HERD TESTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 July 1939, Page 7

HERD TESTING

WAIRARAPA ASSOCIATION ACTIVITIES INFLUENCE OF MOVEMENT ON PRODUCTION. SURVEY BY THE CHAIRMAN. "In presenting the twelfth annual report of the Wairarapa Herd Testing Association. I would like to state that the past season has been one of the most erratic, climatically, experienced for some years and consequently, pro duction was seriously affected; butter fat production being lower by 17.51 lbs per cow than in 1937-38. However dairy farmers have been busy prepar ing ground for early crops in the spring hoping to gain in production in the coming season." states Mr L. R. Wilton, chairman of the Association. ’’There is still great room for improvement in our dairy herds, and although herd testing was inaugurated in New Zealand some sixteen years back there are still many dairy farm ers who do not seem to understand and grasp the benefits that are to be de rived and accrue from this most important branch of the dairy industry. STUDY NECESSARY. “Herd improvement should be stud ied thoroughly. A slap-dash method is unwise, although it is known in some instances where a whole herd could with advantage, be potted and from the better class of stock offering today, a good herd established. A great fea lure of herd testing or herd recording is the eradication of non producing, animals, which, when "potted" cannot go on reproducing their kind. "When testing a herd the cows become individualised, as the good bat. and indifferent. The temperament ol the animal is studied, especially in its relativity to production and the elimi nation of disease is seriously studied. Herd recording paves the way for the dairy farmer so that he can follow step by step the progress or non progress of his cows; the butterfat productive ability of each animal is easily followed from month to month and year tc year, and moreover, the reproductive propensities are ascertained. The Herd Testing Association takes stock of youi stock each month during the season, allowing you to sift the drones from the workers. Why continue guessing when you know your average herd production is not what it should oi could be, and especially when herd testing is available to overcome ob stacles and help you climb the laddei of success? USE OF RETURNS. "Do not pit your herd testing returns against your factory returns. Here, recording is essentially a means to discover the productive capabilities of the individual cow. For comparison with factory returns, there are several fac Lors which must be taken into consid eration. Allow for, and deduct your house milk and calves milk, wastage and the wetting of and adherence ol milk inside each of your milk cans after they have been emptied at the factory. The day* of sampling may be during southerly weather, and, beat in mind, that an average is taken 15 days forward and 15 days back for the 30 day period calculation in herd test ing. Tests and weights of milk vary from month to month owing to varia Lions and different conditions of feed weather, and bodily changes in the cow. The herd testing member whe skims cream from his milk and growls about the difference in factory anc herd test should not do so. CONSTITUTION. “Cattle of constitution are the verj first consideration in dairying. In con junction with pasture grazing of gooc. quality, the supplying of suppiemen tary fodder during those invariable spells when pasture is at a low ebb, is after all, the whole battle —when you have the right strain of butterfat producers and reproducing slock. To build animals of full an<J sound const! tution the dam must be fed well whilst carrying the calf. The calf from birth, should be fed on whole milk. As the calf advances in age, the quantity ol milk can be reduced,. and then gradually a good calf meal can be added. li. the milk there is sufficient food, proportioned by nature to nourish ever.) part of a calf’s body even to the ’moo.' There must be no let up in good graz ing from weaning onwards. Constitu Lion is a building (during the growtl of animals) of tissues, bone, gland; and internal organs (these fail U function properly if undeveloped) the frame and internal machinery ol'oui great and valuable productive machine the cow. BODY OF COW. “Most dairy farmers refer to the udder as the ’business end' of the cow, but the farmer must first realise tha it is the front part of the cow tha counts most in establishing results ii and from the udder. Analyse one pari only of the body of the cow, from th< hoof of a fore-leg up to the wither and, even in this one portion alon. one plainly sees and realises the im portance of constitution. The hoo should be hard and the fetlock strong as the cow is a large animal of grea weight. Good bone does not necessar ily mean thick bone, rather there verse with a dairy beast —in fact, it is recognised that one should be abb to span the leg bone between fetlocl. and knee comfortably with the hand Good muscle should be noticeable from the knee to the body. The heai has; so many beats to the minute, aim unless the internal blood vessels an well formed the flow of blood mav be come sluggish, affecting the heart which, in turn would affect the health of the cow and reflect on her butter fat producing capabilities. The lungs play a large part in the health of ; cow and require plenty of room fo’ respiration. In an address given by M’ Candy, chairman of the Herd Record ing Council, he mentioned ’that if tin life of our cows could be extended b\ one year it would mean a lot to the dairy industry.’ Now. if animals o' good constitution were bred, and good pasture provided and maintained foi them, the life of our cows would bi extended many more years than one. LUCERNE INVALUABLE. "Why lucerne is not more extensive ly grown is hard to understand, es pecially when it is practically the only crop which withstands the driest o' weather. How much easier it is fcr| the dairy farmer to run the- mower' along the lucerne paddock every other i day to cut sufficient for two days feeding. than it is to null (should the fly have left any) and load a cart load of turnips daily. Once sown and ('Stab , itched lucerne, if well limed and top-

dressed lasts indefinitely. In the cultivation of lucerne it is necessary to destroy weeds, as, with the first cut, generally in November, there are weeds; but once this has been cut and harvested and the subsequent crops cut every five or six weeks, it is free of weeds right through the growing season. Lucerne, fed as hay during a dry period when no grass is available, will hold the milk yield and increase the test. It is found that, when the lucerne plants are not too close, it grows more profusely and abundantly than when the plants are herded together closely. Many dairy farmers will not attempt to grow this excel lent crop, thinking they have no soil adapted to it. This is often a mistake; lucerne will grow and do well in al most any soil that does not become water-logged or is of iron stone formation.

"From testing returns, it is noticeable with many herds that it is that inevitable dry period, generally Janu ary and February, in which a big drop in production occurs. The cows should be catered for during this period, when it will be found that production is maintained, and the animals kept in better condition. Dairy farming can not be carried out with ordinary grass pasture alone, as, during dry periods there is nothing for them to eat. and they will milk condition from their bodies. There are too many herds jei’iodically starved during the dairy ing season. OPERATION STATISTICS. "The number of calves tattoo-mark ed during the 1938 39 season was as follows: —Greytown Group, 43; Glad stone Group. 32; Featherston Group 20; Mar.tinborough Group. 15. "During the 1938 39 season 8 412 cows were under test as compared with 8.621 cows the previous season 1937 38. ‘Own Samples Association’ cows tested this season totalled 172: 1937-38 season. 267. A summary of the combined figures for all groups in the association shows: —Total number o! cows in average. 8.412; average production per cow. 246.031bs fat: average davs, 232: average production per day i 1.0(>2.

A young couple complained in court that Jheir respective parents were continually motoring out to their new home and stirring up trouble. The spins of the parents being visited upon the children, apparently.

Season: 1937-38 1936-37 1935-36 1934 35 Avge: 263.54 282.92 282.98 239.84 Days: 247 255 264 254 Av. fat: 1.06 1.09 1.068 .940 Season: 1933 34 1932-33 1931 -32 1930 31 Av’ge: 252.93 237.31 230.18 237.64 Days: 249 249 244 248 Av. fat: 1.01 .952 .939 .956