HOW HERD TESTING HAS COME TO THE AID OF THE DAIRYMAN

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 7 November 1933, Page 16

HOW HERD TESTING HAS COME TO THE AID OF THE DAIRYMAN

The prosperity of tiie Dominion is dependent on a successful dairying industry. Every dairy farmer is therefore under a moral obligation to produce the maximum of butterfat at the lowest possible cost Competition on the World’s Markets lias become increasingly keen. Will New Zealand obtain more of that market or will she allow other countries to undersell her?

This Dominion cannot overproduce butterfat provided quality is maintained and production costs are reduced below those of our competitors. Climatic conditions give us an overwhelming advantage, though it is not until now that it has become necessary for us to take full advantage of them. Denmark milks approximately the same, number of cows as New Zealand though in area she is no bigger than the Auckland Province.. Denmark’s average,- over all oows, .is. about 2701 b. as against 2201 b. in this Dominion. To bring about an’economic increase in production three things are absolutely essential: 1. Herd testing. 2. Fertilisers.

3. Tested pasture seed. As the subject I am dealing with is the paramount one of herd testing I will confine myself to an outline of the progress and methods of the Herd Testing Associations of the Dominion. Herd testing was started in the 190910 season by the Department of Agriculture in conjunction with the suppliers of the Dalefield Dairy Co. in die Wairarapa. The number of cows cested was 815. The method adopted was the Association system which provided for the weights and samples being tnKen by the owner, and tlie testing being done by tlie semi-official costing olticer or tlie factory manager, uiood progress was being made up to die war period, when or necessitv the work went back. Following on the •‘slump” of 1921-22, the group system was adopted, and during the. first, season 7530 cows were tested. The figures show consistent improvement and on the tenth year the number under Group' Testing had increased to 248, 800. Figures indicate that the system has the confidence of the farmers generally and that it has supplied a definite want. The Association system reached its peak in the 1923-24 season when 108,j7O cows were under test. Since that date it has fallen away steadily, proving conclusively that it paved the way for the more complete Group system. The extension of machine milking also presented a difficulty in carrying out the sampling of the cows. This was particularly noticeable with herds in the hands of sharemilkers. The Group system remedied these defects by providing the officer to take the weights and samples without disturbing the routine work in the shed. The total number of cows under test by Group Herd Testing Associations in tlie 1932-33 .season was 253.016, or about 16 per cent, of the dairy cows in the Dominion.

The following figures are especially arresting: 1909-10, average of all cows. 148.451 b. fat; 1925-26, average of all cows, 179.401 b. fat; 1932-33. average of all cows, 2201 b fat (approx.). An increase of over 701bs. per cow

approximates 8,000, which number is a record. Even so, this figure represents £t very small percentage of the cows being milked in the area and one which compares unfavourably with other parts of the Dominion. It is, however, pleasing to note that many farmers are now realising that knowledge of the production of individual members of the herd is indeed essential if maximum production at the lowest cost per lb. butterfat is to be realised. Herd testing alone can provide this information and the cost of 3i per cow for a full season’s testing cannot be looked upon as prohibitive in any way.

Wlnfe Soutn Taranaki cannot be proud of its percentage of cows under best, it can be rightly proud of the records of herds and cows which are under test. Space does not here permit details of many of the fine individual records. Suffice it to say that the district' has held pride of place among all others for average buterfat production. The figure for all cows under test with ihe association for the 193233 season was 62211 b. milk, 4.539 per cent test, 282.411 b. fat in 265 days. It might here be mentioned that- this association is in the habit of supplying total milk for each cow for the whole season as well as total fat, a service given only by one or two other associations.

CALF MARKING. This is a, vital adjunct of the Group Herd Testing work. Heifer calves, from high-producing cows of any breed or breeds, are marked (by way of tattoo) and registered, a certificate showing marking of calf, together Avith details of its breeding and butterfat backing, being issued, in all cases the sire must be a registered pedigree and in the case of bulls born on or after July 1, 1931, must also have as dams cows which have produced in accordance with certain standards (from 2501 b. as a 2-year-old to 3601 b. as a 5-year-old, in 305 days). The scheme was first put into operation in the 1925-26 season, when 631 calves were marked. The calf marking scheme is now carried out, under standard rules, by all associations wi.hiii the federation and the number being marked this season will approximate 20, GOO.

The South Taranaki Association conduces regularly in February oi each year a •'marked” calf fair. Two have a. ready been held and some very excellent animals have come forward, so much so that the fair is now anticipated by buyers in all pares of rhu Dominion; Sales were made at the last fair to buyers as tar north as Thames to as far south as Southland, and already enquiries have keen made regarding the next fair. Such keen demand naturally creates excellent prices and over £'33 has been realised for a lot of five calves. Over the whole ouerings, hcw'e/erj a definite premium h..s Leen established and the uiller of “marked” as against unmarked stock or the same apparent quality can look for a definite premium of around £2 per head. If the Dominion generally would concentrate on calf marking it would iesu.t, in a few years, in only highclass butterfat backed two-year-olds being offered in the sale yard This would provide a great impetus in production and by increasing the averagi per cow would automatically reduce production costs.

A few years ago Herd Testing was looked upon, in general, a,s a. luxury, but it has proved to be a necessity and until every farmer tests conscientiously the Dominion cannot hope to reach its maximum economic production.