GROUP HERD-TESTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19124, 16 September 1925, Page 14

GROUP HERD-TESTING.

GOVERNMENT aid wanted. FARMERS' UNION ATTITUDE. SUBSIDY SCHEME APPROVAL, Support in seeking Government assistance for the system of group herd-testing in the Dominion was requested last evening from the provincial executive of the Farmers' Union by a deputation from the New Zealand Co-operativo Dairy Company's Herd-testing Association. Mr. D. Fulton, chairman of directors of the company, said the group system of testing had been in forco only two or three seasons. Owing to the cost of the system it was found difficult. to induce farmers to take full advantage of the scheme. It was realised that with high land values it was necessary to devise means of getting tho utmost returns from tho land. Tho matter of herd improvement had engaged tho attention of dairy farmers for some time but it could not bo carried into proper effect without further financial assistance. The Government had already been approached for assistance but the proposal had been declined. A further attempt was to be mado to induce tho Government to assist tho movement of group herd-testing and it was felt that if the Farmers' Union endorsed the application it would be greatly strengthened. The speaker reminded the meeting that the group system of testing in the Waikato, which was the pioneer group in the Dominion, had been started by the Farmers' Union. It might be said that if the Waikato application for a subsidy was granted other districts would be entitled to similar treatment. He agreed that this was so, but if the system was. going to bring to the Dominion extra revenue it would bo to the benefit of the Government to grant assistance. The system must bo placed on such a foundation that group testing would become universal. It was proposed tp ask the Government for a subsidy of Is a cow for testing or failing that £IOOO a year for three years to place the herd-testing system on a sound basis.

Mr. C. F. Hume, general manager of the Herd-testing Association, gave details of the testing systems in operation. Great improvement had already been shown as a result of the testing that had been carried out. Of the tows tested by the group system in the first year of operation the average yield had been 2071b of butter-fat for 237 days. In the second year the return had increased to 2271b for 238 days. The average production of a dairy cow in the. Dominion was 1701b of butter-fat. After a period of six years testing and calf marking Mr. Hume was sure it was possible to raise the average from Auckland to Te Kuiti to 3001b per cow. Calf, marking for identification purposes was the natural outcome of herdtesting and wa-i a great inducement toward the elimination of the scrub bull. The movement should not be handicapped for lack of finance and that could only be obtained from the Government.

Mr.. Hume said the system of group' testing had been adopted for many years in Australia. The Victorian Government had been subsidising herd-testing up to 2s 6d a cow for the past two years. Subsidies were also granted for testing by the Governments of England, Denmark.. North Ireland and the United States. Tho position was that New Zealand was the only country competing in the world's dairy markets that was not subsidising the testing of the dairy herds. Sympathy with the proposal was expressed by several speakers. It was resolved that the executive„hea.rtily. support the principle of herd-testing because of the necessity of increasing production. Further, in view of the present financial stringency among the farming community, the Government be urged to substantially subsidise herd-testing associations.