IMPROVING THE HERDS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 26 July 1928, Page 8

IMPROVING THE HERDS.

MOfiltel COWS UNDER. TEST. HAMILTON, July 19. The Now Zealand Co-operative Herdtesting Association, Hamilton, is tq receive between £2560 and £3060 of the £BOOO 'subsidy paid by the State to encourage herd-testing in. New Zealand, accordii ig tq the- report to be submitted by the chairman, Mr. Dynes Fulton, to the' annual meeting of convenors on July 27. The directors had unanimously decided that the amount should he used toward liquidating the association’s plant, account, which stood at £2906.

Might new group* wore formed during till© year-. The New Zealand Cooperative Dairy Company’s subsidy, which in 1926-27 was £661 ami in 192526' was £6lO, was withdrawn when the Government decided to help financially the herd-testing movement. Appreciation of tlh© help the association had received from, the Dairy (Company is expressed. Mr. Fulton say® it was hoped tli© Government would continue' its subsidy for another two years. It was pleasing to report a further expansion in the work of the association, and indications' pointed to 1 another increase in till© coming season. Til© association average showed a. reduction on the previous season for tw© reasons. The average for the season- under review wais (based on all cows in tine shed in milk 10 days or more, whereas, in previous years the average was for normal cows only. The dry spell-during the season also affected the average. The 'association average during the last five years was as fo'llows: —l923-2-1 31,003 cows, 207.811b' fat in 237 days;'l924-25, 55,745 cows, 227.521 b fat in* 23S days; 1925-26, 56,010 cows 232.021b' fat in 244 days; 1926-27, 60,507 cows, 255.491 b fat in 250 day®; 1927-28, 72,734 cows, 228.3711* fat in 241 days. The herd-testing movement was commenced in the Waikato by t)he Farmers’ Union in 1922-23, when six groups of 157 herds, comprising 6900 cows, were tested. Last season there were6o groups of 1570 herds, comprising /6,697 cows, 5167 of which were in the B class and were tested free of charge Mr. Fulton says it Wad been ascertained that tlie testing could not be clone for less than 5s a cow and in most cases herds of less than 4o cows cost moie than 5s to test. The directors bad com© to the conclusion that a Government subsidy must be obtained or the charge for 'these cows must be increased. . Calf-marking had become tne biggest factor in the association’s herd improvement -work and it was responsible for many farmers continuing to test. Air. Fulton says be regards calf markin-- as the- key to the future profitable expansion l of the dairying industry. Over 3200 calves had been marked for members last season, against 1541 in 1926-27 and 641 the year before. Marked"" calf fairs bad -been held and very satisfactory prices had been obtained at two of them. A shipment of 61 marked calves had .teen .sent, to .F iji, <Tncl marked calves available during-the last two months bad been sold at £5 a bead. If the Government subsidy is available iiext season, the directors recommend that the cost of testing should be 5s per cow for the first’4o cows 4s for the next 20 cows and 3s' after 60 in the same herd. If the subsidy is not available the same dlranges as. last season are recommended. 9 lie association s income for the year totalled £17,.b8 10s 3d. ..