THE HERD

Northern Advocate, 28 July 1934, Page 14

THE HERD

World’s Record. . . A Waikato .lorsey heifer lias established a world’s record. She has produced lo,4()Glb of milk containing 89!) lb of fat under semi-official test on twice a day milking by machine. She is a daughter of the American bred bull Fairy Flag’s Raleigh and was bred and is the property of Messrs A. Moreland and Sons, of Te Rapa. This great heifer, Beechland’s Summer Lass,

commenced her great performance at l lie age of one year 343 days and siie had twin calves. Not only did she break the world’s record for all breeds on twice a day milicing but she breaks the New Zealand 1 wo-year-old record for all breeds under all conditions of milking. The previous New Zealand junior two-year-old record for all breeds was 804.(31 b of fat, to the credit of the Jersey heifer, Grecncroft Holden Grace, the property of Mr J. Bones, of O h a up o. Record Association. The South Taranaki Group Herdtesting Association has made history by being the first association in the .Dominion to reach the objective of the Dominion Federation —an average of 3001 b per cow. There are 8087 cows in the seven ,groups of the association. In the previous- season there were only 5011 cows in the association, when the average per cow was 252.41 lb in 20:3 days, so that with the splendid increase of 2470 cows and the increased production recorded of 309.801 b per cow iu 207 days is a splendid achievement. Five herds in the association averaged 3751 bof fat or over. One herd, Fiat of Mr W. Hudson, of Manaia, comprising 33 cows, averaged 412.481 bin 282 days, while the 102 cow herd, of V. H, Adlam, of Inaha, averaged 406.53 in 284 days. More than half the cows in the association produced over 3001 b of fat, 1890 producing between 300 and 3501 b, 3502 between 3oolb and 4001 b, 245 between 450 and 5001 b, and 03 between 500 and 5501 b.

It is interesting to compare the production of the highest butter-fat cow and the highest milk cow. The former, an eight-year-old grade Jersey, gave 13,1701 b of milk testing 5.32, the total fat production being 7011 b of fat in 300 days. The highest milk cow was a nine-year-old Friesian, ■> wliich gave 14,9581 b of 3.72 per cent milk and 557 lb of fat in 288 days.

It is appropriate, that the achievement of the South Taranaki Association should be celebrated. This is to be done by a dinner at Haw’era on August 13, when the association will he presented by a special framed certificate from the Dominion Federation. A man who is to specially congratulated on the success and excellent progress of the association, is the secretary, Mr E, At. Bardsley, a particularly energetic ami progressive official. Records to hand show that the second highest record for an association is that, established by the Bush (Forty-mile Bush) Association, whose 340 S cows averaged 290.401 bin 201 days, an excellent result. The Highest Cows. The leading cow’ disclosed by last year’s testing is'also the record grade cow of the Dominion. Indeed, if she had been fed and managed as arc many pedigree cows and had she been tested for the full year she would probably have beaten every record, pedigree or grade. And this phenomena.! cow r , Lottie, which herd-testing lias discovered was taken homo by a, child of the owmer in a sack, given as an unwanted calf by the man who bred it, for it was a grade and he is the oAvner of a pedigree Friesian 'herd, Air A. Ward, of Alanaw’aru.

This grade Friesian, machine milked twice a day in a herd of .147 cows, and calving on September .12, gave 22.002 lb of milk and 88411) of fat in only 201 days. But for coming in late and being badly affected with foot-rot in the last months of the year she would have undoubtedly made a much higher record. Here are her monthly figures: October, 1041 b milk a day, 1001 b fat for month; November, .10711) milk a day, 1121 b fat for month; December, 1301 b milk a. day, 1371 b fat for month; January, 971 b of milk a day, 1081 b fat for month; February, 901 b of milk a day, 1271 b fat for month; March, 751 b of milk a day, 1151 b of fat for month;

April, 121 b of milk a day, 001 b fat for month; May, 301 b of milk a day, 7GIn of fat (for 39 days). In April ami May the cow was suffering badly from foot-rot. Three days after the December test a cheek test was made, when she gave ,1321 b of milk with a 3.5 test, or 21b more fat than that recorded. The percentage of fat ranged from 3.2 in October to 5.5 in April, the average being 4.01 per cent. hi the 1932-33 season Lottie, although not c,ohlng till October 20th, gave 71411) of hit in 223 clays. Her best month that season for milk was December when she gave 1121 bof milk and 1081 bof far. In March she gave 951 bof milk and 1141 bof fat. Commencing with a test of 3 per cent she went up to 5.4 per cent, her average being 3.80 per cent. Lottie may do bettor this season, as she is due to calve a month earlier (in August) than she did last season.

The next highest cow’ of the season is in the Bay of Plenty Association, a grade Jersey, which gave 8271 b of fat in 303 days, A pedigree Jersey in North Taranaki gave 10,1041 b of milk and 7391 b of fat in 297 days.

The best cow in South Taranaki was a grade Jersey which gave 13,1701 b of milk and 7011 b of fat in 300 days. Lending cows in North Auckland wore as follows:—Northern Wairoa, 0381 b of fat in 341 days; Whangarei, 0171 b of fat in 305 days; Bay of Islands, 5001 bof fat in 315 days; and Hokianga, 5321 b of fat in 297 days. North Auckland Figures. There are five associations in North Auckland. Of these, four have supplied reviews of the past season — Whangarei, Northern Wairoa, Hokianga and Bay of islands. The highest association average is that of Bay of Islands, whose 3030 cows averaged 242.49 in 247 days (against 3344 cow’s averaging 2521 b in 255 days in 193233). Whangarei came next with 5907 i cows averaging 2341 bin 240 days (against 5758 cow’s averaging 2581 b in 255 days in 1932-33). Northern Wairoa tested 7852 cows averaging 2381 b in 252 days (against 7805 cows averaging 2551 bin 255 days). Hokianga tested 3414 cows, winch averaged 209.341 bin 241 days (against 3167 cows averaging 2081 b in 235 days in 1932-33). Another Herd-testing Find. That the. leading cow of the Whangarei Association is a two-toator and yet could produce (>l7lh of fat in 305 j days is another striking illustration of 1 the value of herd-testing work. In i culling by the eye alone this would bo the type of cow that Avould be the first to be culled, but consistent, cheeking up of production has demonstrated once again that businesslike methods must give way to guesswork if dairying is to ho profitable and if the wmrk of breeding is to bo placed on a satisfactory basis. Drenches. There is one form of medicine for slock about which there can be no difference of opinion. This is the ordinary drench. The importance of an opening drench can he realised when it. is remembered that the majority of j stock trouble are due to indigestion, oven in many cases such serious diseases as abortion and mammitis. The only danger with the drench is the liability of making it too strong. Linseed oil or molasses is sometimes preferable (especially in the case of sows about (n farrow') to a powerful drench of which F.psom salts are the basis. Perhaps the best Epsom salts drench is comprised of twelve packets of salts, a cup of molasses, a teaspoonful of ginger and a dessertspoonful of acetate of ammonia. The last named reduces the temperature and its use is desirable iu some cases, especially in treating milk fever. Those ingredients can be mixed with warm ivatcr or with gruel. A good idea is to compound the mixture in a largo jug, making the bulk sufficient to nearly fill two quart bottles. It is better to use a beer bottle than a wliisky bottle as the former is stronger and the liquid runs out of it better.

Where the temperature of the animal still remains high it is well, about four hours afterwards, to give another drench of acetate of ammonia, a little less than the amount given before and mixed in a quart of warm water.