FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8143, 28 June 1906, Page 3

FARM AND DAIRY.

IMPROVING DAIRY HERDS. At the Dairy Conference hold at Palmerston North Show last week a rast amount of talk was indulged in re the inferior quality of dairy herds in the colony. It was pointed out that lairy herds are not nearly up to the •|uality they should be, and lots of ad'.'ice was given regarding testing, lulling, etc. Whilst not wishing to liscount the views expressed, we think t time that Dairy Conferences and Farmers' Unions looked further into the eauses of herds not being of highersrade quality than they at present ieem to be. Dairymen have learnt by practical experience, and also from | : ectures by stock inspectors and "Leaf'ets to Farmers," that their herds are ■lot up to the standard of excellence :hat the importance of the industry to he country warrants. The question, >f course, will naturally be suggested : 'Why don't farmers improve their •lerdj and bring them to abetter state of perfection, so as to keep pace with the dairying industry p" The query is one which is most difficult to answer

fully. However, light may be thrown on the question. It is not necessary to go out of Taranaki, the centre of the industry, to find one or two main reasons for the inferiority of the herds. When the industry first commenced to flourish in this province, land values were not much more than half as high as they at present are. Farms now value! at from £25 to £3O per acre, in those days changed hands at from £l2 to £ls, and the owners were quite satisfied that they had done exceptionilly well to sell at those figures. The industry steadily and solidly grow, and land values were inflated in quite an ibsurd manner. Land-owners very soon dropped tho drudgery entailed m milking cows, because they could make more money out of their land by letting it to others. The big farms were rapidly cut up into milking ireas, and m many cases people who had practically no knowledge of farming entered into possession, and by the aid they could get from their young families in tho cow-yard were able to make both ends meet, and in the course of two or three seasons sell out their share.

The industry still grew, and land values rose higher and higher. For good milking country rents were, and arc, being obtained by the land-owners which far exceed in amount the return the}' could make by farming the land themselves. Each season brought new occupiers, who were desperately anxious to go into the dairying industry, no matter what the cost. Men with very limited means pledged themselves to pay absurdly large prices for sections, under the belief that they would one day be able to acquire the freehold.

The result is that every available shilling has to bo made off the land, und the youngsters oftentimes " sweateu " so that the landlord may receive his dues on cheque-day and the farm be still kept going. With land at present prices—it would be a misnomer to say values—the cost of keeping a cow is, of course, double that of former years, and herein lies the true solution of tlie problem. The land in many cases has not carried anything but dairy cattle for eight or ten years, and has not been cultivated. Consequently the carrying capacity is not so great, the pastures being old and rough. Even with these conditions obtaining, it might be expected that the dairyman would improve his herd, as great benefit would, he knows full well, follow, and make his cheques larger for the same amount of trouble. But improvements to the herd cost money, imd the extra money required is not available, and the holder of the land is mighty pleased to be able to sell out to some o.lier unfortunate for the following season, the latter 111 turn paying a still higher price to gain possession of the place and the dairy herd. The new-comer often sees that he has taken up a harder task than he bargained for, and after a couple of years' weary toil, in wliich he and his family get as good a return as possible from (he cows and the land, he has had more than enouoh of the industry under such conditions, and "gets out" at any cost—oftentimes a poorer man than when he went in.

None of these occupiers have done much to improve the herd. They, like their landlords, have acted en the principle of making every available dollar. It is plain, therefore, that improvement cannot be expected to any extent m tlie herd by this class of "farmer." It takes years to improve a herd, as young stock have to be bred and reared from carefully stocks, a condition that can I never obtain with this class of peripatetic farmer.

If impror-input in the quality of liercts is to be brought about—ami of % surely such improvement will have to be made if the industry is to prosper—the matter will have to be taken up by the more wealthy, practical knul of farmer, the mail who in reality owns the land and herds. He can alford to do so if anyone can. He ilr.iws rents ivliich represent n better return than, he could himself make off the land even.with his life-long practical farming experience. \et in his grab-all

and give none " principle he docs not see why he should go m for breeding cattle thai would be a credit to the province and to his farm, and bring him in more dollars. He knows quite well that even if the present occupier goes out bome one else will soon be found to take up the place and go on for a year or two. it is true there are a numl»er of Taranaki farmers who go in for herd improvement and obtain good results, but the bulk of them would not dream of doing anything for iliosc who occupy their holdings. If ibose of our farmers who are doing well out of their properties could be brought to see the advisability of finding good sires for the herds, and breeding from the best milching cows animals that would, if properly grown ami fed, give far better returns at the pail, the best possible start for improving the herds of the proyinee would lie the result. The same statements will apply in some degree to all ther dairying districts throughout the c olony.