HERD TESTING

Hawera Star, Volume L, 27 November 1930, Page 4

HERD TESTING

‘ I TARANAKI LAGS BEHIND

COMMENT ON ANNUAL REPORT “While the total figures for somci of the larger land districts make impressive reading, the position is altered considerably when the figures are brought’ down to a .basis of the percentage of cows tested, in comparison with the total cows in the district,” •states the '‘‘Exporter”' in its comments upon the 1 Dairy Division’s annual report on herd testing. “On this basis, 'Gisborne, one of the last districts to enter the testing movement, leads the Dominion, having 33.4 per ■cent, of tested cows, to all' cow® in milk as against 2b.S per cent, for the Auckland district, which takes in the Waikato, and 24.5 per cent, for North Auckland. Taranaki, despite its increase in total numbers last year, still has only 15.1 per cent, under test, being the lowest district in the North Island insofar as testing is concerned. Even Marlborough, where dairying is .scattered in nature, and not nearly so well organised' in some respects, has a much better showing on this basis, than has Taranaki.

'“lt will probably interest some of the non-testing farmers in the Taranaki district to know that one of the principal reasons for the very satisfactory percentage ini the Gisborne district is that- testing-is carried out by the majority of the suppliers to the Ngatiporou Dairy 00., the all-Maori company at Ruatoria which ha-s had a most satisfactory rdeord from the quality viewpoint. '“The average yield for all tested, cows for last season was 253.611 b, as against an average of 240.501 b the previous season. The increase is very satisfactory, and especially so as it eann'ot be credited to climatic conditions. ’ ’