H.—29

During the calendar year 1939 first-class certificates of record were issued for 447 cows, as compared with 570 cows in 1938, 390 cows being in the yearly test division and the remaining 57 in the 305-day division. The average production represented by first-class certificates in the yearly division was 499*02 lb. fat, a decrease of 5-68 lb. over the 1938 figure of 504-70 lb. fat. A decrease in average production was also shown in the 305-day test division, the average production for the fifty-seven first-class certificates issued in this division being 436-42 lb. butterfat, as compared with 451-13 lb. lor seventythree certificates issued during 1938. Government Official Herd-testing. Entries for this branch of the Division's cow-testing service are well maintained, and for some time past have shown little variation from year to year. The Government official herd-testing year closes at the 30th September, and for the year ended at that date in 1939 cows tested numbered 2,111, a decrease of 73 cows over the previous season's total of 2,184. The number of testing breeders represented was 178, in comparison with 203 for the year ended 30th September, 1938. Average yield figures are taken out on the basis of cows which milk for 180 days or more, and on this basis 1,908 cows qualified with an average production of 303-57 lb. butterfat from 6,211-5 lb. milk. Since the commencement of the system 23,098 statements of seasonal production have been issued for 15,790 cows, of which 7,308 have been tested more than once. Ordinary Herd-testing. The herd-testing work for the Dominion as a whole is under the supervision of the Herd-recording Department of the New Zealand Dairy Board. The Dairy Division, however, still carried out " association own-sample " testing for a few odd herds. The figures for last year were 18 herds, comprising about 270 cows. Thanks. Thanks are again due to the staff for assistance rendered, and also to those organizations whose functions bring them in contact with the work of the Division.

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