DAIRY CATTLE FUND

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 29, 29 October 1926, Page 12

DAIRY CATTLE FUND

TO ELIMINATE SCRUB BULLS A NOVEL PROPOSAL ' A suggestion for the improvement of dairy herds in the Dominion was put forward at the meeting of the Dominion executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union on Wednesday by the secretary (Mr. J. Pow). In amplifying his proposal, he explained that in 1921 7835 purebred hulls, two years and over, were being used in the Dominion, but there were 33,470 crossbred sires in addition. The Department of Agriculture’s statistics for 1.925 showed . that 59,820 bulls, two years old and upward, were, being used, 47,11-1 in dairy herds. If a registration fee of 10s. per bull were charged on all these bulls there would be <£23,500 available for a “Dairy Cattle- Fund” in order Io subsidise the purchase of purebred dairy bulls. - If the Department were to fix the maximum subsidy at <£3o, this would .provide for the purchase- of at least 700 purebred bulls per annum. Breeders of purebred bulls would therefore have an. extra incentive to keep more of their bull calves; at the present time breeders kill many of them because there is no market owing to the preponderance of crossbred sires. In .1918 the Council of Agriculture in Ireland passed the following resolution: “That with a view, to improving the breeding of cattle, and preventing the use of inferior and unsuitable bulls, the Department of Agriculture should take steps to promote legislation having for its object the compulsory registration and licensing of all bulls; to be used- for. service, in Ireland.” - ■ In 1923, -said the speaker;- an Act incorporating this idea was passed in Northern Ireland, and the Department of Agriculture was convinced that the Act was achieving its object. “In view of the severe foreign competition on the London butter and cheese markets, the need for greater output and- -'economy of production is more pressing than ever,” . concluded the' report. Mr. J. D. Hall.(Canterbury): Do you suggest that owners of scrub bulls should be compensated? Mr. Pow: That could be done.

“Instead of ' being compensated, scrub bulls should be hit on the head with an axe,” declared the president (Mr. W. J,' Polson);