BUILDING-UP A DAIRY HERD.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 145, 20 June 1906, Page 2

BUILDING-UP A DAIRY HERD.

* r•SOME INTERESTINQ COMMENTS. (From Ouf Special Reporter). PALMERSTON, Thjs pay. "How to $u}ld up a Dairy |Herd" wag the subject of an exceedingly langthy paper read by Mr. J. Q. Harkness, of Wellington, Secretary of the National Daily Association, to-day. In his introductory remarks, Mr. Harkneea said that the dairy industry wpuld probably provide, with proper attention, in the near future, on© of the largest, if not the largest, of our exports. The manufactured articles made from milk now exceeded in value £2,250,000 per apflum, It was almogt impossible to estimate the various channels into which this, large sum flowed. It was ' obvjous, said the speaker, that one of the conditions which were near rvb band was keener competition, with its attendant lower values. It w«e foolishness to bolster up ourselves with, tho expectation that there would be a, continuance of the high prices which had been ruling in the markets of the world. In view of this fact, which no reasonable man would denj, the great problem ti\&t faced the dairyman, to-day was this, "Is it possible to reduce the cost of manufacture and marketing, so as to obtain better' net results for the producer ; or oan we decrease the cost of production by producing more at present cpst? l ' Alqng one of these two paths we had to travel. In- reference to the former, saving in some directions might be effected, but it would not, when ajl was accomplished, even if brought down to a minimum, amount to much per head per cow. On the other hand, by attention, skill, and judicious management, production might be added to by at least 33 1-3 per cent. This, njigl)ti at first blush, appear a large order, but it could be brought about, and would establish the industry on a permanent and satisfactory basis. , Not only would it add to individual returns, but any such approximate increase would legitimately reduce the manufacturing cost of a pound of commercial butter at least 20 to 25 per cent. It could only be accomplished by the dairyman applying to his worji thosp principles which made for success in every ' department or profession of life. Mr. Harkness propeeded to detail $hq possibilities of iniproyeiflen.t in the product of the cpw, and the education of the dairy farmer. It was not possible to teach all the elements of practical agripujture, but many things cpujd. be taughb ben.efi.cially and with advantage ■about the Cpmnosition of soils, the growth of crops, domestic animals and their habits, trees and dairying which would help to make them practical farmers, and in no slight measure infuse a pew interest into their life and work, and so counteract the prevailing tendency on the part .of our youth to. look with distaste on the pursuits of a rural life and its various fprms of work and tp, gravitate tpwards the cities find Jprger towns. The causes of unprofitableness in cows, the merits of the dual-purpose cow, proper feeding of and shelter for the animals, breeding and the influence pf the male, individual testjng pf cows, and the education of the cow, were all leading topics dealt with by Mr, Hnrkness. Ho concluded : "The writer hap not sought to advocate the claitns of anyparticular bread of cattle, hecause that -was not the intention of the paper, but to lay down general principles which ought to be followed if your efforts are to attain that position of excollcnce which alone merits success. Given a dftiryman'with ordinary intelligence, taking q. lierd of average cows, and follpWTOg tlje principle closely of breeding from a- purebred jure, from Borne recognised dairying scram, together with cofti etftpt testing) it is guaranteed that at the end of five_ or six years he will have built up a dairy herd that will gIYP n good account of itself and oe a sourco of satisfaction to the owner."