Advantages of Testing

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 193, 17 August 1936, Page 2

Advantages of Testing

ADDRESS TO YOUNG rAEMEKS’ CLUB.

There -was a good attendance of the Young Fanners’ Club at Mangatainoka -when. Mr C. M. Hume gave a very interesting and instructive lecture on herd testing. Mr Hume, who is the herd recording supervisor of the Hew Zealand-Dairy Hoard, gave his lecture with the aid of lantern slides. The speaker traced the group herd testing movement from its start in 1922 up to tho present. According to statistics, quoted by Mr Hume, the average of all cows iu milk and dry in this Dominion in 1922 was ISOlbs.-'fat and to-day, chiefly through the herd testing movement, the average had been raised. to 2201b5. fat, compared with that of Denmark of 2801bs. fat. The continual growth of the movement is clearly indicated in that in 1922 only 8-1,825 cows were under test and last season the number had increased to 250,000 (approx.), which is only 15 per cent, of the dairy cows in the Dominion, compared with 10 per cent, in Denmark, where they are mostly hand-milked herds of about 20 cows. A striking example of the necessity for farmers to test their herds is a cow in a herd of 36 cows at Drury that was nominated at the beginning of the season as a "cull” which not only topped the herd, but produced -1681bs. fat. The meeting closed with a very hearty vote of thanks to Mr Hume byall present for the most educational aud convincing lecture.