HIGH PRODUCTION

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 77, 22 June 1927, Page 9

HIGH PRODUCTION

BUTTER-FAT RECORD RESULTS AT MANAWARU A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT (From Our Own Correspondent.) .TE AROHA, To-day. The Manawaru group in the New Zealand Co-operative Herd-Testing Association has beaten all records in dairy production. For a period of 258 days the average butterfat production by the 29 herds, numbering 1,581 cows, was 317.831 b., equal to 14.1 - of buter-fat per cow per day. Higher averages have been put up, an average of 4401 b. having been reached by one association, but in this case the herds were small, numbering from 10 to 20 cows, while the Manawaru herds averaged over 50 cows. CELEBRATING SUCCESS Manawaru’s great achievement was celebrated on Monday afternoon, when about 400 people gathered in the local public hall to do honour to the men who practised while others preached the gospel of greater production. The gathering was jjresided over by Mr. F. Hughes, who said that about 15 years ago the Thames Valley HerdTesting Association had tried to start herd-tesing at Manawaru, but only one out of 33 farmers could seothe advantages. Now there was not one farmer in the district who did not realise the value of testing. The progress that had been made was due to the ability and enthusiasm of Mr. Hume, the manager for the New Zealand Co-opera-tive Hera-Testing Association. Mr. R. Coulter, Mayor of Te Aroha, after offering his congratulations, said that what he and others had been trying to do for many years—put Te Aroha on the map—Manawaru had accomplished in one stroke. Mr. Dynes Fulton, chairman of the Herd-Testing Association, said that twelve months ago the farmers of Manawaru set out to accomplish what appeared to be the impossible and had got beyond their objective. The dairy farmers had accomplished a great deal, arid no section of the community had done more for the country. Dairying was now our greatest industry. He believed there was every possibility of Government assistance for the association this year. He was not in the habit of throwing bouquets, but he could not help saying that the success of the New Zealand Herd-Testing Association was due to the energy of the general manager, Mr. Hume. In congratulating the farmers, Mr. Fulton said he hoped what they had done would be the means of stirring up other districts. MANY CONGATULATIONS Mr. C. M. Hume, after reading apologies and congratulations from his Excellency the Governor-General, the Hon. O. J. Hawken, the Hon. J. A. Young, Messrs. C. E. Macmillan and O. M. Sameul, M.P.’s and the Southland Herd-Testing Association, placed some striking figures before the gathering. Mr. Hume said that in 1923-24 the Manawaru group produced an average of 2421 b. of fat in 247 days; in 1924-25, 2571 b. fat in 245 days; in 192526, 2831 b. fat in 260 days; and in 192627, 3171 b. fat in 258 days. The figures showed an increase of over 751 b. of fat per cow during the past three years. The progress had been checked against factory returns, and had been proved absolutely correct. Of the 1,581 cows tested 673 produced less than 3001 b. of fat, showing that the group was capable of considerable increase. The highest herd in the group in herds comprising-not more than 50 cows was that of Mr. Weston Hughes, whose 21 cows averaged 402.541 b. of fat in 277 days. The highest herd in the group in herds comprising more than 50 cows was the herd of Mr. R. Koch, whose 101 cows averaged 367.931 b. of fat in 262 days. The highest cow in the group was owned by Mr. A. Elliott, and she produced 593.761 b. of fat in 353 days. The highest heifer in the group was owned by Mr. J. E. Parker, her production being 446.14ib. of fat in 284 days. The averages mentioned were all for normal cows. All cows in the herd had, however, been tested, sick cows being tested in Class B. Including Class B cows the Manawaru group average was over 3071 b. per cow. The association average had shown a marked improvement, being 255.491 b. of fat in 250 days, a return of over 11b. of fat per cow per day. This was a very fine performance and indicated that in South Auckland they were within measurable distance of their objective, namely, a Dominion average of 3001 b. per cow. The association’s average had steadily increased from 2071 b. to 2271 b, and 2321 b., till in the fourth year it was 2551 b., an increase of 481 b per cow over three years. This increase was encouraging when it was remembered that the Dominion average to-day is well under 2001 b. of fat per cow. Other speakers were Mr. H. H. Sterling, general manager for the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Mr. Geo. Finn, Auckland, and Professor Riddett.