GOVERNMENT AID IN HERD-TESTING

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 118, 9 August 1927, Page 2

GOVERNMENT AID IN HERD-TESTING

POLICY OUTLINED STATEMENT BY MINISTER (From Our Resident Reporter.) WELLINGTON, To-day. The direction in which the Government subsidy of £B,OOO toward the cost of herd-testing in New Zealand will be expended was outlined by the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. O. J. Hawken, to-day. In elaborating his previous announcement of Cabinet’s decision on the subject the Minister made it clear that the assistance given to any organisation would depend upon the service that body rendered to dairy farmers. “The department/' said the Minister, “has not only continued to support the testing - of herd cows, but also has undertaken the testing of purebred dairy cows for certificate-of-record, and more recently has given extended service to breeders for the testing of other purebred cows in their herds. The testing of purebred dairy cattle has a definite influence on the better breeding of dairy cows for the average dairy herd. It was with the object of encouraging more herd testing, which will assist the dairy farmer in the more Intelligent culling of unprofitable cows, and stimulate an incentive toward improved breeding, that the Government decided to grant a subsidy up to £B,OOO, so that the cost of this work to dairymen would be decreased,” continued the Minsiter. This money will, it is believed, be recouped to the country through increased production. “The assistance given to any organisation,” continued the Minister, “will depend on the services which that organisation renders to the dairy farmers who test, but will not exceed Is a cow for group-testing, or 6d a cow for association testing, in which the dairy farmer takes his own weights and samples. In the group method these are taken by an employee of the group, hence the costs are greater. “A small board. as already announced, is being set up to go into the claims of the various associations for assistance, and this board will ad vis. the Government as to how the grant should be allocated among those herdtesting organisations which apply for a share in it. “The board to be appointed will probably be constituted as follows: “One nominee of the Dairy Produce Board, one nominee of the National Dairy Association, one nominee of the South Island Dairy Association, onrepresentative of the Department of Agriculture, and a chairman appointed by the Government. This should ensure a board representative of the Dominion. “The foregoing,” concluded the Minister, “constitutes the major considerations connected with the matter. There are also a few minor aspects to be taken into account, and steps are being taken to advise the organisations concerned of the proposals at an earpdate.”