HEED TESTING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 176, 25 June 1935, Page 8

HEED TESTING

DOMINION FEDERATION. ANN UAIUeETING. Between 25 and 50 delegates were present at the annual meeting of the Dominion Group Herd Testing Federation, held in Painievston North to-day. The president, Mr G. H. Bell, Oakura, Taranaki, was in the chair. .Those present included Mr W. M. Singleton, Director of the Dairy Division of the Department of Agriculture. Mr AV. H. Giihhlett (Rangiotu) was the Manawatu delegate. In his opening address tkq chairman expressed his gratification at the large attendance. He said apologies for absence had been received from Sir Francis Frazer, deputy-chairman of the Executive Commission of Agriculture, Mr G. A. Duncan, a member of the Commission, Mr A. J. Murdoch, chairman of the New Zealand Dairv Produce Board, and Mr T. C. Brash, the board’s secretary, Mr A- Morton, president of the National Dairy Association, and Dr. C. J. Iteakes, DirectorGeneral of Agriculture. ‘‘ln presenting the ninth presidential annual report, I desire to congratulate' the executives of affiliated associations on the results obtained during this season,” stated the president. “Though there is a falling off in membership in the majority of associations. we must recognise this was brought cbout by the uncertain outlook for the industry, combined with the threatened quota on pork, and the embargo on bobby veal, just when signing up for members was being completed. There is certainly no suggestion that herd testing is superfluous. Indeed, I venture to say that with a return of stable conditions the percentage of cows under test will increase to a marked extent. Despite our propaganda work, there are still' many dairy' farmers who consider that the purpose of herd testing is to increase total production. The fundamental principle, however, is to disclose the productive ability of each cow within the herd. AVith actual-figures to guide him, the farmer is in a position to cull his lowest producers and to breed from his best. Guesswork is therefore entirely eliminated. The advisability of increasing or decreasing total butterfat production from the farm, and indeed the desirabilitv of increasing or decreasing the average test of the herd, are. matters entirely for the farmer’s own judgment. Herd testing, in . effect, is educational. The test figures .detail the information in respect of. milk, test and butterfat for each cow in the herd. The application of the lessons disclosed by these figures is left entirely in the farmer’s own hands. Failure to apply correctly these lessons should not be construced as failure on the part of the system itself. “To-day we must look facts squarely in the face, and in doing so one cannot fail to be impressed by the fact that those farmers who are still in a sound position financially have invariably based their dairying operations on consistent "nerd testing. They recognise that herd testing is the basis of profitable dairy farming and that good feeding and good management will not obtain maximum production without the individually good cows. Just as the use of artificial fertilisers has now obtained universal recognition in this Dominion, so must herd testing be universally adopted if the industry is to be lmilt on sound and profitable lines. If the present low price for our produce is to continue, the problem confronting our farmers will be: “Can I afford not to test?” ASSOCIATION’S PROGRESS. “The progress of the federation is set out as follows, the figures being for season, number of association’s, number of group cows, number of association cows and the total levy (those marked with an asterisk are not subject to levy) :

“The above figures include adjustments. “No changes have been made in membership since our last meeting, the membership standing at 28 associations, 18 in the North and 10 in the South Island. Levies for the' season amounted to £486 11s as against £538 10s 3d for the previous season. The balance-sheet discloses a slight improvement in the position with reserve funds amounting to £1257 8s 2d. The sum of £I3OO was paid to the federation by the New Zealand Herd Testing Central Executive during the past season. This was allocated from the 1933-34 subsidy and was to assist in meeting the salary, travelling expenses, and office expenses of the federation supervisor. The levy of id per cow alone would be insufficient to effectively carry out the activities of the federation. The Government subsidy is diminishing at the late of £IOOO per annum, 1- or this season therefore it may barely reach 2d per cow for cows tested under the group system. No subsidy, is now to be paid for cows under the association own sample test. You will recognise that as the subsidy per cow lias reached such low figures the amount for association own sample test would in the majority of cases lie insignificant. Though the subsidy is rapicllv disappearing we must recognise that without this financial help the herd testing movement could not possibly have reached the position it is in to-day.” In moving the adoption, of his report the chairman congratulated the executive on the results of their work in a very difficult season. The proposed quota oil pork and the cheek m the llobbv calf industry had had much to do with difficulty in signing up new members. Both islands, too had been affected by dry weather and lie had expected to see a decrease in the avei : a,<e production per cow. but the _ inereuse in May had been Touching on the work of t.ie piuty Commission, the speaker said the.r ieport. had had the whole-hearted back lim of the industry in New Zealand. The Commission had given quite a favourable report as to lierd-testing and it was to be hoped that under the new order herd testing would receive the lie In it needed. , Speaking of the rise in butter prices the president said that he thought we could not look for any improvement that would be lasting until the tanff harriers throughout the world weie broken down. It seeded that the dit■ferout countries were each attempting to see how little they could do without the trade of other countries. So, and also the economic outlook, to prountil our economic conditions changed vide for more co-operation between the different countries, we could not hope lor in butter prices. . Herd testing should be going tenward more quickly than it was, he added, and lie was sorry to see that it ffiad gone back a little, even though the vear had been a very difficult one, He 'had complete faith, though, on its coming advancement .... , Mr Singleton, who was invited to speak, complimented the federation on

its operations in the past- year, and extended his good wishes for an even more successful year to come. The motion for.the adoption of the report was seconded by Mr H. R. A on Dndelszen (Heretaunga), and carried ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Messrs G. H. Bell and AY. J. Law (Bay of Plenty) were declared reelected to the management committee, they being the only nominees for. the vacancies caused by their retirement by rotation. Mr Bell was re-elected president, Messrs , Crimp and AVright (Hamilton) were re-elected auditors. RULE FOR TESTING SEASON. Mr Law moved: (a) That rule No. 10 of the uniform rules be deleted and the following substituted: “For the purposes of these rules, the testing seuson slnT’l be considered to cover the period between July 1 of one year and June 30 of the year immediately succeeding.” (b) That (a) gs above be adopted from July 1, 193-5; (c) that all relevant rules be altered to comply with the change. The mover explained that it was aimed to alter the testing season to allow for June testing. The motion was seconded by the chairman, pro forma. Mr I’. Edge (Bush) said that his association had found that June testing did not meet with the support hoped for. He thought that it should be left ! for individual \associations to obtain permission to conduct their testing june if they required it. Mr 11. A. Candy (New Zealand Cooperative Dairy Company) also spoke against the motion, saying it was a matter for individual associations to consider if they wanted it. In his district the effect of the motion would be to penalise members, said Mr Hingston (Bay of Islands). Similar views were expressed by a Heretaunga delegate. The chairman said lie had been pleased to see that Bush had found the proposed change impracticable. The management committee were unanimously against the change. The motion was lost by a- large majority. The following alterations, among others, were passed to take the place of certain rules, at the proposal of the federation supervisor “All cows in the herd must be submitted for test and be included in the monthly and annual herd averages. Annual herd averages shall include all cows in milk 100 days or more.” “Calculations shall he from the date of calving, excepting that they shall not he carried back for more than 99 days from the close of the first period during which a cow is tested.” At the suggestion of Mr Hume it was also agreed to alter the rules to provide that a heiler calf eligible at I birth must be marked for registration as soon after birth as possible and that a heifer calf not eligible for registration at birth must be made identifiable as soon as possible-. A calf so marked is to be eligible for registration if the dam. in that lactation, readies the qualifying standard. The meeting then adjourned until 2 p.m.

1926-27 ... 8 88.549 — £184 1927-26 ... 12 122.613 — £255 1923-29 ... 21 193,762 5.661 £415 1929-30 ... 22 224.170 6 939 £431 1930-31 ... 26 227.303 *5,674 £473 1931-32 ... 23 222,341 *6.933 £463 1932-33 ... 23 241.503 *7.012 £503 1933-34 ... 23 253,490 *6 328 £538 1934-35 ... 23 233.570 *6.792 £486