HERD TESTING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 1 July 1925, Page 11

HERD TESTING.

THE GROUP SYSTEM

URGED UPON N.D.A. CONFERENCE.

Three representative speakers at this afternoon’s session of the N.D.A. Conference urged upon delegates the imperative need for systematic testing of dairy herds, and set forth the advantages of the group system as practised in the Waikato.

Mr AY. Grounds (chairman of the Control Board) recognised the great importance of the herd testing movement. It was not directly concerned in production—only in marketing—but it was impossible to dissociate the two aspects. The board wished to encourage every form of herd testing throughout the country. The group system would not be wholly satisfactory in scattered and remote districts, but something could be done there through the co-operation of the factories. New Zealand must not neglect any opportunity of strengthening her haiid against competition, and herd testing offered splendid advantages in that direction. He held the view very strongly that the Government should endeavour to associate itself with all progressive movements calculated _to improve the development of the dairying industry and generally enhance the position of producers throughout the Dominion. But, at the same time, producers should go forward with, this development whether they got the support of the Government or not. It would be for the good of tbe whole community to set this movement going, and he hoped that dairymen up and down the country would put their whole weight behind it. Mr R. M. Somerville (Te Ivuiti), the next speaker, apologised for the absence of Mr Dynes Fulton, in whose stead the speaker was appearing. Testing, said Mr Somerville, was. a question which cropped up periodically so far as company directors were concerned. but with the group system it was thought they had something which would solve the question and raise the butter-fat standard. He paid tribute to Mr Singleton for bis assistance in ail movements towards that end. Semiofficial testing had already had a big effect in raising the market figures, but was not sufficiently comprehensive, and tliere was urgent need to raise the butter-fat average of 1801 bs in New Zealand, so as *o more favourably compare with tbe 2481bs average shown in Denmark. The group system furnished the best possible means for securing reliable resists,* it providing for checking both the actual tests and the recorders’ figures. Dealing with costs, he explained that it was estimated each car would cost os annually provided that, taking into consideration the fact that testing could lie carried out for only 2G davs monthly, each group numbered at least 1200. Of this amount it was suggested that the Government should bo asked to grant a subsidy of Is per cow. Governments in other countries, notably England, Holland, Ireland and Australia, were paying subsidv, the first-named paying Is 6d each on 176,000 cows, so it would be seen that in approaching the New Zealand Government for a subsidy the producers in this country would be creating no precedent. To achieve success, of course, the movement must receive Dominion-wide support, and under Government control he had no hesitation in saying that the desired end — the improvement of herds and the consequent greater producing power —- would be the natural result. Mr. C. At. Hume, manager of the New Zealand Co-operative Herd Testing Association, said that two of the greatest difficulties confronting dairy farmers in the past had been getting rid of cull cows and of “scrub” bulls. It had been sought to brand cull cows, but he thought that impossible, since an animal which was a cull cm one man’s farm was a profitable cow on another farm. But the cull could be got rid of bv branding every cow under test, the brand being for purposes of identification only. To-day, not only were real cull cows coming back into tbe industry, but also good cows offered in the yards had bee n bought as culls and so lost to the industry. With all cows under test branded, a. goodlooking cow in the yards would be no good to a dealer without a production card being put into the auctioneer’s hands. As to the scrub bull, it was proposed to mark by tattoo in the ear alii heifer calves Ifjtom. good-yielding cows, provided that the sirq was a registered pedigree bull. It was not asked in tbe meantime that the sire should have a certified butter-fat record, as not all pedigree bulls had yet been tested; but it was hoped to reach that point in time. _ No ealr would ho accepted for marking unless a declaration as to its bona tide® were made before a J.P. This should ensure starting on an absolutely sound basis. There were bound to be certain disappointments over these marked ani-. mals; hut, so long as the standard was kept high, a marked "calf should be at least a profitable animal. It was hoped under the schemo to create a worthwhile market for calves from a week old. Possibly as the scheme progressed the day might come when a financial concern in advancing a farmer money to invest in stock would insist that it be put into marked animals.

(Proceeding.)