SCIENCE IN FARMING

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 129, 2 June 1928, Page 9

SCIENCE IN FARMING

., — ♦ ■ WATCHWORD OF TO-DAY* ■ VALUE OP HERD TESTING "Rapid changes are taking place in dairy farming methods," said, Mr. H. J. Marehant, of Cardiff," Stratford, in his presidential address to the annual meeting of the New Zealand Friesian Association held in Hamilton "on Thursday. "Led by what I consider to be some of the most enlightened agricultural .-journals in the world, the New Zealand dairy, farmer is snow demanding "this exact knowledge on all phases of his many problems, including production, manufacture,, and marketing. Cropping of dairy land' is rapidly becoming obsolete and giving place to the new science of grass land fanning. It is astonishing that our dairy produce has won its great reputation for quality and uniformity with so little scientific aid. There are some who use this as an argument against the need for the establishment of properly-equipped dairy laboratories, but their arguments are confounded in observing the great work done by tho Hawcra laboratory. Established only three years ago, this institution was at first accepted with reserve and scepticism, whereas to-day it enjoys the confidence of the entire dairying community..' Incidentally it has earned and saved the industry many thousands of pounds. Science in farming is the watchword of to-day. ' "I consider herd testing is one of the finest assets the breeder of purebred stock can have, since it creates an almost unlimited demand for puTebred bulls. Breeders must remember, however, that the dairy farmer is' nowadays looking beyond pedigree, and that he demands information with re- I gard to performance. ' A good pedigree is desirable, but good production on the part of the ancestors is essential. I rogard the providing of an adequate supply of bulls from proven ancestry as one of the most urgent issues confronting Priesian breeders to-day. Nevertheless, I have heard breeders openly disparaging herd testing, and I wish to point out that anyone who does so immediately falls under suspicion as to his ability Uo supply stock'of the required quality. It is lamentable that on many points of farm and herd management some breeders are .actually behind ordinary dairymen in a progressive area. The status of the purebred can never be raised to the position it should occupy until such an anomaly is removed." Mr. Marehant touched optimistically on the prospects of the Friesian breed in the development of the industry.