POULTRY TROPHY WON

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 94, 4 April 1934, Page 11

POULTRY TROPHY WON

Mr. L. M. Boyce’s Success FOWLS HAVE TYPE & YIELD Hawke’s Bay is making a name for itself in the poultry annals of the Dominion. Mr M. L. Boyce, of Hastings, recently won tho third annual egg-laying contest at Massey Agricultural College in the teams’ section, his prize-winning team of Black Orpingtons securing the Golden Egg Trophy tor the team scoring the highest number of eggs and the Breeders’ Trophy for the team scoring the most points for eggs and type. Thue Mr Boyce can claim to have combined both type and production in his stock. Laying consistently throughout the 50 weeks of the competition, this team of Black Orpingtons laid 1430 eggs, as against the runners-up (Mr F. 8. Alien's team of White Leghorns) which laid 1382 eggs. The individual scores of the six birds in the Orpington team were 229, 250, 175 , 252 and 263. This team also secured a Certificate of Merit for their performance. The team recently arrived back in Hastings, and a “Tribune” reporter took the opportunity of viewing the birds. When seen it was hard to realise that these birds had gone through such a strong trial, as they were m fine order and did not appear to be any the worse for their great effort. When it is realised that these birds are laying approximately two ounces of egg per day, it can be imagined what a drain this is upon the fowls. Taking the average egg as a 2-ounce egg, these birds laid respectively 28, 33, 31, 22, 31 and 33Ibs. of eggs during the trial. When tho weight of the average bird is taken into consideration—from 4J lbs. to ,5J lbs.—the strain of the heavy laying season must tell on the birds unless they possess constitution. Three of the birds in this winning team were sisters, while two of the other birds were also related. Mr Boyce told tho “Tribune” that he selected these birds for type and constitution, and as can bo seen from the above figures, they also had production included in their breeding. Hawke’s Bay poultry farmers will join in congratulating Mr Boyce On the wonderful effort that his hens made. DAIRY CATTLE YIELDS Review of C.O.R. Testing SATISFACTORY POSITION “The position regarding Certificate of-Record testing in 1933 must be classed as satisfactory, inasmuch ar there was an increase in the number of certificates issued as compared with the en'mdar rear 1932. Moreover, the past year was rich in individual performances, several outstanding yieldhaving been authenticated. First, class Certificates-of-Record were issued to 507 cows in 1933, and of this number 461 cows qualified in the yearlytest division and the remaining 46 in the 305-day division. The support accorded the ten-months class continues to indicate that it is favoured by a very small percentage of our breeders and that its popularity evidences no tendency to increase,” states Mr W. M. Singleton, Director of (he Dairy Division, in a review of the New Zea land Certificate-of-Record system in the current issue of the Journal of Agriculture. “The 461 first-class certificates issued in the yearly division in 1933 represented an average production of 523.101 b butter fat per cow. an increase of 22.751 b over the 1932 average of 500.35, which was for 443 certificates.

“Since the commencement of the C.O.R. system in 1912 8545 cows have been granted first-class certificates. This number comprises 6144 Jerseys. 1679 Friesians, 435 Milking Shorthorns. 216 Ayrshire.', 62 Red Polls, 2 Guernseys. and 7 Shorthorns. “Second-class certificates issued during the year under review numbered 37, as compared with 24 in 1932. Onlv two breeds were represented. 26 being Jerseys and 9 Friesians. The average production was 486.81 and 551.201 b fat respectively. “As explained in last year’s review, a class has recently been instituted for cows which qualify for first or second-class C.O.R. in all respects save subsequent calving. It was also stated that, although the class*was not intended to be retrospective, the Dairy Division was prepared to issue thirdclass certificates on past, performances on receipt of an application from the owner, and the completion of the necessary statutory declaration as to milk weights, etc. Our records show that during tho past year 76 third-class certificates were issued to Jerseys, and 10 to Friesians, one cow in each breed receiving certificates on two separate performances. The average for the Jerseys was 517.831 b fat from 9154.71 b milk in 358 days, and for the Friesians 685.861 b fat from 18,529.11 b milk in 365 days. Among the Jerseys was a 10001 b record. Reshure Nova Supreme was credited with 15,440.41 b milk, containing 1007.421 b fat, in 365 days. It is unfortunate that she did not comply with the calving requirements for ordinary certificate. “The average period between calving for commencement of test and calving subsequent to test for 461 cows granted first-class certificates during the year was 403 davs. being seven days more than in 1932. The corresponding period for the second-class cows was 467 days, as compared with 469 days for the preceding year.