in 207 days, both unfinished records. Even this price was exceed ed on several occasions by other largei lines sold privately. PRIVATE SALES.

Of these there have been many. A few will suffice to show the trend of prices. Mr A. B. Catehpole, of Ohaupo, sold three of this season’s calves for £7 7s a-pieee; Mr T. Tomlins, of Otorohanga, sold nine at £7 a-pieee. Then there ' has been the splendid sale of sixty marked calves to Mr J. A. Garnett, of Fiji, through the adviser to his estate, Mr S. 11. Barton, a popular aiid capable farmer and breeder of this country. The price paid for these calves ranged from £5 to £7 a head, and quite a number of these calves were considered to be very cheap buying. What would these calves have brought a few years ago? Probably not more than 30s at the outside. Many would probably never have been reared, and so much valuable stock would have been lost to the industry.

The goal of the federation is a Dominion average of 3001 b of’ fat or over; it is at present only in the vicinity of 2001 b. Without a doubt it is these marked calves that are going to be the greatest help towards that aim.

It has. been well and truly said that 1 ‘ One of the finest things about calf marking is that it is enabling the young fanner to start where his father left off. ”