FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1919, Page 2

FARM AND DAIRY.

COW-TEBTING. ITS GREAT VALUE DEMONSTRATED. Sir. N Fulton, of the Dairying Department, ir.ade a few interesting remarks at the annual meeting of the suppliers to the Ngaere Dairy Company. Mr Fulton commenced by saying that he wished to know what the shareholders were prepared to do this season In the way of cow testing. A good deal would be done at Mangatokl, Lowgarth and Kaponga. He had the figures showing the results of last seasons testing, and they wore very interesting. The system under which they worked was the best system for finding out the re' spective earning capacity of each cow to a herd. There were men present who had high producing herds, but if any did not have toe records of individual cows they wc-e no better off than any other farmer. A man with a good herd might have the culling standard very high, say 3001bs of butter-fat, or it might be only 2001bs. Glancing over the list he found that the highest average production ™ ™ lbs with a herd of 21, and an .Vonge of 268 days. Other herds averaged very much' below that, yet the figures were good com. pared with 161 lba, which was Mr Cuddled average for New Zealand. The lowest ner cow was 213 lbs, excluding a member who only tested four periods. The average for the 12 best cows milked on 255 days was S4l lbs, and the lowest 12 cows milked for 193 days was 1A lbs. The five best were milked on an average of 276 days and yielded an average of 285 lbs, and the five poorest, milked on 121 cays, yielded an average of 98 lbs Probably the lowest did not continue for a full year. Ho hoped they found their way to the freezing works before the year was up At present much was -heard about increased production, and in the dairying industry which was one of the richest in the Domini ion, thero was mnoh room, for Improvement A new period had commencod, and things' would never again be as they were before, while he wished to congratulate the Ngaere suppliers on the excellent year they had had he would not be surprised to find that they were called upon to make room for more vats Big farms were going to go by the board, and there was going to be a lot of sub-division A large number of people were wanting land and without touching on the political aspefcl of the question, it was his opinion that any lean wanting a little land for productive purposes would get It, and that he had the right to got it. Closer settlement with intensive farming would mean a better class of cow The old order of things. was going to b* changed. The difficulties of testing with the present releaser milking machines would he believed, be overcome, and tho takW of samples made simpler. In regard to culling and the raialM of stock, hj» believed that every dairy farmer should have the industry so much at heart haii he would a ways Use a proved buU, even If he. did not Intend to keep the heifers To keep any scrub bull was not honest to the Industry or to the man who got the calf A farmer should aim at the best heifer' that could be raised. - There were too many scrub cattle on the market at the present timecettle that the vendors were ashamed to own Repjying to questions, Mr Fulton said the cost of testing was 2s per cow He Termed to discuss the wisdom or skimming some o. the cream off before making milk Into cheese. The chairman, In answer to a supplier said that one company provided a room for testing, and the power to drive tho te3ter. A number handed In their names as members of tho Cow-testing Association, and at the conclusion Mr Pillion Was thanked, on the :notlon of Mr Thomas, for his, address. PEDIGREE JERSEY CATTLE. In this Issue we insert an advertisement of a pedigree Jersey dispersal sale on the Carrlngton Road, New Plymouth, on account of Mr. H. L. Spence, who ha 3 sold his farm Mr. Spence's cattle are very favorably known amongst breeders in this district and the cows he has placed under semi-official test have shown excellent returns especially when it has to bo recognised Hint the. country they are running on Is not the best country In TaraJiakl. The sire of the herd Is "Beachlahd's Little Swan" bred by Messrs. A. Moroland and Son. Papatoetoe, and his sire is the Imported bull "Golddn Swan." Beachland's Little Swan's dam returned under test 450 lbs fat and his full-sister Golden Swan's Girl, 583 55 lbs. fat. Full particulars are given in the catalogue which can be obtained at any of Mr. King's offices. As will be noticed by the advertisement, motors will run from all patts of. Taranakl on the morning of the sale, but it will be necessary for Intending buyers to book their seats early.