PASTORALISTS' GRIEVANCE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 140, 13 June 1912, Page 2

PASTORALISTS' GRIEVANCE

STATE DAIRY CATTLE. A correspondent, "Dairy Industry," writes to The Post :—" Some time ago a farmer residing in the Grey Valley approached the present Minister of Agriculture with a view of getting a young bull. of a milking strain for next, season. The farmer's request was: — 1. Will you sell me a yearling bull of the Holstein or milking Shorthorn breed at a moderate figure?^ 2. If not, will you, lend me one for the coming season, provided I give security (a) to pay all transport charges ; (b) to care for and return tho bull unharmed at end of season; (c) surrounding farmers to have, the right to bring one. or, more- cows to tho buh\ and to ba charged a small fee to cover expenses; (d) the Minister to fix the fees, the number of cows, and all other conditions 'he thinks reasonable to insert in the bond? 3. I pointed out to the Minister (a) that there was not a first-class herd of milkers on tho West Coast; (b) thaf apparently the Government were now making a practice of selling these hulls in- the open market at the Palmereton' North ' Show, where they realised very high figures, andcould be bought only by rich men." In his reply, tho Hon. T. Mackenzie remarked I—*' Qur/ dairy herds aj; the experimental farms Bav<| only just been established,' and wo have, therefore, only a. limited number of young stock for sale. For these there is a very considerable demand, and the number of application^ received greatly exceede the number of animals available. Up to the present we have had to dispose of the young • bulls by auction, in order that everyone might havo an equal opportunity oi socuring one of them. The- horde are being added to by importations, and in a year or two it jb hoped to have a fair draft of young stock available for disposal each season. .. . , In regard to your suggestion that a bull be sent to you to servo your cows and- others in the district, I may say that a similar scheme was tried by the department some few years ago, but was not successful. Little advantage was taken by farmers of the opportunity of securing the services of the bulls, and, in addition, owing to the difficulty in securing in every instance ■competent attendants, the animals were in several cases ruined for service. I do not think it would be desirable to revert to this practice, and the present system of establishing herds at the experimental farms was adopted in place thereof." "Dairy Industry'! submits that the Minister s reply has not satisfied tho pastoralists of the Grey Valley, where the need of an improvement in the' dairy strain is said to be Urgent. It is also stated that the bulls sent to the coast 6omo years ago were beef-strain animate, of a kind not at all desired.