COW-TESTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 September 1922, Page 8

COW-TESTING.

LAST YEAR’S OPERATIONS. REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. The testing of dairy cattle is discussed by the Director of the Dairying Division in the annual report of the Department? of Agriculture. “During the year 1921-22,” states the Director, ‘309 breeders have been testing under the certificate-of-rec.ord system, which : represents an increase of twenty-nine in number, or 10 per cent.,. as com* pared with the previous year. The number of purebred cows tested by i these 309 breeders was 811, a decrease iof 129 cows, or 16 per cent. The lee 'of five guineas per cow charged from January 1, 1921, shows its influence on the new season’s entries, as it will be noticed that, although the membership was increased, the number of cows entered evidenced a slight decrease, pointing to the fact that the increase from three to five guineas per cow has increased the proportion of breeders testing only one or two cows. The increase in fee has thus not decreased the Department’s loss in connection with this service as much as was desired, and it has therefore been found necessary to increase the fee for testing one cow.

“For cows tested on one farm, and starting test during the year commencing April 1, 1922. it is proposed to charge ten guineas for the first cow or heifer and three guineas for each subsequent cow or heifer. During the year a change in the C.O.R. sampling system was instituted. The spring brought an increased membership, which made it impossible for the staff of testing officers to handle the work, while owing to the financial stringency it was deemed inadvisable to appoint further testers. It was therefore found neces- . sary to reduce the time spent at each ! farm per month, and from September 1 , last testing officers have visited for three milkings only, instead of four as previously, for cows milked twice a day. “'The popularity of the association method of testing dairy cows still in-

creases. As in the past, officers engaged in the testing- of purebred cows have extended their duties to the as-

sociation testing of ordinary grade and crossbred herds. The staff, however, i has not been able to cope with all as- | soeiatioris calling for assistance along ! this line. Officers have tin’s season i tested cows for some fifty associations, jns compared with forty associations, i for the previous year. The charge for i this association testing is 2s per cow. .’The herds numbered 10S0, and the ! cows 25.912. as compared with 713 herds and 19.799 cows in 1920-21, rej presenting increases of 51 per cent, .and 30 per cent, respectively. In addition. some 1-9,652 cows have been ; tested by dairy companies to whom the ] owners were suppliers—-an increase of I 15.958 cows—and it is hoped that the j future will bring a still further devel- ' opment of the association testing work.

• “The total number of cows systematically tested last vear was 45.564, : which i< not a satisfactory proportion iof the Dominion’s milking stock. One [would like to see herd-testing a. definite part of every dairy company’s organisation, the cost th he borne bv the company. This would result in more systematic herd-development, with a resultant benefit to the revenue of the individual, the dairy company, and the country as a whole.”