COW TESTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1915, Page 8

COW TESTING.

AUDI!ESS BY MR. FULTON. Another very interesting address on the impprtancc of farmers improving their herds from the viewpoint of milk and ibuttcr production was given to suppliers of the Tikorangi Dairy Company at the annual meeting yesterday 'by Mr. Fulton, of Hie dairy division of the Agricultural Department. The Cow Testing Association at Tikorangi had not progressed as it should, and he would like to see new life infused into it. ITe said that it was difficult, as a general rule, to obtain the average yield of the cows in any particular district, because, although this could 'be easily ascertained by dividing the number of cows supplying the factory into the amount of butter fat produced, fanners, for some reason or other, did not like to supply the information. Tn Tikorangi the figures were available, and, approximately, the average cow produced 2-2011) of butter fat for the year. If correct, this must be considered a good average, the avergenerally being considered ISOlb. Even with the high average there must be a lot of «ows not paying very -well. The majority of farmers liked to know if t'hey had the best type or* cow from the viewpoint of milk and butter fat, and there was 110 better way of ascer-

taining this than bv testing and weighing. The objection made to this was the time and labor it took, but he pointed out, on the other hand, the loss of time and labor and outlay in milking unprofitable cows. Again, farmers stated that .even if thev ascertained which were there unprofitable cows they could not rely on replacing them with better ones. Fanmers, however, should aim to breed their own heifers from their own proved cows, using bulls of authentic parentage. He strongly impressed on them, from the viewpoint of impotency, the need of having a pedigree bull it tile head of the herd. Farmers in varieug localities were working with the idea of improving the production of their herds, and he instanced the Toko Farmers' Company, which was giving prizes for the three best herds supplying the factory. The results were very creditalble, the winning herd comprising 35 caws, owned by Mr. C. Bayly, averaging 267.521b of fat, and the runner up, 29 cows, owned by Mr. Gernltoefer, produc-

ing 2631b. Kaupokonui Dairy Company and also the Now Zealand Dairy Company, in the Auckland Province, made cow testing a cliarge on tlie company. They paid all the expenses, and therefore suppliers who did not have their herds tested liad to pay a proportion of tlie cost for those # that did. This, ho considered, was a good idea. Stratford and Midhirst also had their independent tester, at an individual cliarge per cow. He suggested that Tikorangi and Waitara Head sliould combine and form a solid testing association. The daiiy division had spent some thousands of (pounds in the past few years since it started demonstrating. Regarding the length of time necessary to continue testing, he stated that Mr. Burgess kept it up year after year. Many farmers considered two years sufficient. If a man tested his cows for two years, he obtained a good knowledge of his individual cows. As long as he kept the same cows, there was, perhaps, little need to continue testing. If the Tikorangi Association was resuscitated on good lines, the Department would lie prepared to devote a certain amount of time and labor In getting it going. A good man could be secured if sufficient cows were guaranteed. Referring to I tlie difficulty of taking samples, he said •that- this could he overcome possibly

by letting a farmer's son or daughter in any particular district lake the samples for half a dozen farms. Any time devoted to testing would pay handsomely. The question of feeding was important, tout it was useless to feed cows that were giving no returns. In reply to questions, 3fr. Fulton said that the Department would be prepared to give the association a start for two or three months free, provided two thou- [ sand cows were available, and that the [ association would continue afterwards , with an officer of its own. Cows should not vary from season to season if conditions were normal. I The chairman, in asking for some proposition, said that it would be a great' pity to let the association die. It must . be placed in a 'better position if it Was , to carry on at all, and they should do so at once. They only milked the cows for the butter fat produced, and this could only be ascertained by means of the test, as there was nothing outside to indicate what fat could be produced. There was no doubt but that they had good cows, but probably all were'milking some wasters. Some questions were also asked relative to differences in tests. One supplier stated that he had sent two samples of one cow's milk to be tested, and they had tested 3.8 and 4.3 respectively. Mr. Fulton stated that if the samples had been received into the tester's hands as taken the only explanation could be that the tester had made a. mistake. The Bibcock test was as good as analysis.

One shareholder expressed the opinion that those who had testea had been verv well satisfied. It was stated Unit (he matter would be discussed at a meeting of the Cnw Testing Association next day, and on (he motion of Messrs. Faiill ami Allen a hearty vote of tihanks was accorded to (Mr. Fulton, the mover stating that if he could infuse life into I lie association lie would do what no one else in Tikorangi could do.