New, impressive Records For Herd Testing Assn.

Northern Advocate, 16 August 1949, Page 2

New, impressive Records For Herd Testing Assn.

NEW and impressive records were established by the Northland Herd Improvement Association during the 1948-49 season, when 42,310 cows under test returned a butterfat average of 2621 b in 244 days. The previous record average, of the 1947-48 season, was 2591 b in 241 days, which eclipsed the 1940-41 figure of 2521 b m 240 days. ' Marking the successful conclusion of 10 years of nerd recording in Northland, the association’s 1948-49 figures illustrate the extent to which, the herd-testing movement has progressed since its inception in this province. At the same time they indicate the success which has attended dairymen’s efforts to increase production.

Those figures are revealed in the association's 10th annual report, to bo presented at the annual meeting at Whangarei on August 25. With the extraordinarily high average of 29Glb butterfat in 250 days, the Albertland group was the most successful of the 32 groups in the association’s area. to the Albertland group 2985 cows were tested. They yielded an average of 58801 b of milk at a 5.0 test. The Ruakaka and Waipu groups filled second and third place respectively. Ruakaka recorded the high average of 2911 b fat in 2GO days. In the group 843 cows yielded an average of 59221 b milk at a 4.9 test. The Waipu group’s average was 284 lb fat in 258 days. Tne. number ot cows tested was 755, with a milk average of 50401 b at a 5.0 test. Kaingaroa-Houhora, in the Far North, was the only other group to pass the 2801 b mark, with ,2811 b butterfat in 249 days, from 1008 cows, which averaged 56591 b milk at a test of 5.0. GROUP PRODUCTION Details of production from all groups

him to determine which cows are efficient producers, and which ones are capable of returning a profit under the various price structures, that occur from year to year. “Determination of which animals should be kept in herds and which ones should be disposed of, is a most difficult job, without the aid of carefully kept and carefully studied records,” Mr. Durney continued. “Measuring the producing ability ol a dairy cow is strictly a business proposition. It is of the utmost importance to the dairyman who is anxious to make his dairy farm return a better farm family living. COSTING PROCESS "Business people periodically take stock of their position. They compile financial statements, listing the assets and the liabilities. “Herd testing is. in reality, the costing process used by dairy farmers. By the application of this scientific method of herd analysis, a reasonable degree of improvement can be expected. “Individuality is the determining factor in milk and fat production. Cows differ widely in their ability to turn feeds produced on the farm into milk and butterfat.

"There are shirkers and workers in every herd. There are cows that are losing money for the dairy farmer. Labour costs and feeding costs increase with the number of cows, and with decreasing production. "It is best to maintain fewer and better cows, thus reducing overhead in feed and care," he claimed. “An understanding of the difference between cows is fundamental to any programme which has for its object the increasing of the earning power of the dairy farmer. “Herd improvement becomes a thing of real importance when we establish standards of living and earning capacity as the goal for dairy farming. “For labour, management add other costs, every dairy cow pays a price in the shape of grain, hay and.pasture fed to her. OUTSIDE APPEARANCES "As outside appearances offer no more than a poor guess as to what the producing ability of the dairy cow really is, record keeping becomes a valuable tool when it answers the question as to just what return each individual cow is making for feed, care, labour and management. “Moreover, there is the profit-earn-ing motive to be considered. No dairyman can secure a fair return for labour and capital expended unless his herd makes a high average production of butterfat. “Farmers should he -ever directed to culling cows;that do not pay for feed. , ~ “The true aim of herd testing therefore is to discover the "hidden" profits for the farmer and to reveal the losses. “Guessing at production and gauging production by type, have both proved failures. What to avoid and what to hold fast to are clearly set forth by records obtained .on every cow in the herd. , , “The guiding thought m herd recording is to determine the true worth of each and every cow in the herd, to the end that they may improve the average production of the herd. A profit and loss account is therefore of some value to every dairyman,’’ Mr Durney added,

For the 10 years of the association’s operations, the butterfat average has been 236.41 bin 233 days. The milk average in that period has been 4821.51 b.

MANAGER’S REVIEW Aspects of the organisation’s work and progress in Northland were reviewed by the general manager of the association (Mr G. E. Durney) in an interview at Whangarei today. He said that, in spite of the problems arising from post-war restrictions of materials and manpower, the association looked confidently to the futufe, with a determination to overcome the difficulties and carry out the principles laid down in the commencement of the herd improvement plan. This plan, formulated under the auspices of the New Zealand Dairy Board, aimed at far-reaching development and improvement in the dairy herds of the Dominion. "More'and more dairymen are coming to realise the necessity of carrying out a sound constructive programme to enable them to build better herds of dairy cattle,” said Mr Dupney. “The old slogan of ‘feed, weed and breed’ is more effective today than ever before, because of the greater use to which records are now being put. “It is a practical necessity to keep records on cows as a measure of the effectiveness of a definite feeding programme, as a guide in the matter of culling, and as a basis for building the dairy herd through better breeding practices. CULLING PROBLEM “Culling the dairy herd will continue to be one of the problems each herd owner must work out. “The keeping of Records enables

arc as follows:Group Cows Milk Test Fat Days Arapohuo 1202 5600 4.9 276 242 Dargaville 1155 5147 5.1 263 255 Hikurangi — UI81 5321 5.0 264 247 Kneo-Oruru 1227 5102 5.2 265 242 Kallui 1200 5220 4.8 251 243 Kaikohe 785 5194 4.9 254 250 KaingaroaHouhora .... 1008 5059 5.0 281 249 Kaitnia-Awamii • - 1817 5093 5.2 263 245 Kaiwaka 1258 5347 5.2 279 242 Kawakawa — 788 5775 4.8 277 251 M’karamca 992 5511 4.8 200 246 M’tapere .... 1510 5300 5.0 267 247 M'turoto 1720 4203 5.2 251 247 Molu-B’wood .. 1419 4261 5.2 221 237 OlincawaiWaimate 1408 5208 5.1 203 250 Okaihau 887 5102 4.8 243 241 OueWaimamaku . 1118 5290 5 2 274 245 Ruakaka 843 5922 4.9 291 260 Ruavvai 1547 4822 5.1 247 237 TakahueHerekino — 1285 5353 5.1 274 248 Tangiteroria .. 1641. 4749 4.9 232 232 Te Kopiiru 1090 4527 0.1 233 243 TiltekehuaHoreke — 842 4036 5.2 210 231 VVaipu " 755 5640 5.0 284 258 Whangarei — 2418 5184 4.9 252 243 Albortland — . 2985 5880 5.0 296 250 Hellcnsvilln 1492 5168 4.8 249 231 Kaipara Flats 1117 5358 4.8 259 241 Kaukapakapa . 1049 5090 4.8 275 250 Matakana 1231 5635 4.8 272 247 Rodney Wharchine 1282 5908 4.7 279 255 949 4780 5.1 242 231 Assn Average . 42310 5250 5.0 262 244