FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1915, Page 8

FARM AND DAIRY.

OFFICIAL BUTTER TESTS. The Department of Agriculture, through the Dairy Division, is in a quiet way doing a great service to the country through the semi-official testing of purebred cows. The object aimed a-t is that farmers will be able to buy bulls (for use in their herds) dropped by cows which have demonstrated under test conducted by officers of the Department their ability to produce but-ter-fat in the season beyond a given standard. The results of the three years' work go to show that New Zealand is possessed of some remarkably | good Jerseys. A casual observer of the j Jersey records is struck with the overwhelming preponderance of descendants of the bull "K.C.8.," particularly among the higher records. By determining suth facts as these the Department is doing a most important and profitable work for the dairying industry—a work which must appeal particularly to such a dairying province as Taranaki. It is generally computed that the average yearly production of butter : fat per cow in the Dominion does not exeeed IGOlbs. Keeping that figure in mind, the reader will be able to better appreciate the butterfat yields revealed under the work of the semi-official testing. The Journal of Agriculture for September in an article by Mr.' W. M. Singleton makes special reference to three tests, all by descendants of "K.C.8." "Lady Peggy" is a heifer bred and owned by Mr. E. Griffiths, of New Plymouth. She started her test when 1 year 308 days old, and in 365 days produced 82651bs milk aind 5341bs butter-fat, thu3 establishing a Dominion record for a heifer calving under two years of age. Mr. Singleton writes: "Peggy is a daughter of K.C.8., and it is interesting to note that the latter was some 10% years of age when he sired this heifer. Unlike many instances of the sort, it is fortunate for New Zealand's dairy interests that this bull had not found his way to the block before his power of transmitting butter-fat production was well known." The next cow referred to is Mr. E. S. Lancaster's "Hillcrest Hope." She calved when 2 years 214 days old, and in 305 days produced the grtind yield of 10,7331bs milk and 6161bs fat. This also is a record for a heifer of her age. "Hillcrest Hope" is a granddaughter of "K.C.8." "Belvedere Sultana," 3 years old, a great-grand-daugh-ter of "K.C.8.," made 5301bs fat. But perhaps as fine a record as any was made by "Belvedere Sunbeam," a 4-year-old grand-daughter of "K.C.8.," who in 231 days made 5531bs fat, and but for an accident this cow would doubtless have made more than SOOlbs fat. Another record of considerable interest is Mr. Eagle's beautiful show cow ; "Belvedere Sungleam." She is a young daughter of "K.C.8.," and not yet in her prime, but has just finished her test, making 6261bs fat. Other daughters and grand-daughters of "K.C.8." are "Worksop Belle," S24lbs; "Duchess of Lavington," GOOlbs; "Cowslip VIII.," 5871b5; "Twylish's Solid Gold," oGOlbJ; "Pepper," 5461b5; "Whinflower," 5141b5; "Queen of the Meadows," 51 libs, etc. Were it not for semi-official testing, much of this evidence of high production would never have been known to the public, and it certainly would not bear the hall-mark of reliability which it now does. Reverting to the statement that the average dairy herd averages IGOlbs of fat per cow each season, will the reader compare IGOlbs with the foregoing yields? A farmer can hardly hope to raise his herd average to 5001bs fat, but we believe some averages are in the region of 4Oolbs—SOOlbs is certainly attainable; ' but it can only be done by securing a bull from a family which has proved its ' power of producing large yields. The ! "K.C.8." family is a striking example ' of such possibilities, and farmers who ' benefit by this knowledge may well feel r gratieful to the Department of Agricul- ; ture for bringing to light this valuable : knowledge. *

HONEYFIELD JERSEY HERD.

That bogey the "general purpose eoiv" is now only mentioned by dreamers—this is an age of specialisation—the dairy farmer, to succeed, must select a breed and spend the rest of his life improving his herd. That is the only road to successful breeding. The man who uses a Jersey bull this year, a Holstein next, and a Shorthorn the year after ia going to breed mongrels on the high gear speed, it is the short cut to mongreldom. It. is just the way that the average waybaek cow has been bred. The dairy fanners of Taranaki have,vcry largely adopted the Jersey as the most profitable and economical producer. Hlie is much the most popular breed, but, unfortunately, many farmers think they have reached their goal when they purchase a Jersey bull to head their grade herd. This is quite wrong, they are only just beginning, they are on the first rung of the ladder, the man who buys his second Jersey bull to serve the daughters of his first Jersey sire may claim to have made some advance, provided lie has secured a bull from good butter-fat parentage. Ilis is on the second rung of the ladder, and he may go on climbing up, rung after rung, for there is always room for improvement, but let the man bewa re of a fall who introduces a new breed into the herd which lie lias graded up. To secure a good Jersey bull is not h o dillicult as it used to be, but farmers often practise false economy when liy paying double the money tliev could get a good one, of certain butter-fat ancestry., The good one is the cheapest in the end. Tile progressive mail will have an opportunity on Wednesday next, at the sale of the 'lloncjTield Jersey herd to secure a yearling or a bull calf from some very choice cows and sired by the best bulls of the Jersey breed. Such a chance may not occur again, and the farmer who makes up his mind after the sale is over will realise that he has missed the bus. Sons of such bulls as "K.C.8.." "Grannie's Knight" ("K.C.B."— "Grannie's Girl"), and "Petune's Xoble" are not always available.