FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 August 1919, Page 3

FARM AND DAIRY.

TOE DRIED MILK QUESTION; A rumor lias been eurent recently that Messrs Nathan and (50. have made an offer to Alton dairy farmers of 2s 9d per lb l>utter-fat for a period of ten years. In conversation with Mr. J. Gibbs, a Feilding Star reporter was informed that some of the settlers had conVeyed a supposed offjr from Messrs Nathan and Co. on practically the basis indicated above, to several Alton dairy farmers, but nothing definite had been <put before them. Speaking as a director of the Alton Dairy Factory Company, Mr. Gibbs said that the policy of the substantial guarantors was that they would wait until the return of Messrs Murdoch ,and Forsyth with their report on the possibilities of co-op. factories going into the dried milk or milk sugar business. Should that report be favorable the view of the Alton people was that a central factory should be placed somewhere near Hawera and a condensory placed somewhere near the present Alton factory. They were, of course, desirous of retaining their business! on the co-operative basis. BUILDING A HERO, PAPEB-ON "LINE-BREEDING." In a paper on "Line-Breeding," read before the Stratford branch of the Jersey Breeders' Association on Saturday, Mr. W. H. Booth, of Carterton, said that without doubt lino breeding had been used in the Improvement of all our domestic breeds, though there may not bo the same necessity as in the past, and from this system of ln-breedlng certain modification had arisen. Possibly Darwin's theory that Inbreeding had a tendency to produce infertility and lack of constitution made breeders chary of going too deeply in this direction. Although the theory was often doubted, line-breeding was more often advocated and used In a number of progressive herds as being safer In the long run. As a general rule any animal that had over 50 per cent, of a particular blood might be considered inbred In that strain. Hfty per cent, and under that should constitute a line-bred animal. Line-breeding was continually breeding from and along the line of a particular family.

In line-breeding ho would recommend anyone starting in a small way to purchase one good cow with as few faults as possible, and If more were desired they should be good ones of the same breeding. Having secured the foundation stock the question of a sire arose. If ■ the foundation stock was satisfactory he should go to the fountain head for the sire, using one of the same family that measured up closely to the standard of the breed. Then he should breed from that sire, and go back to the foundation herd for a second ono of somewhat similar blood, oven using one of his own breeding when satisfied that his own system was producing as good or better females than the original stock. But If the foundation stock did not produce a slro up to the best standard then necessity gavo an option of two things. He could look round the country and see If a superior sire could not bo obtained cf somewhat similar breed to his own Btock. This climatic outcross should suit any breeder who might be chary of too close breeding, and It should follow that the dissimilarity of climate and feeding would give a little extra constitution to the Blre if the conditions under which they were bred were not severe. Or If the best slro could only he got from an outside herd bred on different lines then of necessity, he should bo used, as his own experience did not warrant his advocating the use of any slro on his own stock. He would recommend that the breeder go back and procure another sire from the same best herd, and go on using similar sires until the thno came when the good points of the other herd were Incorporated In that of the line breeder. ' He might then consider the advisability of using occasionally a sire of his own breeding. It would be difficult in the above two eases to advise a breeder what pereentage of inferiority could lie allowed between a sire of the original foundation stock as against a perfect outsider, but some points should be allowed In favor of the farmer Of course, the breeder must understand that constllutlon was the (Irst aim In all breeding operations, and getlins sires and sometimes a cow of similar breeding lines from a distance had made him believe that this climatic outcross was one of the best ways of line-breeding

If the breeder was (loul)tful of too close linebreeding there were two other methods, find tbonirh the Mood would not be so accentuated Knlns might he made til type One way was to Introduce n sunerlor cow Into the herd and by crossing with his own bred sire produce a sire or daughter that could be used or bred from aim in, and 90 carry on tho original system. The first outside cross might brine the blood lines down 50 per cent., hut the second and future crosses would increase the pronortion of the old blood. In the same way the best cow or heifer might be sent out to breed and their progeny used to carry on. , There was one woakness' In iiue-hreedinc —it perpetuated faults as well as good qualities. Good methods of selection were therefore necessary to improve or cut out the Inferior qualities. Ono could be confident that the good points (and there should be many to start with) would he handed down, and though there might bo a throw hack to something inferior the chances were that the next generation from the inferior would return to the average of the herd He had noticed that a strong lino bred strain had overcome n weakness that was made apparent when an outside sire had been crossed with another strain of mixed blood lines.

The intelligence of the breeder plnycd an important part in all breeding. He must decide for himself how far he could go piling up tho good points nt the expense of a few weak ones. His own last year's yearlings, bred on the same lines as he hud mentioned, were placed first and third at Carterton, first and second at Mnsterton. and first, sixth, and first pair at Palmerston, so he was assured that tho type and constitution were satisfactory. By breeding from sires whose dams wore 45 to 601b. milkers he could not be far awny in the milk line, and holding easily the highest test in the Pnrkvale during the last two years under share, he knew he was Tight in the testing part. After an Interesting discussion, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Booth on the motion l of the president, Mr. P. Ramford.