IMPROVING HERDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 282, 18 February 1928, Page 4

IMPROVING HERDS

USE OF GOOD SIRES SUGGESTION TO A. AND P. ASSN. At a meeting of the General Committee of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association held yesterday afternoon and presided over by Mr. W. W. Massey, a letter was received from Mr. E. Clifton, a life member of the association, recommending that the association should interest itself in the question of securing increased production in the dairy' herds of the Dominion.

Mr. Clifton submitted that the chief factor toward that object was the use of herd sires of high quality' in the general herds of the country. Apart from breeders of pedigree stock many dairy farmers possessed certain cows recognised by the owners as being most productive and efforts should be made to see that pedigree bulls with butterfat backing were available for service of such cows whose heifer calves would then be well worth rearing. It was from the progeny of the million untested cows that the increase of production must be made.

Mr. Clifton suggested that the A. and P. Association in conjunction with the New Zealand Co-operative Hairy Company, the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, and the Dairy Breeds Associations should combine to provide that dairy herd sires of high quality should be available for use on payment of a reasonable service fee. Many owners of dairy cattle not in a position themselves to maintain such sires would be willing to take advantage of an opportunity to use good sires.

It was resolved to send copies of Mr. Clifton’s letter to the various Hairy Breed Associations and Mr. J. P. Kalaugher, secretary of the New Zealand Hairy Breeds Federation, said that he would place the proposals before the federation at its meeting in June in Palmerston North.

It was decided to recommend the joint committee to include a live stock section at the Winter Show Exhibition, subject to the consent of the Harbour Board, in whose premises the exhibition was to be held.