HERD-TESTING RESULTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18458, 23 July 1923, Page 10

HERD-TESTING RESULTS

ORGANISATION OF' GROUPS. ;;'.'„■"•.,.:'i.: ■' y ~\s y.y-\' :r __, : *": l . '■'>*> [J: '■ .-..,.■ NEW SYSTEM IN WAIKATO. DISCOVERINGBEST COWS.'. [BT :' TEMGHAPH. — COHRKSfONDEKT.] ■ ■■': ;-': : .-'7f: HAMILTON. 'Saturday.The herd-testing system inaugurated by the Waikato executive of the New Zea- . land : - Farmers' Union, and successfully conducted by that body; last year, has been taken : over by the ''v New ; Zea-Co-operative Dairy Company, { Ltd., and it,is expected that, tho number of. supporters will be trebled: and that a' more-economical service will be given. The conditions tinder which the , dairy company has taken over the system-were recently explained by Mr. A. E. Missen,< outside supervisor for the company. It had been arranged that the scheme should bfl conducted by a committee, consisting • of '■ representatives of the dairy company and the old association. Groups would be formed in districts wherever a desire was -expressed for their; establishment,■ and iji was intended to secure the appointment -of :an official of ;i the dairy division who would exercise supervision over the whole of the testing. The system would thus Be given a semi-official standing.-. ' '„ ■ -- -.-'- This departure would place the dairy company's activities in connection with herd-testing on a double basis. It was | now possible for farmers to carry out either .their individual testing or testing by groups. The individual system of testing hci'.J given very good results in the past,, .v.id" was most satisfactory for farmers '.sett in isolated and scattered districts, because they could take - their own samples and forward the bottles to the factory they were supplying where the tests would be adequately carried out. This system had been in operation for many "years, said Mr. Missen, and interesting figures were available as to tha results secured. . /..-'• Knowledge of Herd Yield. : . The following table, dealing with some of the groups tested by the company last season,:, wsrs of. particular interest as showing the knowledge of herds that was obtained from consistent testing:—-

The yield of the cow giving the lowest return" ranged from 52.31b. in 213 days in the Paoroa group to 133.161b in. the Clevedon ;■ group. The number of cows > in the seven groups ranged., from 313 at Clevedori to 2401 at Otorohangav 'The -test, cow gave 592.301b. of butter-fat in '610 days, while the worst .cow gave '' 52.301b. fat in 213 days - > The ; average production .: per cow for the best herds in the' seven groups was 363.661b. butter-fat in an average lactation period of . 220 days. The average production per cow for the worst herds in the groun was 185.121b. butter-fat for an average lactation period" of 238 days. • The lowest herd tested by the company averaged 125.421b. : : The lugh£Stvindilrl- ; dual average ;; of 488,541b. of ' fat for a herd was a striking contrast, and showed that a farmer with' such x a herd could live quite comfortably -and profitably, ■ even ;on high-priced land. ■■;■:., ; >~~'>? Sound Out by Group Testing. ■'-■_- Thev group of herd-testing«had given^'equally; striking results, as was shown)"'* by the * detailed figures hi. the Waikato - Union ~< Herd-testing Association that were recently published. The group!; system had served* to discover a cow that was really a world ! champion, ; in that it had • produced 803.471b. of butter-fat in ,279 days on .ordinary grass pasture alone. Had the cow been given ' special . feed she would probably ; have established a world's record. Under : the group ))• system it was advisable to ; have from ,26 to 28 herds in each group, so that the sampler could visit each herd , comfortably in the month. The number j of cows in,each group could range from j 1200 to 1800, ; : The greater the number '■;'.,' to be "teste;! the less would be the average cost per cow. A. charge of 53 j per cow would be ; made, and if any profit was '~* realised at the end of -the season, it would be ": placed to the credit "'; of the .-'.') group. • The reorganised ; body would be )<< called;): the "New Zealand Co-operative liprc-testirig Association," and only cows Supplying . co-operative daily factories would be tested by.-. the association. ) All cows tested by• the association, / pedigree cattle, would be required to be ;;). branded. - '',-,, •- ,'.*'-"" -' '' ;

. >%:,£/ '• •; ;' __ .' ■■ Number Group. highest Cow. of Days. Otorohanga ,.. 258.721b. ;• 114 Cleredon.". .. 395.591b: I 230 Waiuku .. .. 584.031b. 293 Frankton <V,.: ». 493.831b. 169 , Paeroa .... 454.131b. 290 "Waihou . . ..592.301b. 310 Ngatea .. 451.041b. 257