Merit System For Sires May Enable N.Z. Dairy Industry To Surpass Denmark

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 14959, 23 April 1949, Page 4

Merit System For Sires May Enable N.Z. Dairy Industry To Surpass Denmark

The Primary Producer

(By W. 11. Mandouo, Consulting Officer, -N.Z. Dairy Board) At this time of the year the pastures have usually dried lip to the point where good feed is valuable. Good, managers keenly await the monthly test to ascertain those members of the herd which deserve the best, and also those which lacking- per-sistence—-the attribute of ail good cows-—must be dried of b to conserve, high quality feeds such as special });istures or good silage. In this unusual year when feed is in abundance in most districts, all but self evident slackers, can find a profitable place in the herd.

It will not be long, however before the lush conditions are ended by cold spells and rank pasture is gradually reduced. Where paspalum has oeen held in check by grazing or topping the ryegrass will become a prominent constituent of the sward to. give good growth throughout the winter in all but the coldest areas. If a sodbound paspalum pasture has been developed by careless treatment of this aggressive grass in the past season a grim prospect awaits the farmer after the cows have been forced to clean up the indigestible roughage of frosted pasnalum. The sickly yellow turf will be unres'i'nsive lo raaunre and be profitless until next November. By immediate action with advice from fields instructors, sodbound and runout pasture may be renovated to give good balanced swards of rye, clover and paspalum at comparatively low cost.

The increasing number of stud stock advertisements in farming journals focusses the attention on production records. How often is it seen that mention is made of "near misses" .where cattle would have attained recognised standards ' if only they had had a chance. It behoves all dairymen, let alone studmasters to watch this point. In the case of sire surveys as in all group herd test recording the length of lactation is set at 305 days. A gcocl cow will milk for 305 days and after a spell of about 6 weeks calve again in good condition for her next season. Criticism of the fact that length of lactation is not mentioned in Sire Surveys pubhshed in the Dairy Beard's Annual Register is generally by those who forget that there is a practical limit set, and all credit is due to cows able to maintain production over a full season. Then herds where a bull is under purvey should be kept p;ning as long as is economically possible to obtain for him the title most coveted amongst practical dairy farmers of "Merit Sire.'' • In the case of cows the entry into the Intermediate Merit Register demands a minimum level of produc-

tion for three consecutive seasons. These studmasters should see that their promising young cows have a reasonable opportunity to qualify- in later years, by having attained the necessary level in succeeding years. It is wise to check the production of the preceding years to ensure-that any cows capable of making the grade this season are not excluded by failure to milk on for a few days longer. Tins position does" not arise with a good cow that calves early as she has no great difficulty in surpassing the required minimum in any one season. Generally the late caiver is due again en an earlier date next season and she may be dried off with the held while still milking freely and with plenty of time to give her an adequate dry period. It is such a cow that needs to be watched.

While it is of greater importance with pedigree breeders a knowledge of standards required for entry in the dairy board's sire survey and merit register is essential to all dairymen. The annual issue is carefully studied by the leading farmers for guidance in purchase of sires and the standards laid down are regarded by both grade and pedigree men as the most practical for improvement of stock. It is of considerable interest to those who have for some time advocated standards set by the technical committees of the Dairy Board for I.M.R. and L M.R. that these have been adopted as sufficiently high for cattle tested under the C.O.R. system where "force feeding" is taken for granted. What has not yet been adopted is the prerequisite to registration in the breed herd books of a minimum production. Fortunately for the dairy board policy on herd improveindustry as a whole the makers of Dairy Board policy on herd improvment have seen to it that a register is created of proven stock. By furthering this policy, which together with widespread continuous testing has placed Denmark a world leader in "per cow" production, the New Zealand dairy industry has hopes of surpassing its mosUformidable rival.