IMPROVING THE HERDS

Shannon News, 7 August 1928, Page 4

IMPROVING THE HERDS

<► MORE COWS UNDER TEST. ACTmTIES OF ASSOCIATION. The New Zealand Co-operative Herdtesting Association, Hamilton, is to receive between £2,500 and £3,300 of the £B.OOO subsidy paid by the State to encourage herd-testing in New Zealand, according to the report to be submitted by the chairman, Mr Dynes Fulton, to the annual meeting of conveners on July 27. The directors had unanimously decided that the amount should be used towards liquidating. the association's plant account, which stood 1 -at £2,906.

Eight new groups were formed during the year. The New Zealand Co-opera-tive Dairy Company's subsidy, which in 1926-27 was £66i"arul in 1925-26 was £6lO, was withdrawn when the Government decided, to help financially the herd-testing movement. Appreciation of the help the association had received from the Dairy Company is expressed. Mr Fulton says it was hoped the Government would continue.its subsidy for another two years; It was pleasing to report a further expansion in the work of the association, and indications pointed to another increase in the coming season. The association average showed a reduction on the previous season for two reasons. The average for the season under review was based on all cows in tlia shed in milk 100 days or more, whereas, in. previous years the averages were for normal cows only. The dry spell during the. season also affected" the average. The association average during the last five years was as follows:

The herd-testing movement was i commenced in the Waikato by the j Farmers Union in 1922-23, when six i groups of 157 herds, comprising 76,697 cows, 5167 of which were in the'B class and were tested free of charge. MrFulton says it had been ascertained that the testing 30uld not be, done for less than ss. a- cow and in most cases herds of less than 45 cows cost more than 5s to test. . The directors had come" to the conclusion that a/Government subsidy, must be obtained or the charge for these cows must be increased.

Calf marking had become the biggest factor in .the association's herd improvement work and it was responsible' for many farmers continuing to test. Mr Fulton says he regards calf marking as the key to the future profitable expansion of the dairying industry. Over- 3200 calves had been' marked for members last season, against 1541 in 1926-27 and 641 the year before. Marked calf fairs had been hold and very satisfactory prices had been obtained at two of them. A shipment of 61 marked calves had been sent to Fiji, and all marked calves available during the last two months bad been sold at £5 a head.

If the Government subsidy is available next season, the directors recommend that the cost of testing should be 5s per cow for the first 40 cows, 4s. for the next 20 cows and 3s after 60 in the same herd. If the subsidy is not available the same charges as last season are recommended. The association's income for the year totalled £17,788 10s 3d.

Year. Cows. lbs Fat. Days. 1923-24 31,003 207.81 237 1924-25 55,745. 227.52 23,8 1925-20 56,010 232.02 244 1926-27 60,507 255.49 250 1927-2S 72,734. 228.37 241