EFFICIENT COWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 March 1921, Page 5

EFFICIENT COWS.

IMPROVED DAIRY HERDS. Mr. W. M. Singleton, Assistant-Direc-tor of the Dairy Division, reporting on the testing of purebred dairy cows for 1920, gives evidence of the great improvement in the herds of the Dominion. In the Journal of Agriculture he shows that there were 983,454 dairy cows in New Zealand. The herds have grown, but there is still ample room for iniprovement in the number of purebreds. There is, however, a desire on the part of breeding and dairy farmers towards greater efficiency in many of the stud and ordinary herds of dairy cattle. “It must ultimately prove to be in the best interests of the Dominion,” adds Mr. Singletori. Exports of purebred stock have been made to Java, Australia, and Tasmania, and it is hoped they will be made to South Africa. Cows tested during 1920 were 259 Jerseys, 105 Friesians, 57 Milking Shorthorns, and five Ayrshires, a total of 432 for 1920, as compared with *283 for 1919 and 117 for 1913, showing the great attention being given to-day to efficiency on the part of the dairy cow. The leading mature cows for 365 days’ tests were as follow: Jersey: Sultan’s Daisy, with 13,502.7 pounds of milk and 968.22 pounds of butter to her credit. Friesian: Burkeyie Sylvia Posch, with 26,226 pounds of inilk and 983.20 pounds of butter-fat. Shorthorn: Willowbank Beauty, giving 15,725.8 pounds of milk and 655.22 pounds of butter-fat. Ayrshire: Milkmaid. of Springview, 12,826.2 pounds of milk and 600.2 pounds of butter-fat.