Improving Our Herds

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 140, 3 September 1927, Page 26

Improving Our Herds

j JJERD -T EST IX G has been featured during the last decade as one of j the greatest aids to increased produc- ; tion. Indeed, convincing and immediate results have followed in its wake wherever practically applied. Yet, while herd-testing is undoubtedly valuable, it must be remembered that where a bull of a recognised high producing strain is introduced into a herd, all his progeny should carry at least half his good qualities. Thus, with good bulls and judicious culling, within a few years, even without herd-test-ing, it should be possible to build up a highly productive herd. In fact, herd-testing without the introduction of other and better strains through the sire, would have little effect. Herd improvement under such conditions would certainly be a long and tedious problem.

To-day the biggest problem the farmer has to face in the purchase of bulls, as in most other lines of activity, is finance. Finding a decent animal outside the bounds of his pocket, on too many occasions instead of running into further debt, he is liable to lower his ideal, and acquire something “that will do for the time being.” Such a policy often means the difference between a bare existence and financial freedom. Yet in all parts of the country it will be found that the majority of the farmers are using only second-rate sires, many not even true to type, apart from possessing no claims to relationship with high producing strains. Any scheme aiding the farmer to do away with his scrub bulls, and replacing them with pedigree sires, would eventually be reflected in production and, with a general improvement in the stock, the whole country would benefit. This is the belief of the Governments of Iceland and youth Australia, and the farmer in those countries is financed into the purchase i-tf t*<3«

A National Problem Work in Other Lands F LATITUDES are heard on every hand regarding the need for the elimination of the scrub bull. It is regarded as a problem of vital importance to the man on the land; yet, unitedly in New Zealand, little has been done. In Ireland and in South Australia it is regarded as a problem for the Government, and the sooner this Dominion adopts a similar attitude, the sooner will production receive an additional boost.

i Briefly and chiefly the schemes in • vogue in those countries provide for I the registration of every bull. A j central fund, subsidised by the Govj ernment, is established, and into this lis paid the annual registration fee. : From this fund farmers desiring to i acquire registered bulls of recognised strains are enabled to obtain loans of up to 66 per cent. The schemes may vary somewhat to the outline given above, but those are the general principles. With conditions such as they are in New Zealand at the present time it would appear, that for the Government to foster a similar proposal, would be a step in the right direction. Once launched the scheme would be self-supporting Repayments and registration fees would keep tlie fund alive, and the herds would benefit well beyond a degree possible under, the present economic conditions.