FEWER COWS TESTED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 180, 31 July 1940, Page 4

FEWER COWS TESTED.

AUCKLAND ASSOCIATION

LOW COST TO FARMERS

(From Our Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON', Tuesday

During the past season tlie association I had tested 83,60!) cows, a decrease of 4240 | eompaicd with the season before, sa'-.l Mr. | S. Sheaf, general manager or the AucK- j land Herd improvement Assoeiat.on, at the annua! meeting to-day. The irreaUst number. '28,000. were tested in the \\ a.kato. The average number of cows in the herds was oo.'JG. The association employed (jo on the outside staff. In view of the possible diflierltv :n 1 securing testers a Women's Auxiliary | Herd Testers' Reserve had been lislied. Women would be employed only in the event of male labour bcomuig unprocurable. Mr. Sheaf said the check test system adopted had proved the accuracy and iinitorniity of the herd system. As a result of the financial assistance received iiiHii the Dairy Board, the charge testing had been actually 6d per cow below the actual cost. The difference next season would be !)d. No increase in the charge would be made. The number of calves registered was 7905. Sire Survey Scheme. 'I he association's free sire survey f.cherae had again been in opeiation, and the cooperation of more members was desired to build up information on the strains of dairy breeding cattle. During the sfcas.m 111) bulls had been sold on behalf of 44 members. Dealing with the prospects for the 1040-41 season. Mr. Sheaf said that to date 1570 herds had been signed up for testing, an increase of 57 over last season. It was expected that the increase would reach 200 herds. Need for Expansion. "During the past four years dairying as an industry has declined, our cow population falling gradually year by year." said Mr. Candy, who presided. The chairman added that what wa6 required to-day a steady, healthy expansion. Referring to the calf-saving can paign, Mr. Candy said that in the territory in which the association operated 6000 caives that would have been lost would be saved to the producers. Messrs. W. L. Ranstead and A. 3. Wyllie, representing conveners. a.id Messrs. H. E. Brickland and H. G. Melville, representing dairy companies, were re-elected to the committee.