FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 October 1919, Page 8

FARM AND DAIRY.

FORCING MILK RECORDS. What is official testing for? This question is asked and answered by Mr. W. A- Fuller, supervisor of official tests in Illinois, U.S.A. Some American breeders, Mr. Fuller remarks, think of it as a money-getting proposition alone. Why. he asks, do they pav 10,000 dollars, 20,000 dollars, or 50,000 dollars for a herd sire with a big seven-day record? It is simply because his son& and daughters can be sold for a handsome sum, and thereby bring in good returns for the money paid for the bull. Forcing a cow oil either the seven-day or yearly test is not doing the cow or the herd to which she belongs justice. Young cows are often burnt out before they have a chance to show their real ability. On American dairy farms, where purebred Friesians are kept and forced lor large seven-day records, cows are held for breeding purposes on account of a short period high production, which has ruined them for life, as far as the ability to produce milk and butter-fat is concerned. Are the most of the big 40 and 50 pound records made in the eastern States of America backed by good yearly records? If they are, the yearling must not be worthy of mentioning in advertising. Why do some oows, coming off yearly test, either die in about a year or fail to make another record? Simply because these cows have been forced every inch of the way throughout the year while making their records, and are burnt out, or their constitution is weakened so that they cannot withstand any little disease that they may contract. Such records as that made by Tily Alcarta, are, it seems to Mr. Fuller (says the Brisbane Week) the records to be encouraged by any breed association. But since the putting off of breeding a cow the first few times she comes in heat, in order to finish a year with good high production of both milk and butter-fat, is, in many cases, the cause of barrenness, why not, he asks, consider the ld.month, or 305-day record a little more seriously? It allows a calf each year, and, in the beilel of Mr. Fuller, will lessen the number of barren cows in the country. He submits the pertinent question:—lf breeding is a fad, why not make it a more useful one? If breeding and testing are in one. a money-making game, why not play the game square with me cow and discontinue the undue forcing for high records that has killed and put on the invalid list many good cows? Breed for the future of the breed and dairying, and thereby help the fellow who' will come in after yon fall out. He possibly will be forced to depend more upon* the production of the cow for his profits rather than big prices for the offspring of cows that are"idle from one half to three-fourths of the time.