MORE HERDS TO BE TESTED

Southland Times, Issue 24244, 30 September 1940, Page 9

MORE HERDS TO BE TESTED

SIX GROUPS IN SOUTHLAND SECTION

With the probability of the total being increased, 157 Southland herds, compared with 148 last year, will be tested by the South Island Herd Improvement Association this season. A rearrangement of herd-testing groups in the province was made at the meeting of representatives of the Southland section of the association which was held on Saturday. There will be six groups this season as against five last season. The groups, with the testing officers appointed, are as follows:—Otautau, Mr W. Macgregor; Waimatuku No. I, Mr S. Kidd; Waimatuku No. 2, Mr W. A. McDonald; Edendale No. 1, Mr J. Rewcastle; Edendale No. 2, ; Oteramika, ; Officers for the last two districts have yet to be appointed. The chairman at the meeting (Mr G. R. Herron) welcomed the manager of the association (Mr J. C. Carbines), who said that every endeavour was to be made to reduce the mileage travelled, the cost of which for the South Island was 1/1 a cow. This included all running expenses in what was a scattered district. Compared with the North Island, the South Island cow population was scattered and the problem of keeping down running costs was a big one.

One third of the cows under test in the South Island were in Southland and Otago, said Mr Carbines. In Nelson this year there was a 50 per cent, increase in the herds under test and in Marlborough a 100 per cent, increase.