O.H. TESTING REVIEWED

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 47, 26 February 1936, Page 16

O.H. TESTING REVIEWED

Fewer Cows in 1934-35 Season

INCREASE IN HERDS

A decline in the number of cov s, but an increase in the number of herds under test is noted by Mr W. M. Singleton, Director of tho Dairy Di vision in a summary of the 1934-35 season of' Government Official HerdTest purebred dairy cows. The present summary,. which is for the year.ending September 30, 1935, covers the eighth year of operation of the Government Official Herd-test, states Mr Singleton. During this penod 14,791 cows have been tested under this system, with an average of 1849 cows per year since the commencement. It should be noted, however, that many of the cows included in this total' have been under test for more than one lactation period; During tho season under review 2058 cows were tested, a falling-off of 127 cows from the .1933-34 total of 2185. The present total is the third highest since its inception, the highest being 223 G cons for the 1930-31 season.' Again it is pleasing to record another increase in the number of herds, the figure ior 1934-35 being 195, as against 184 lor the preceding season, an increase of 11 herds. This is the highest number of herds yet tested during any one season under the 'Government Official Herd-test, and no doubt can be interpreted to signify an advancing popularity of .the system with breeders using the Certilicate-oi'-Record testing. The highest number of Certificate-ol-ltecord breeders during the same period was 228; therefore, all but 33 breeders availed themselves of the opportunity to test other animals of their herd by means of the Government Official Herd-test. It is probable that tho unfavourable financial position compelled many breeders to choose the Government Official -Herd-test in preference to the more expensive, although more complete, Certificate-of-Record Test, and this no doubt also contributed to the decrease in the number of Certificate-of-llecord entries during the last few seasons. Signs of recovery, however, are apparent.The average butterfat per cow. has decreased by 1.861 b. last season’s average being ’310.04, as compared with 311.90 lb. for the previous year, but a point worthy of note is that despite the unfavourable season the average milking period increased by five days, the figure for 1934-35 being 285 days, as against 280 for last season. The figures quoted, are on the basis of all cows on test for six months (180 days) or more, which has proved to be tho most satisfactory classification, the Government Official Herd-test being a 10-months test. Cows other than registered purebreds are omitted, although a small number are tested each year by special arrangement. ! Last year th e number of cows Tested under this heading was 31, as compared with 32 for the preceding season. The number of registered .purebred cows which are not included in the summary tables total 151, these not being on test 180 days or more. The following average butterfat figures for the different systems of testing in New Zealand may be of interest for comparison; New Zealand’s average herd-test cow for the same season, including all cows in- milk 100 days or. more, yielded 252.01. lb. butterfat in 258 days. The Government Official Herd-test average on the same basis was 303.75 lb. in 280 days, while the Certificate-of-Record . 305-day. test average was 426.23 lb, and the*Certi-ficate-of-Record 365-day test, 527.45 lb.