BULLS' CONTROL PROPOSALS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 28 October 1922, Page 3

BULLS' CONTROL PROPOSALS.

(By "Hickory," in Australasian.) At a Melbourne Royal Show luncheon the Premier of Tasmania (Mr. J. B. Hayes), in reply to a toast, mentioned that his Government was introducing a Bill to control all bulls, and thus lead up to the employment of only pure sires, which measure had the approval of most stockowners in the island. The provisions of the Bill were discussed in. this column at the time that they were accepted by the Tasmanian Farmers* and Stockowners' Association, andneed not be again alluded to at length. Recently, in Launceston the abov4 association, the Dairymen's Association, and the council of the national, show again endorsed the principle of control of bulls. The Farmers' and Stockowners' Association and the Tasmanian Dairymen's Association number many members not directly interested in pure herds. It is manifest, therefore, that the' movement has not been promoted and carried through by breeders of pure stock 'to enable, them to work off their surplus young bulls. These practical men have been convinced that the basis of all improvement of live stock is the use of pure sires. The

wonder is that conviction has taken so long to sink into the minds of stockowners. It is reported that the Minister for Agriculture in Victoria has taken the matter up, and that a Bill is in course of preparation for this "State. Owners can rest assured that no drastic steps will be taken. The elimination of inferior animals will be gradual, and thus not press severely on any individual. In the Tasmanian Bill a departure has been made from the original provisions. A clause provided that the male progeny of cows i registered as foundation cows or appendix cows in any herd book might be used as registered sires for a period of 10 years if the sire of such bull was registered. Under legal advice this clause has been dropped, and the principle that everything within the covers of a herd book is pure will be adhered to. The period for which the use of grade bulls is permissible is also yet in abeyance. It is up to live-stock societies, and particularly to the numerous associations recently formed for herdtesting, to strengthen the movement by affirming the principle, leaving the details to the Stock Department to formulate. The principle is the main thing; the details are insignifirant in comparison with the fact that at some time only pure bulls will be used.