IMPROVING DAIRY HERDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 33, 8 February 1929, Page 17

IMPROVING DAIRY HERDS.

THE NEED FOR BETTER BULLS

A NATIONAL WORK

During the last five years there has been a very marked increase in the number of purebred bulls used in the dairy herds of New Zealand, this increase being brought about largely through herd testing. There are still* many dairying districts, however, where crossbred and inferior bulls are largely used at the head of the dairy herds, and dairying authorities recognise the need for encouraging producers to purchase a purebred bull, despite the extra cost of a good animal. Unfortunately in the past the breeders have not always treated : the farmers fairly, and. many an expensive bull has not produced offspring that will return a decent profit through large yields of butterfat, for the simple reason that the bull had no decent butterfat backing. To-day all progressive breeders realise the necessity for butterfat backing fh addition to type, and every encouragement is given to have purebred bulls well backed. Practically eighty per cent of the herds which arc being tested have purebred bulls at the head, but the percentage is not nearly as good among untested herds. One of the factors militating against purchase is the higher cost, a factor which holds good in all countries. In Australia, in certain States the position has been overcome by means of a subsidy, the farmer purchasing a bull being paid a subsidy by the State up to three-fifths the purchase price. In return for this he. has to undertake certain obligations, being required to make a subsidised bull available to a limited number of his fellow farmer- each season, at a price of 10/ per service. Tn this way scattered communities of dairy farmers arc able, to have a first-class bull at their service.

Subsidy Unwarranted. Dairying in New Zealand is so far ahead of Australian dairying that such a subsidy is unwarranted, and indeed would not be welcomed by the majority of dairy farmers. Nevertheless some system of encouragement in the purchase of better bulls fs needed, and several schemes have been formulated during recent vears.

In district? Mich as Poverty Bay and Hawke's Bay. and in parts of the South Island where dairying is scattered in nature, there are many crossbred and nondescript bulls in use; this state of affairs indeed is not confined to these districts, for in every dairying district farmers are to be found who do not consider it necessary to head their herds with a "well-backed with butterfat" bull. To leave things as they are. with many producers failing to make a profit because of the low productions of their herds, is certainly not desirable in the interests of dairying as a whole, so schemes have to be devised to tempt farmers to purchase.

Lp till a few years ago the farmer who wished to purchase a fairly expensive bull, and who did not have" a yrcat deal of spare cash, was faced with" certain difficulties, for the breeder in many instances was unable to wait a considerable time for his money. To-day the majority of dairy companies make provision for the purchase of bulls by their suppliers, and finance such purchases iiv means of loans secured on the milk cheques. In this way it is possible for a farmer to purchase a bull and spread the payments out over a season, or if necessary, over two years. This is the met hod which ha s largely been used in the Waikato where a very high percentage of purebred bulls i s used in the herds.

More recently the Rural Credits Board has made money available for this purpose, and advantage has been taken by manv farmers.

There is some Truth in the contention of many city men that the farmer who wont help himself doesn't deserve helping by either the State or private effort, but the national importance of our primary industries makes it sound business to give further encouragement to herd improvement, more especially as so many farmers are so hampered*in their finance as to have to seriously consider the expenditure of even a few pounds. Of the schemes which have been put forward in recent years, the most practical is undoubtedly the one which was advanced at a recent Auckland meeting, and which has the approval of very many business men who recognise the advantages accruing to country and city alike through the use of better bulls. It is hoped to raise £100,000 within ten years, for the sole purpose of encouraging by various means, the purchase of purebred bulls. The work will be largely educational in nature and a provision which specially appeals to the writer is the provision which is made for encouragement of boys' and girls' calf clubs. The manifesto which was issued after the meeting, which showed that 20 per cent of the dairy cows in New Zealand were, milked at a lo*s and another -0 per cent showed no profit, demonstrates the need for action, especially when it is realised that a purebred bull is the quickest, and soundest way or" improving production.

Throughout all our principal dairy- ! in«r districts the calf club movement has spread until to-day there are manv hundreds of youthful enthusiasts taking the keenest interest in stock improvement. It is the belief of the writer that one of the most potent factors in future herd improvement will he found in the encouragement given to bull calf clubs. The boy who raises a purebred calf and sees it sold at a good figure will receive a lesson in the value of good stock which he will never forget, and he will be unwilling, when he commences farming on his own account, to follow the haphazard methods which are so largely responsible for the lack of profit shown by many farms. Manv methods will no doubt be tried out bv the or ganisation which is undertaking the task ot getting better bulls to our farmers, but ot them all, the one which is likelv to have the most permanent and most beneficial results is that which will encourage boys and girls to rear purebred ■ bulls, and thus gain an insight into the value of good stock.