HERD TESTING

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 57, 4 February 1927, Page 5

HERD TESTING

QUESTION OF GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY.

(Special to “Standard.”) FEILDING, Feb. 3. At the meeting of the Federation i 1 New Zealand Dairy Breeds’ Associations, the opportunity was taken to ask Mr W. M. Singleton, director of the Dairy Division, who was present at the meeting, some questions in regard to the Government subsidising herd testing associations. Mr Jenkins, president of the New Zealand Milking Shorthorn Breeders’ Association, Canterbury , proposed that the Government be asked to grant a small subsidy to group herd testing associations, and he considered that such a request coming from tho federation would bo given earnest consideration by the Government. Mr Singleton said that the matter had been brought before the Government on various occasions, but they had not yet finally decided upon any system of subsidy. Some farmers tested their herds on the group system, some did it under the Government system, and some took their own weights and samples, and with the different costs the question was difficult. Mr Hume, of the New Zealand Group Herd Testing Association, said that a subsidy for tho group system of testing had been requested from ono end of the Dominion to the other. In tlie Waikato there were about 70,000 cows under test, nearly the same percentage as in Denmark. Tho group system, lie considered, was far superior to the individual system, and with the help of the department lie thought that the day would not be far distant when the New Zealand butter-fat average would be 300 lbs. per cow instead of about 1701 bs. He thought that tho question of a Government subsidy was quite fair because a more prosjierous farmer meant a more prosperous country, and every 10!b. improvement to the butter-fat returns to the farmer meant one million pounds more annual income. The money did not stay with the farmer, however, but drifted back to the cities, and therefore the city men, Mr Hume considered, should assist in subsidising tho farmer.

Mr Singleton said lie wished to correct the statement Mr llumo had made in respect to the average butter-fat return for New Zealand. It was, he said, over 1801 b. and much nearer to the Danish average than most people

were aware of. Steady improvement had been made in the herds ever shieo the department started testing operations in 1909.

Mr H. R. Green (Palmerston North) suggested that, when the Waikato Association published their butter-fat returns, they should publish the factory returns for the same herds so as to give people more confidence in the asociation’s work.

After further discussion on tho queS'

i!on, Mr Jenkins’ motion was put to to" meeting and carried.