C.O.R. TESTING

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 130, 4 June 1930, Page 21

C.O.R. TESTING

INCREASE LAST YEAR. IMPROVED DEMAND FOR BULLS. (By "SUPER.") There was a time when the annual returns of the cows under test for certificates of record could be regarded as a barometer of. progress in the dairying world. That was in the days before herd testing had secured its wide hold throughout the Dominion, and when fanners who were trying to improve their herds were forced to watch the C.O.R. results very closely. More recently numbers under test here have fallen off, due partly to the heavy cost of certificate of record testing, and there has been agitating for the herd testing organisations to undertake similar services for pedigree stock. On the other hand, though, it is felt—and rightly so— that the semi-official test gives the greatest degree of safety against fraud, and that therefore it will always occupy an important place in the industry. The annual returns give a very concise picture of conditions during the year, of the progress or lack of progress made by the different breeds, and of the quality of the stock now under test.

No Outstanding Records. The past year has seen no exceptionally high records broken, and has brought forward no new 10001b fat producer. The leaderships in the various classes in Jerseys and Friesians remain unaltered, but there have been changes in the Ayrshires and Milking Shorthorns. In the three-year-old Ayrshires, Fair Lass of Greenbank, bred and tested by Mr. W. Moore (Homebush, Master ton), .replaces Mr. A. M. Weir's Ivanhoe Stylish Daisy. The former has a record of 639.851b fat, and the latter one of 574.091b. In the mature class of Milking Shorthorns, Wayward 6 B No. 1, with 536.501b fat, replaces the former record holder. This animal is in the noted Bed Poll herd of Mr. G. S. Young, West Plains, Invercargill. and it is worthy of note that this herd, now holds three out of four of the class' leaderships for the breed, the fourth being held by a cow tested by the Government Farm at Weraroa. One interesting feature of this season's record is the C.O.R. granted to a Guernsey cow, tested by the Ruakura Farm of Instruction at Hamilton. This cow secured a record of 10,339.41b milk and 593.291b fat. It is difficult to understand how it is that the Guernsey has never become established in New Zealand, as the country and climate alike are suitable to the breed.

Without a doubt the greatest advantage gained by the owner who has his cows tested under the certificate of record system is in the sale of his bulls. The C.O.R. held by the dam sets the seal of production upon the offspring, be it male or female, and the farmer who is testing his herd wants to be certain that the bull he buys is likely to improve hie, production. Interest iri herd testing has advanced more rapidly on the part of the ordinary dairy farmer than it has on the part of the pedigree breeder, and the anomalous position was arising that in some cases farmers were preferring to use unregistered bulls from high producing mothers rather than buy pedigree animals which were not backed by butterfat records. The modest increase in the number of cows under C;O.R. test this year (864 cows as against 655 last year) shows that breeders are alive to the position, and probably reflects also the improved demand for good bulls. The position is being further improved by a scheme brought forward by the herd \ testing authorities, but that is beyondj the scope of the present article.

An interesting estimate is made by the Dairy Division as to the number of bulls from C.O.R. cows available for service. The estimate is necessarily only approximate, and is based on figures showing the bulls that should be alive and suitable at the present time. The estimate is that there are 13,737 such bulls, and if the official herd test figures arc included, that there are 20,625. This means that a little more than one-third of the herds in New Zealand can be served by a bull which is the offspring of tested and proved parents. The other two-thirds include purebred bulls whose dams have been tested but failed to qualify, purebred bulls whose dams have never been tested, and unregistered and "scrub" bulls.

It should be obvious in any case that the poaition is not as sound as it ought to be. Butterfat production is the best test for every ordinary farmer, and unless his bulls have butterfat backing he cannot expect to improve his output year by year. It is becoming harder each year to sell the purebred bulls whose parents have never been tested, and a very good thing it is so.

The Jersey Breed. It,is interesting to run briefly over the various breeds, as the figures give a rough and ready indication of the relative position of the various breeds in the favour of dairy farmers. Jerseys gained nearly three times as many certificates as all other dairy breeds ? put together last year, showing that their remarkable popularity is as great, or greater than ever. They secured 367 certificates, and had the creditable average of 455.511b fat, this representing an increase of 1.411b fat for the season above that of the previous year. The total number of certificates issued to Jerseys since the introduction of the certificate of record system in 1912 to the «nd of last year has now passed the five thousand mark, and one very Interesting point brought out in this year's record is that for last year the average test worked out at 5.55 per cent, and that for many years it has not varied by more than .01 from that figure. To show how well standardised the Jersey breed has become in many countries, it is of interest to know that in England, the United States and the island of Jersey the same test holds good on the average!

Friesian Breed. The Friesian breed has to its credit the highest butterfat production yet recorded in New "Zealand, that of the famous matron Alcartra Clothilde Pietje, who gave 1145.241b fat as a mature cow. This "year 86 Friesians gained certificates, but none" of the animals tested ever looked like displacing any of the present class holders. The average production of those tested was 534.511b butterfat, this representing a good increase over the average production for

the previous year, 527.971b. The beed has gained 1743 certificates since the introduction of the system, with an average production of 479.061b fat.

Other Breeds. More Milking Shorthorns were under test than anv of the other remaining milking breeds, some 26 cows having trained certificates, as against only 11 the year before. Whether this is a spasmodic increase, or whether it represents a crenuine increase in the interest being taken in this breed, remains to be seen after another season of testing. No class leaders were displaced, and the Eanstead Brothers (Matangi) still hold five out of the seven class leaderships, while a sixth is held by a cow they bred. Average production for the year was 466.541b fat. .• Only eight received firstclass certificates last year, the outstanding record being that of Fair Lass of Greenbank, recorded above. It is interesting to know that this cow traces hack to some of the great foundation Ayrshires in N'3W Zealand. The eight cows averaged 481.481b fat. Only three Red Polls gained certificates during the year, and as two of these had been certificated previously, only one new C.O.R. was gained by the breed. The average production of these three was 384.411b butterfat. The breed has rained 74 certificates since 191 Z. It Is probable that next season a ten months' test will be instituted in response-to the agitation that has taken place in its favour, but whether this Will be more popular than the present test, remains to be seen. The certificate of recoil system is a bulwark of the dairy industry and has rendered signal service in providing the hall mark wherebv purebred bulls may be known to the* buyers. ". _