EFFICIENT COWS

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 52, 2 March 1921, Page 9

EFFICIENT COWS

IMPROVED DAIRY HERDS.

Mr, W. M, Singleton, Assistant-Direc-tor of the Dairy Division, reporting on the testing of purebred dairy cows for 1920, .gives evidence of the great improvement in the herds- of the Dominion. In Ahe Journal of Agriculture he snows that tliere were 893,404 dairy cows in New 2iealand. The herds have grown, but there is s^U ample room for improvement in the number of purebreds. Thera is, however, a desire on the, part of breeding and dairy farmers towards greater efficiency in many of the stud and ordinary herds of dairy cattle. "It must ultimately prove to be in th« best interests of the Dominion," adds Mr. Singleton. Exports of purebred stock have bsen made to Jftva, Australia, and Tasmania, and it is hqped they will be made to Sout'j Africa. Cows tested during 1920 were 259 Jeraeys, 105 Priesians, S7 Milking Shorthorns, and five Ayrshixes, a total of 432 for 1920, as compared with 283 for 1919 and 117 for 1913, showing the great attention being given to-day to efficiency on the part of the dairy cow. The leading mature cows for 365 days' tests were as follow :—Jersey: Sultan's Daisy, with 13,502.7 pounds of milk and 968.22 pounds of butter to her credit. Friesian: Burkeyie Sylvia Posch, with 26,226 pounds of milk and 983.20 pounds of butter-fat. Shorthorn : Wiliowbarfic Beauty, giving 15,726.8 pounds of milk and 655.22 pounds of butter-fat. Ayrshire: Milkmaid of Springview, 12,826.2 pounds of milk and 600.2 pounds of butter-fat.