DAIRY NOTES.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2277, 8 September 1899, Page 4

DAIRY NOTES.

The Improvement of New South I Wales Stock. From the Agricultural Oazette of N.S.W By M. k. O'Cauaghak. PAitl' li. Dealing with horses, there were 510,036 in the colony on 31st December, 18J)6. The value of the improvement that could be brought about in these we will leave it for others to say, but we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that while there are many fine specimens of the equine species to be seen in the colony, there is considerable room, and in fact a necessity, for general improvement if horse breeding is to be one of the great industries of this country. Now arises the question, where is this improvement to come from, and how is it to be brought about ? For the improvement of horses we can look to the schemes of several countries ; for examples of any definite systems of improving dairy cattle we are more confined, but as the improvement of all live stock is effected in the. same manner, we can have reference to horse improvement schemes, and be aided thereby in considering the means of improving our cattle as well as our horses. In France, for instance, a man may use an unsound stallion for his own mares, but he is forbidden by law to allow outsiders the use of an unsound horse. The Queen's premium prize scheme aimed at bringing about soundness in English horses in the same manner, viz., through the sires. The premium (£200) was awarded at the different central shows to sires up to a standard on condition that they served mares at a reduced fee, but the horse had to first pass a veterinary examination for soundness. The system had several ' defects. (1) The applications that were first in, irrespective of the quality of the mares, had precedence, and in this way those who were in the show-yard, and who knew immediately the horse that was awarded the premium had a great advantage over their absent neighbours, for they could lodge their application for the horse's service the same day as the award was made. (2) The sire may be sound, and the mare not sound, and consequently the resulting offspring may be diseased. (3) Much trouble arose over the soundness and unsoundness of the sires; for a horse that may be passed as sound this year may be declared not sound the next. Many people claimed that a horse that has been raced or hunted and has been passed sound at four or five years ought not to be asked to stand further examinations. The £5,000 per annum that was granted for Irish Horse premiums was awarded under a different system. A horsebreeding scheme was drafted by the Royal Dublin Society; selections of approved mares, examined for soundness, were annually made in the various centres; all the horses available and up to the standard for such premiums were examined for soundness —not in the show-yard, but at their own stables—and a registration of all such animals kept. The premium sires were available for the mares of tennant farmers at a considerably reduced fee, thereby enabling those who could not afford to pay a high price for the service of a sire to breed from valuable animals. The selection of the mares by approved judges, and the guarantee of soundness of sire and dam, tended to bring about best results, viz., quality and soundness. The registration of the sound stallions enabled all who glanced at the list to see where they could have the service of a suitable sire. This system has been acknowledged by all to be productive of much good, and there can be little doubt but that it is based on correct lines.

With regard to cattle, a somewhat similar system has been started in Ireland for their improvement, but not to such an extent as to have its influence widely felt. Premiums are offered for the best bulls of special breeds available for the service of cows, the property of tenant farmers, which service is, ef course, charged for at very reduced fees. Some of the Irish co-operative agricultural and dairy societies have also recently done something towards improving the breeds of cattle. These societies are supported by the landowners and farmers without any Government subsidy, and the subscribed capital is used in such ways as the joint purchase of manures, seeds, machinery, etc., and they also own stallions and bulls, which services the members can procure at low fees. We have now to consider whether part or whole of any of these schemes is applicable to the condition of things in this colony. Certainly, I think a great deal could be done by the various cooperative and dairy societies in the colony, and as their members, who are mostly farmers, are more deeply concerned than anybody else in the improvement of our dairy herds, it is surprising that they have not moved in the matter. Of course, the main trouble is that the introduction of new blood means that the animals must be imported, a rather expensive proceeding. The Department of Agriculture have already imported three bulls (Ayrshires) from New Zealand, two of which have been placed at the State farms of VVollongbar and Bathurst for the use of the public, at the low fee of 2s. fid. per cow. But this is only a trifle, for two bulls cannot serve more than about one hundred cows per year, while we have nearly half a million in the colony. So doubt a good many private individuals would import good sires if there was such scheme as the Queen's Premiums referred to, for then a man would be encouraged to spend some money in the hope of getting it back. I'nlcss there is such encouragement, the half-bred and mongrel bred sires will continue to predominate; for, unfortunately, the farmer looks more at tho money he is going to pay for the service than at the probable value of the foal or calf. Many people are in favor of having all stallions registered and a tax put on them, in the hope that the people owning mongrels would find the tax too burdensome, and thus give up stallion keeping or get improved ones. But how are we to prevent the use of unsound stallions and bulls V By forbidding the use of the unsound ( or solely by encouraging the use of the sound ! The former is coercion, the latter is education ; fnr unco a man thoroughly understands that it does not pay him to me an inferior sire at any price, he will, if he can at all afford it, procure the services of a superior one. If alt our best sound females were put to approved and sound sires, we should soon see a wonderful improvement in our cattle and horses. To JJh CoM'JM.'EL'.