FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 234, 12 March 1915, Page 3

FARM AND DAIRY.

SF.MI-OFFICIAL TESTING. ROM!: RESULTS FROM YEAR 19M. Mr. W. M. Singleton, in the fours' of an article on seiui-ollicial tilting published in the .Journal of Agriculture says: — in the January /issue of the Journal there were published the records of the latest certificates granted to pureluv'd dairy cows for the testing-year of lUI4. The' year's work forms a pleasing

retrospect, and the support given this

movement b'.- the breeders of purebred dairy stock has been most encouraging to all who have been connected therewith. From the viewpoint of the Department the work of the breeders 'hits,

as a whole, been very satisfactory. it his been found neccssarv to take little .\eeption to aav of the weights of milk forwarded.' the great, majority of breeders having forwarded entirely satisfactory records.

From the breeders' viewpoint ; t would seem that the testing is being conducted in a satisfactory manner. The letters received from them have I been most encouraging. The secre- | taries of the various breeders' assivcia-: tions concerned have always been Willing to afford us any assistance' I they could, and their helpful suggestions and enthusiastic co-operation have been uracil appreciated. During the past year we have issued certificates of 'the performance of ISS ccivs. as compared with tJio issue of 115 certificates for the previous yenr. Those certificates granted in 1014 went, to 104 Jerseys, <!7 Tfolstcins, and 17 Ayrshire*. The corresponding figures for 1(113 were (17 Jersevs and 4s'.lfilsteins. It will be noticed that the Ayrshires have been receiving certificates for onlv IAI4.

Besides issuing certificates to 188 cows during tlie past year, there have been granted 14 to Jerseys and U to irolsteins which received certificates during 1013 and which were i:i 101-t.

During our first year (i2 breeders had cows on test, while in 1014 the nuiiihcr had increased to !10. Breeders haverecognised that advertising the records of their purebred cows is tin* most effective method of pursuing that phase of the breeder's business. This recognition is the explanation of the. 30 per <vii(. increase in our membership this year. PROnUCTTfW OF VATUOUS CLASSES. The Jerseys have received the largrit number of certificates during both years of test. Below is shown a comparison of the average yield in the different classes for the two consecutive years. It will be noticed that amongst (he Jersey; and Holsteins all classes evidenced an increased production in 1014 over that of the preceding year. The lesnlls of the Jersey classes are as follow: 1013 CHss Milk. Fat: Two-vear rm 325.14 Three-vear 0004 370.01 Four-v'ear 717S 301.65 Mature 7516 413.42 1014. Two-vear ™M 335.415 Three-vear 7610 412.00 Four-v'ear 7004 305.il Mature 8737 471.15 Tt is encouraginfr that during 10H botli Jersevs and Holsteins are represented in all classes in greater numbers than was the case if, 1013. This fact makes the increase in production for the respective classes all the more creditable. The lTolstein figures are as follow: 1013 Class Milk. Vat. Two-vear 0.403 33(i.(i7 Three-vear 11,732 415,70 rour-v'car 10,500 370.54 Mature 12,350 431.00 1014. Two-vear 11,213 400.00 Threi-vear 13.244 457.55 Four-v'ear 13,077 441.25/ Mature 13,404 452.1/

This is the first yearly summary in which the Ayrshire* arc included. If comparisons must bo made the ligui'cs indicated for this breed should be compared with tlio first year's productions of the other breeds—that, is to say, the 1(113 furores. Such a comparison should encourage greater s\ipport to this yearly testing at, the hands of the Ayrshire breeders. The number of cows entered would tend to surest that the Ayrshire breeders have been rather "timid" in this connection. The Ayrshire figures are as follow: 1!)14. Class Milk. Pat. Twn-vear 7,822 312.70 Throe-year S.. r >ri.<> 3-11.44 Four-year SUifiS .ISO.GO Mature 10,710 4-13.87 THODIXTTOX OF THE VARIOUS CLASSES KESPECTIVELY, Tin's collection of Jerseys, Ilolsteins and Ayrshires. numbering some 213 cow? and heifers, including the 25 which wore in test for the second consecutive season, gave an average production of 41!>>i!I> butler-fat in 332 days. LEX'iTU OF MJLKTXO. PERIOD. Without exee|)tion, the average number of days iu milk of the several chases does Hot exceed eleven months. While some of our highest individual records are the result of a full year's | milking period, the average, yields represent a. milking period very little longer than that usually attempted in modern dairy practice. LFXOTIT OF DATKYMAX'S SEASOX LITTLE AFFECTED. The rules governing the yearly testing of our purebred dairv cattle permit ii 'period of 45.-) days from the date of commencement of test until suhsesueiit .cahing. While this period may appear long, actual nrai-d'ce shows tliat'bivodcrs will iioi risk hiking advantage of the final limii. excepting in eases where pi"'vious sen ires to cows have been disappointing. II was for just such disappointments that the provision wis made. Tli- - „r il,e 213 which received cerlitirales was empty after eommeiieing the test for ny (hiys. If wo add to this the 2N2-dav gestathm period allowed by the j-iiics. "tlie- herd, averagis •'!S!i dnvs from calving to calving (or jiH fifteen davs oyer twelve lnonti'si. wliiih is probably as near up-to-date I dairy practice as should 1 .vpeeted. ' The average cow's testing period and subsequent, cah'ing do not upset, (Jr.ordinal-)- dairyman's dairying season. l'EIIIOI) id-' 'I!EST STILL ASSTJKKII. The number of davs which the average cow ~f the \arieiis classes was dry wee.; al-o found (~ coul'orin with g I average work, ihese periods van-hm .■M-ni :;:i io ;,' days, or from about live and a-hatf (o alniosl, eight wc,-l:s. Tie--.- Pom-, should be reassuring to tho-e who eeesid,-red that srini-oiih-ial t' ling was demand iiH'\ too inueli from the ni'.l's constitution.