THE DAIRY HERDS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 16, 31 October 1935, Page 8

THE DAIRY HERDS.

INCREASING THE YIELD, n

RECORD PERUSAE NEEDED. \' .. -f.-.,0 A pTn order to induce yearly calving the authorities in Holland deduct 5 pey cent, from a cow’s record for leach' Inonth exceeding twelve between, the. calving dates, 15 per cent, being the maximum deduction, states the “Victorian Journal of 'Agriculture.”

i It is known that approximately 20 to 25 per cent, more milk can be secured from a third millring, and that up to 9 peri cent, extra for the fourth, .millsing may he expected’ i While it is true that the yield can be Yery substantially increased by special [feeding and managernent, it is also equally true that an inherently low producer can never be developed into a high-producer. . , ! ;

j There is a grave need for a rational comparison of herd and cow records. To some minds a wide gulf exists between the 4991 b. and the 5011 b. butter-fat. cow, and also between tbe 299 and the 3011 b. butter-fat Herds. The figures 500 arid 300 have been given an importance for measuring or comparing that [is altogether too arbitrary!, A' eow may make an 8001 b. record when not jin calf, and when being milked three times a day, which would have been nearer 5001 b. marik if these factors bad been absent. Not all of these'factors occur by intent however, for soms cows 'are shy breeders, and it is necessary to milk some of the high-producing cows jri third time in order to preserve the udder from breaking down. ■ If, as in Holland and elsewhere, the lifetime yields of a cow were considered more by the publicity officers in breed [propaganda, there' would be less disappointment among breeders' and farmersthat went to make a peak yeari record: Of the Victorian Standard Test; it must be claimed that generally the: cows are milked twice a day; any cows that receive the assistance of a ithird milking will be easily observed in all quarterly and annual reports. The general development of herd testing throughout the State has impressed on many dairy farmers the ■need for carefully selecting their stock from best strains of a particular breed, and tlufy have learned that “strain” and “family” are of more Importance than breed. ••• •••,.,•

In almost every country, pedigree became the accepted medium of evaluating dairy stock, while show honours and still are— largely deter-, mined; by mere judgment of the exterior. The general acceptance of pedigree and breed type might have gone on had it not been for tbe general introduction of. herd testing work. The general one-sided insistence of the breed society judges and. stud-breeders, —that “type means milk”—brought about its inevitable reaction, for breeders and dairy farmers have come to know that a tabulated pedigree of a registered cow, without any information of the productive and reproductive ability of the animals listed, is of very little real value. Thousands of registered cows have been tested in the Standard Herd Test, 'as well as in the V.U.C.T.A., and it is known beyond any doubt that breed type, pedigree or registration, and productive ability may be found in registered cattle'that fall into any one of the following classes: —

(1) With pleasing type and good production. (2) With poor type and low production. , . ' (3) With good type and low production.. ■ .'• > (4) With poor type and good production. *

Deficient soil'. | It is generally admitted by farmers, in all districts ; that the natural pastures are not neady as, good as they were many years ago. Proof of this is seen by the decline of. the. better types, , of grasses, coincident with a great increase of weeds and the lower types of

grasses. Unfortunately it. is not generally, recognised that this is entirely due to reduced fertility of the soil—in humus content;as well as in the essential mineral, constituents. It is very obvious to everybody that, if the soil is deficient, the pasture growing on it will also lack the same elements. We should pause to reflect on the fact that plants are composed of two different classes of materials, yiz., the organio or that portion which will burn, and the inorganic or indestructible mineral portion, which is the ash left after burning the woody fibre. The former is derived very largely from the 1 , air, the supply being practically inexhaustible, -and the latter comes from the soil entirely. The essential mineral constituents of our soil consist mainly of lime, phosphates and potash. These represent only a very small proportion, but they are of tremendous importance to the animals that consume the grasses, because,it,is.., largely. froru. elements that the . skeleton is formed, and it.isialso from them that the blood, lierVes and muscles receive their store of vital energy.