HERD-TESTING THE FOUNDATION OF BREEDING

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 111, 6 November 1935, Page 20

HERD-TESTING THE FOUNDATION OF BREEDING

VALUE OF THE MOVEMENT TO THE DAIRYMAN

(By W. M. Singleton, Director of the Dairy Division.) npESTS for the productivity of milch cows go back to the JL earliest days of breeding of dairy cattle, it being obvious from the commencement thnt some cows gave more milk than others. Milk production alone, then, was the first basis of selection for improvement of dairy cows. It was not until about the middle of last century that serious attention began to be paid to quality as well as quantity. The first tests for quality related to the cream, butter, or oil content of a given quantity of milk, but these tests were only partially reliable owing to the fact that there was as yet no accurate method of ascertaining the richness of milk. Later, however, it was discovered that for the manufacture of dairy products milk was valuable in proportion to its butterfat content, and when, by 1890, simple and accurate tests for butterfat determination were perfected, the breeder of dairy cattle was in possession of the necessary facilities for developing the dairy cow.

Systematic herd-testing as we know it today began in Denmark in 1895, and reached New Zealand in 1909. The Dairy Division of the Department of Agriculture introduced the system, and taken as a whole herd-testing in New Zealand has progressed steadily since its inception. Although inaugurated and fostered and still financially assisted by the Government, practically all nerd-testing is now conducted by private enterprise under the group system, which had its birth in the Waio«noin 1922> Durin S the past season cows were tested, representing 14.5 per cent, of New Zealand's total number of cows in milk. In this respect, however, the depression years have left their mark, as for the 1929----30 season the percentage was 20.4. The effect of herd-testing on dairying and butterfat improvement per cow is one of the many things which cannot be expressed in a formula, but it is generally accepted that herd-testing is the foundation. The factory returns tell us what our herd is producing, but only the herd-test can tell us what each cow is producing and. point the way to elimination and replacement of non-paying cows. Moreover, herdtesting tends to more systematic and scientific dairy-farming practice, whether in the milking shed or in the field ■It may be said that breeding is the foundation of herd-improve- - ment, but herd-testing is the foundation of breeding. ■ Whichever way we turn, whether it is a replacement, or a herd sire, or a foundation dam problem, herd-testing is the basis. Breeding our own herd replacements pays, because it is cheaper, surer, and safer. Owners of good cows are reluctant to sell them. QUESTION OF BREEDING. Assuming the necessity for knowledge through testing of the production of our herds, breeding is the matter of outstanding importance, and to the experienced mind breeding suggests the herd sire. Having introduced the system of herd-testing to New Zealand, the Dairy Division nex* paid attention to the question of breeding. It was obvious that whereas it was i decided advantage to be able to classify the cows in the herd according to yield, the problem of replacement arose. Weeding out is only the first step and in a way the easiest: The problem of replacement is the really difficult one. To meet this position the Dairy Division, in. 1912, inaugurated what is now known as the certificate- , of-record testing of pure-bred dairy cows. It was felt that as time went on we would have several generations of pedigree animals with authenticated butterfat records behind them, and that such information would be of inestimable service to breeders and herd owners in the selection of herd sires arid.foundation dams for herd-improve-ment through breeding. The C.O.R. test is necessarily a fairly costly one to breeders on account of the very complete and careful checks involyed, and to meet a demand for some sort of trial ground for future C.O.R. entries the Dairy Division in 1927 brought in the Government official herd test, which enables owners of pure-bred dairy cows to have the testing carried out at moderate cost. It will be apparent from the foregoing that our dairy farmers are fairly well catered for from the point of view, firstly, of ascertaining information regarding the yield capacity of their cows, and, secondly, from the aspect of selection of pedigree sires for the operation of a breeding plan for herd improvement. It is unfortunate that the recent extremely difficult years financially have forced a number of dairy farmers to do less testing. When carried on year after year testing permits a survey of the records of individual members of the herd, and to determine which are helping to keep the average up and which are tending gradually to pull it down, and to eliminate these. It is wis"e carefully, to consider the relation of the cost of carrying on testing to the amount that can be saved by increasing the average production of the herd, without materially increasing the feed and overhead cost, before deciding not to test because of expense. INCREASE IN AVERAGES. Ten years ago, New Zealand's average tested cow produced approximately 2201b butterfat. In 1933-34 the figure had risen to 262 ib, though owing principally to a poor season climatically the 1934-35 average was down to 252.011b. Going back to the start of herd-testing in 1909-10, it is found that the average production for all cows in New Zealand, including dry cows as well as cows in milk, was 148.451b butterfat. In 1933-34 it reached a peak of 220.801b and for last season with its dry summer fell back to approximately 2101b. How much of this remarkable improvement is due to herd-test-ing it is impossible to say, but there is no doubt that herd-testing has played a conspicuous part in the development of our dairy industry. The improved average yield is all the more creditable when we keep in mind the rapid increase in our dairy-cow population. Statistics indicate that in 1909-10 there

were in New Zealand 583,163 cows in milk and dry. At January 31 of this year, only 25 years later, the corresponding total was 1,952,094. From the point of view of individual performances under the certifi-cate-of-record test, some ten cows have been granted first-class certificates on productions exceeding 10001b fat, at least two of which were world's records when made. In none of these ten cases did the cows receive the extremely specialised attention which it is customary to devote to animals selected for record-breaking, in certain other countries. In fact, the rules of the C.O.R. test are framed with the object of ensuring as. far as possible that cows on test receive nothing better than the treatment which all cows should receive under ideal herd conditions. IN THE MANAWATU. While the'Manawatu has perhaps not played so important a part in the herd-testing movement as some of the other North Island districts, nevertheless the Manawatu has, from very early days, been a stronghold of breeders of purebred dairy cattle, more particularly Jerseys and Friesians. Palmerston North, which Is still the headquarters of the New Zealand Jersey Cattle Breeders' Association, was at one time the headquarters of all the principal breeders' associations, and in fact witnessed the formation of most of them. Some of the earliest herd testing associations were those at Kairanga. Levin, and Cheltenham. When group herd-testing came in, Rangiotu was one of the first in the field and the Manawatu is now strongly represented in the group moven ent. A representative list of \ hose breeders who assisted to establish the certi-ficate-of-record test would be a long one, but a reminiscent eye • dwells on many names still prominent in the memory of those who have had a long association with the world: such names as W. I. Lovelock, C. A. Hopping, and A. J. Gallichan among the Friesians; C. G. O. Dermer, Andrew Buchanan, the Lancasters. and F. S. Mcßae among the breeders of Jerseys. Bulls which made history, not only for the Manawatu but for New Zealand, were "Eminent's Fontaine," "Starbright." and "Majesty's Fox," representing the Jersey breed, and the Friesian bulls "Grace's, Netherlaind of Riverside," "Colonel Manor of Riverside," and "Cliffside Laddie." Cows which through the C.O.R. test, first attracted the attention of connoisseurs were, among the Friesians, "Manor Beets Daughter 2nd of Ashlynn" and "Holland Queen"; while memorable Jersey matrons were "Neathead," "Charm," and "Mere," "Mere's" record being a world's record for age and breed when made. Nor must it be overlooked that the Government's Weraroa experimental farm rendered outstanding service by providing proven individuals of several dairy breeds. Today the Manawatu is dotted with breeders of purebred dairy cattle, and it is probably true to say that these, even more than members of other branches of dairy farming, owe much of their success to the systems of testing dairy cows.