THE COW AS PRODUCER.

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 73, 30 March 1929, Page 10

THE COW AS PRODUCER.

Mr. William Singleton, Director of the Dairy Division of the- Department of Agriculture, reports that from the point of view of average production of certificate of record cows, the position is satisfactory. A review of the past six years shows that while production can hardly be claimed to have advanced it has not fallen back. "Combining all C.O.R. cows the average butter-fat production year by year from 1923 to 1928, both inclusive, runs 408.451b, 470.991b, 467.921b, 463.871b, 469.561b, and 469.531b, respectively. This shows neither increase nor decrease, but a hovering round a point. The variation between one year and another is perhaps partly the result of climatic and general conditions, and partly because one year may be prodigal of outstanding producers and another year featureless in this respect. There is also reason for the assumption that our average' purebred cow is reaching the limit of butter-fat production in conformity with her present stage of development, and that increased yield can only be expected to arrive slowly as tlie resutl of improvement in type, or methods of feeding and handling, or both."