HERD-TESTING MOVEMENT

Shannon News, 3 August 1928, Page 4

HERD-TESTING MOVEMENT

AFFAIRS OF ASSOCIATION.

THE CALF-MARKING SYSTEM

The annual meeting of the council of the New Zealand .Co-operative Herdtesting Association was held last week. In the absence of the president, Mr. Dynes Fulton", through illness, Mr. J.-T. Bryanr presided over a good attendance of delegates. ,y -

The annual report showed that during last season the association had tested 72,73-1 cows, the average yield being J1'8.37 lb. of butter fat per cow. During the pievious year 00,507 cows were tested, the average production being 2,*)5.4P.ib. of butter-fat per cow. The general manager, Mr. C. M. Hume, (-aid that the dry spell experienced early th'.s year affected the yield of the cows and that the average, last season was based on all cows in the herd in .milk 100 days or more, whereas in previous years the average was for normal cows only. Mr. Hume- reported that tlfe herd-testing Federation had adopted the principle of marking pedigree bull calves.

Among the remits from the groups adopted were the following:— That i.iio association declines to mark nuv cah'es from a herd unless the own-

er Is prepared to have all eligible calves marked.

That any preparation purporting ■{ to be a cure for any specific dairy animal disease should not be offered for sale until a certificate.has been obtained from the Department of Agriculture.

That any pedigree, cow unsound, or which has outlived her usefulness as a producer, and is being kept practically for breeding purposes can, at the request of the breeder, if .made at .the beginning of the seasou, be excluded from tho monthly and annual hci'd '.iverr.ge, such cow, however, must be submitted to test and will be on the same basis as other cows in the herd ',?i regard to payment.-. •

A sliding scale of charges for testing for the ensuing season was recommended by "the directors contingent--on tho jo'vernn..ent subs'dy being granted to ho association without restiictions. M.' the subsidy was not continued the directors recoaimeud the same charges ip we're maVle last scasou. ■ A remit from the Huntly group suggesting that the Department of Agriculture bo asked to make investigations into the question of cattle diseases in their relation to feeding and top-dressing practices was referred vo ino directors.