GREATER CALLS ON SERVICES

Press, 12 September 1980, Page 20

GREATER CALLS ON SERVICES

The demand for services provided by the South Is- • land Livestock Improvement Association is increasing. Figures released at the association’s annual meeting recently showed record numbers of cows were tested by the associ® ation and the number of .cows serviced by'artificial breeding also increased. The association’s general manager (Mr R. S. Johnston) said 72,400 cows were tested and 47,600 cows serviced by artificial breeding. Mr Johnston said the association’s membership was not growing but herd sizes were increasing. Although some dairy farms had switched to other forms of farming, new dairy farms had been established at Waitaki, Lincoln and Rangiora. Some herds in. the association’s area had up to 400 cows in them, he said. A self-sampling system had been established on dairy farms in the northern half of the South Is- . land and this method was becoming popular and was replacing, in some instances, the more conventional type* of testing by association employees. Self-sampling would be introduced to other South

Island areas during the coming year, he said.

The association .would be employing three regional officers in its area. One would be based in Nelson, the second in Christchurch, and the other in Dunedin or perhaps further south, Mr Johnston said.

These officers would act as “trouble-shooters” for the association. They would also employ and train staff and liaise with association members, he said.

The top-producing cow tested by the association in the past seasons was Deloraine B A Madge, from the property of N. J. Sherriff and Sons (Milford). This cow, during a 305-day season, produced 11,338 litres of milk, a butterfat test of 4.7 per cent, and 536 kilograms of butterfat. This same cow was the top producer last year. In 290 days she produced 10,488 litres of milk, which tested at 4.8 per cent of butterfat, and 508 kilograms of butterfat