MOUMAHAKI STATE FARM.

Waipa Post, Volume I, Issue 42, 8 September 1911, Page 4

MOUMAHAKI STATE FARM.

THE AYRSHIRE HERD. Referring to the experiments in the breeding of Ayrshire now being' carried on at the Moumahaki State Farm, to determine their utility for dairying purposes, a Hawera " Star" reporter, who visited the farm last week, states that the manager (Mr Lonsdale) has care of a herd of twenty at present, and with these it is expected to found a herd of the best milking strains. Having given the most careful attention to the selection of sires and dams, a test which is regarded as infallible is applied to sec whether the animals are free from tuberculosis. Should any animal show signs of disease, she is at once disposed of in such a way that there will be no possibility of her transmitting tuberculosis to offspring. By taking

these precautions the Department is able to guarantee all stock sold as absolutely free from disease. Another important point is that no bull is retained in the herd whose dam does not show a good record, and every factor that might count against the best results in the offspringis carefully eliminated.

Two of the bulls on the farm at present have already been sold, one to a Hawera dairy fanner, and the other to an Auckland farmer. In selling no attempt is made to obtain 'iicy prices, and the figure paid in each of the cases mentioned was 15 guineas.

In breeding, Mr Lonsdale attaches great importance to the records, and he holds that this is the only reliable guide. The milk must be weighed and tested, right through the season, and only when a satisfactorily high standard is reached in the results is it safe to breed from cows if the object is to build up a perfect herd. No bull from an in-, inferior cow is ever used on the farm, nor would he be sold to another farmer to breed from, but is discarded as useless. Each year it is expected to have a certain number of young bulls for sale.