FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 7, 27 May 1914, Page 7

FARM AND DAIRY.

DAIitY OUvvS. niPdvi>w.\u 'ma uuivm yield. 'JUib annual report of -tJi-e South Island Dairy A.-isoeiauou contains tlie following refuivuce tc Uie need lor improving dairy herds: 'iliu> question oi' improvement of our dairy lurus by culling after proper test-ing—Wia-u is, weighing anu testing on proper tines regularly and systematically—should be considered. Of all the plans and schemes before us there is probably none that Uhere are bigger cash results in than the improved milking capacity of our cows. In this South island oivr cows supplying factories do not average over lTOib. butter-fat per cow per annum. There are factories I where tllio cows are not averaging over | 1501b. By careful breeding from the I be.-.t bulls, c'oime from well authenticated milking strains, it is quite possible in a fmv years to bring the New I Zealand cow up another 1001b. >of butterfat per cow, whidh would not even then 'bo a very high average. As there are about 200,000 cows milking in New Zealand, this would mean an addition of £1,000,000 per annum, to our revenue, calculating butter-fat at tone shilling per lb'. We ihave now a means of getting stock for breeding! from an assured anilking strain, the Holstein, Ayrshire and Jersey Breeders' Association, having now for some time been testing under the Government Siemi-official test Among these breeders are many who have eowa whose test* for the full period of lactation prove that manv are giving from 50 to fiOOlb. of butter-fat, and in several cases over 6001b., so that to aim at'27olb. as a desirable goal is not expecting too miucli. In the North Island tow-testing associations have proved of g)rcat benefit, and hare fairly opened the eyes of dairymen there toi the value of breeding from the very best stock, even at considerable, cost, so much so that, .sad to say, our South Island breeders find their best customers inj tihel Norlih Island. They, in tbe North Island, 'have proved that to pay a good price for a good "•m is by no means an extravagance, but a sound .paying proposition. Soms action should be taken to bring out more good cattle frkym Home, by cither joint effort or individually. ' In flic dairy industry the importation and use of the best class of ■bulls has lon.» been almost neglected. AVe want to copy our Clydesdale breeders, who, year by 'year, for a long time, Ihave spared n'o money to bring out the best stock possible, ' with the result that our Clydesdales are a credit to the emutry. The value uf good bulls to the dairy industry is greater to the vast linijbrity of farmers than even these good 'horses. If our dairy cows were improved we could meet the rising price, of land without fearing the result, and we can improve if we are willing, and I it is surprising that South Island dairyI ancn generally are not more active in I this matter.