DAIRY HERD IMPROVEMENT.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17742, 19 April 1923, Page 3

DAIRY HERD IMPROVEMENT.

♦ THE "SCRUB BULL." Stock papers coming to hand from other countries are devoting increasing prominence to the question of the elimination of the scrub bull from dairv herds. Some of the schemes adopted in American States, where there is no compulsion in force, are quite remarkable, but practicauy everywneie opinion appoars to be developing strongly in the direction of the Legislatures taking a hand. l u the Canadian House of Representatives some weeks ago a discussion took place on the subject during the passing of the agricultural estimates, and the need for "quitting" the scrub and substituting bulls of proved milking strains was stressed as one of primary importance it the dairying industry of the country is to advance. Anu-moer of American States have effected legislation with this object, and it would be littio to the credit of New Zealand producers if they made no move in such an important aspect of the industry whilst tue quality of our dairy products and their handling earn such praise from authorities elsewhere. The dairyman, as matters are at present, has to accept the disagreeable reflection that the moment the control of the industry gets into commercial hands a world model, as it were, is established, whilst at his own end of the business he is doing littio to increase either the quantity or qualit of his herd's milk. The average production of butter-fat per cow in Now Zealand is loss than J-iUiu, anci as tuere are many tested herds of 2ooib capacity and a lew of near 30Oib it is obvious that a. number of cows must be in use that are not producing much more than 1001b of buttor-iat in a season. That means, at the current prices, about £7 10s per cow, not enough to pay the cost of iecd apart from' the work entailed in the handling. In the North Island and in Southland the need for better bulls is . being more widely realised as indicated bv _ the testing associations that are springing up, but Canterbury and the northern part of Otago, it is to be feared, are not very keenly interested. One of the causes, no doubt is that many farmers took up dairying as a temporary occupation, whilst prices were good, with the intention of dropping out again when other markets became rehabilitated. From dairymen of this class not much can he expected. They aro not concerned with the next crop of calves, and secure the cheapest old bull they can for the purpose only of bringing their cows into profit. Such dairymen it can be realised, are a menaco to the industry.

A recent Australian .stock paper summarises what is being done in the States of the Commonwealth: —In Western Australia every bull ovrsr the age of 6ix months must be registered at a fee of 10s, with a penalty for non-compliance of twenty pounds. After 1925 registration may lie refused if the bull does not comply with the standard adopted, and the bull must be destroyed unless the Appeal Board provicled directs the registration. In South Australia the Goernment subsidises the owners of purebred bulls, which are placed at the disposal of small herd-owners at reduced fees in various centres with the object of raising the standard of the poorer herds. In Tasmania all bulls must be registered, fee 10s, and after three, years only purebred or grade, bulls can be used. A grade bull is one that has either a purebred sire or dam entered in a registered herd-book. After a few years it is proposed to disallow grade bulls and only po'rmit the use of purebred bulls, and this will effectually raise the standard of the cows and consequent prod action of butter-fat. In Victoria there are no restrictions, and it is more difficult to procure good cattle than it wns twenty years ago, and but for the public-spirited action ol well-known breeders in the importation of the best purebred stock of all breeds the position would be more serious. It may be mentioned that Ireland is one of the latest countries to take this matter up, and the dairy farmers of Omagh are calling upon the department of that cdUiity to introduce legislation for the registration of all bulls, which must be from dams with certified milk record.

The draft of a proposed Bill, which would effectively yet simply and without apparent hardship to owners achieve the object of scrub bull elimination, was recently formulated by Mr Geo. Gould. The details have been published ana submitted to farmers' bodies, which have signified their approval. However, it needs more than a mere expression of opinion to secure legislative endorsement, and it is to be hoped that, these bodies will regard the matter as quite one of their most important functions and press it on the notice of the Government. It has been calculated that from tiie l,100,v;00 odd dairy cattle in the Dominion an increase in the average production of from 1701b to 2301b, not a vorv ambitious figure, would, at Is 6d per lb, represent a yearly increase of just on £6,000,000! It is a sol ; d figure to pay for indifference, for in the long run that is. what the perpetuation of the scrub bull means.