IMPROVEMENT OF HERDS

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23110, 28 August 1940, Page 10

IMPROVEMENT OF HERDS

ASSOCIATION’S FIRST YEAR INCREASING PRODUCTION The South Island Herd Improvement Association held its first annual meeting in Christchurch yesterday, and delegates from herd-testing groups came from all over the island. One of the main decisions taken was on the recommendation of the Rangiora group, and it will be a recommendation from the association to the New Zealand Dairy Board, “that the end of the lactation period for the association be June 30 and that the June returns be in the yearly average.” The annual meeting will continue to be held in August. The period formerly was to have ended on May 31. Costs of Testing The Golden Bay group recommended “that all costs of testing should be met by a levy placed by the Dairy Board on all butter-fat produced.” Mr T. H. D. Symes, favouring this, said that herd-testing was a wonderful thing to increase production, and there could be no better way to increase production than to remove every dairyman’s excuse for not having his herd tested. If dairymen knew they had to pay for it in any case, they were sure to participate in the scheme, said Mr Symes. Mr W. H. Martin (Buffer) said there would be very little support for the suggestion. Mr S. R. Muff (South Canterbury) said the remit favoured coercion of dairymen who were not testing at present. Mr C. W. Hu mm (Banks Peninsula) said that if the suggestion was put into effect by th-i Dairy Board, men with good herds would be paying more than men with poorer herds. The remit was carried on a majority of two votes. A remit from Southland spoken to by Mr J. Wilson was “that the association request some supervision over the testing officers.” Mr Wilson said that some members of his group complained of inefficient testing; factory managers were subject to check by officers of the Department of Agriculture, so the testing officer should also be subject to check, he said. "Psychological Effect” Mr G. R. Herron, in his annual report! said: “Dairy farmers of this country have been asked by the British Government to produce still more, and the increased tonnage of dairy produce required necessitates an increased production of 101b of butter-fat per cow. In the great majority of cases the act of recording has a psychological effect which results in the farmer sending more butter-fat to the factory than he would were he not recording. The number of cows recorded during the season under-review, although showing an increase over the previous season, represents only a small percentage of the total cows milked in the South Island, and we sincerely hope that a considerable increase in cows recorded will be shown for the ensuing year. Get rid of your boarders and milk only cows that deliver the goods. Breed on sound lines, and feed far better than you have ever fed before.” ’ The income and expenditure account showed an excess of income over expenditure of £465 15s 2d. The period under review was for 10 months and not a complete year, as the association did not commence financial operations until last August. The position was considered to be quite satisfactory. “The number of cows recorded during the year was 18,036 compared with 17.001 for the previous season under the 10 separate associations, showing an increase of 1035 cows. Association Average—l 939-40: 506 herds comprising 18,036 cows averaged 60511b milk, 4.2l'tcst, 254.881b fat in 232 days, 1938-39: 497 herds comprising 17.001 cows averaged 60621b milk, 4.10 test, 253.81b fat in 221 days. Golden Bay supplied the highest herd, 12 cows averaging 4571b fat in 289 days. Waimatuku II Group (Southland) headed the list of group averages for the season with 2871b fat in 237 days for 28 herds comprising 1007 cows. The honour of owning the leading cow under test goes to a member in the Peninsula Group registering 6671b fat in 365 days. The committee of management was re-elected—Messrs G. R. Herron (chairman), A. M. Weir. A. Anderson, S. R. ; Muff, C. W. Humm, J. H. Mason, J. B. Barnett. W. D. Dron, T. H. D. Symes, N. J. H. Peacock, W. H. Martin, and, 1 J. Baird. The manager is Mr J. C. Carbines and the secretary Mr H. 0., Oswin.