COW TESTING.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XVIII, Issue XVIII, 22 October 1912, Page 5

COW TESTING.

AN EXPERT'S EXPERIMENTS

Some interesting and instructive remarks on the -progress of the dairying industry were made by Mr D. Cuddie, chief of the dairy division of the Agricultural Department, during the course oi: a recent address at a rural centre in Wairarapa. In his opinion, of all the developments,^ the most important has been the initiation of cow-testing which was contributing, in an essential degree, to more remunerative results attending the dairying pursuit. To indicate the development of the cow-testing movement, it may be mentioned that when associations were first established some four years ago, only about 800 cows were treated, whereas this year fully 20,000 cows were being tested by the various associations.

Mr Cuddie instanced two members of a testing association. Both were good breeders and treated their cows kindly, rearing the calves from their herds. One used a purebred bull and the other a mongrel. Last year the averagej yield of the cows was 2951b and 2101b butter-fat respectively, a difference of §slb a cow, or £4 os at Is per lb for butter-fat. With a herd of 40 cows, the man using the purebred bull would have made in a year £168 more than the other man.

Reckoning the annual upkeep of a cow, including grazing, labor, interest, accidents, and depreciation, at £8; if no more than this is produced it follows that the dairyman is making no headway. .Last year the average cow in the best herd tested by an association produced 3201b of butter-fat, which, after charging £8 against the cow, with butter-fat at Is, showed a profit of 6d per lb. The average cow in the worst herd produced only 1601b of butter-fat, which absolutely left no margin of profit. The best cow for a 30-day period left the owner a profit of £4 15s 9d for the period. The worst cow's product was worth only 2s 3d. It is now generally recognised that it is practically inu possible to gauge' the value of a cow unless by the process adopted by the Testing Association.

Mr Cuddie instanced the case of a member of the association who was in the habit of patronising saleyards for his cows, who up till the middle of February this year had culled out 28 per cent, of his herd and was fattening them for the butcher. The benefits of testing associations were further elaborated on by the speaker quoting one herd, the owner of which, by finding oiit the duffers and culling, had reduced his average of 41b below the association's figures last year to -Jib this season. He also emphasised the necessity of purchasing purebred bulls and retaining the heifer calves from the best milkers in each herd.