DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 645, 2 March 1923, Page 6

DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

ROBBER COW PROBLEM. FRIESIAN BREEDERS’ SOLUTION. The problem of eliminating the robber cow and scrub bulls from New Zealand dairy herds, which are considered by breeders a serious menace to the fuller development of the dairying industry, 1738 discussed by a local’Friesian breeder, when Interviewed on the subject by a “Standard” reporter., “This question,” he remarked, “opens up a big field of discussion, but there is no doubt that it must be faced by. dairymen in a practical way if the output is to be increased. At the present time the annual butterl'at production in the Dominion for each cow is "1601 b. This cannot be called a good output; in fact, it is very mediocre indeed.” “What remedy would you apply?” asked the reporter. “The present position could be easily remedied by decreasing the cost of testing and making it possible for farmers to go in for it on a systematic basis. The existing fees are altogether too high, and the dairy division of the Agricultural Department holds the view that the fees charged for testing do not pay for'Tho outlay. The department seems to lose sight of the_ fact, which is all important, that behind it all is the general good of the industry and the community as a whole. Let the department reduce its fees and there is no reason why we should not double our output.” Asked what methods he would employ to develop the* industry he replied: “In the first place I advocate the use of purebred bulls, and I consider that dairymen should be compelled by law to use no others. In the event of a small farmer being unable to afford the cost of a purebred animal he should be assisted by the department by allowing the cost to be spread over a period of years. "Secondly, I would make testing compulsory, and in order to ensure this fees could be reduced by half. The present fee is £ls per cow* per annum and it is too high. THE ROBBER COW. “With reference to ordinary herds the same applies with regard to the use of purebred bulls. There are testing associations throughout the Dominion which are doing good work, but the trouble is the work finishes at testing the cow. When the robber cow is detected it should be put out of the herd and fattened for killing.” “Could the small man afford to do this?” asked the reporter. “He would not, of course, sell the robber cow at a price that would enable him to purchase a good animal, but you must remember that he was losing all the time the ‘robber’ was in his herd. If a man, say, possesses a herd of thirty poor cows he is losing on them, as, with twenty good ones, he would do as well as he did with the thirty. “Where testing has been carried out with purebred two-year-olds it has been proved that the average yearly production per cow lias seldom been below 3001 bs. It is estimated that there are 70,000 scrub bulls in use in New Zealand. This is the most serious thing that we have had to contend with in the dairying industry.” “What will be the outcome of this use of inferior stock “Well, it is a certainty that we can never look for any striking developments in the industry while the present state of affairs continues. Of course, such reforms as I have advocated would be bound to meet with a certain amount of opposition, just as there was. opposition to the dairy regulations when they were first introduced • some years ago. If, however, the Agricultural Department affords every assistance to the small farmer to improve his herd along the lines I have suggested, I do not think the opposition would amount to much. Undoubtedly the general feeling among dairymen is in favour of reform, as it is recognised that the problem of the robber cow and scrub bull is a serious one. “When considering this question, the problem of fodder must be taken into consideration also; steps-must be taken to provide against the drop in the yield in the autumn and in order to. provide for the carrying of the cows through the winter. It is just as important to take every care of, the cow in winter as it is at any other season of the year as it has been shown that • a cow in good condition gives a better test than one that has not had the same care. This question is one that is badly neglected, as can be seen by the bad condition of many cows when they come in.”