CALF-MARKING SYSTEM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20623, 23 July 1930, Page 11

CALF-MARKING SYSTEM.

VALUE OF HERD-TESTING.

HIGH PRICES IN WAIKATO

[BV TELEGRAPH. —OWN' CORRESPOXDEXT.] HAMILTON, Tuesday.

An important outcome of the herdtesting movement initiated in the Vv'aikato has been the high prices realised for the marked heifer progeny of high-testing dams and pedigree bulls. Up to £lO 10s has been received for heifer calves marked by the New Zealand Co-operative Herd-testing Association, and one producer, Mr. 1. Taylor, of Qkoroire, re.j ceived no Jess than £574 for 70 calves marked in this way. Of the'line Mr. | Taylor sold 24 at £lO 10s and 46. at £7, an average of £8 2s per head. Ihe average price for an unmarked calf ranges between £2 10s and £3, and farmers with high producing cows whose records are supported by herd-testing figures are assured of a profit on the sale of their calves which will more than pay for the cost of herd-testing. Under the Herd-testing Association's system ihe calves of the following classes of cows may be marked at the owner's request : Heifers, 2n years old. giving 2501b. fat or over, in 305 days ; 5!-year-old heifers, giving 2751!>. fat or over in 305 days; mature cows, giving 3001b. fat or over in 305 da vs.

The sires of unmarked calves must be registered pedigree bulls, although the dams need only be grades. On and alter July 1, 1931, bulls born after that date must have a recorded butter-fat backing to qualify as sires of marked calves. The calf-marking system was inaugurated four years ago and a sale of marked calves was held at Frankton on January 25, 1927. Seventy head were offered and prices ranging from £2 10s to £9 5s were realised. The top price was obtained for a line of six offered by Mr. J. J. Walker, of Okoroire. Sales were held during the following vear at Frankton Junction, Morrinsville and Te Awamutu. The Morrinsville and To Awamutu sales were not well supported, but the Frankton sale was a success. the prices ranging from £4 10s to £6 10s, and averaging £4 15s. Mr. E. E. Hale. Silverdale. received £6 10s per head for a line of three and Mr. J. Nicholson, of Okoroire, received £6 for a line of 27. No organised sales of marked calves have been held since, but last year Mr. ,1. Nicholson, of Okoroire, obtained £lO per head for a line of 10, and Mr. T. T.ivlor, of Okoroire, secured from £7 to £lO for two lines of calves. At the beginning of the 1929-30 season Mr. J. Bones, of'Kaipaki. sold his season's calves, which ranged from a few days to six weeks in age, at £8 8s each. Two pens of marked calves, were offered by Mr. J. Nicholson, of Okoroire, at the Tirau sale last week and realised £0 and £9 respectively. The general effect of the calf-marking system has been to improve greatly the butter-fat producing standard of cows in the districts where the system is operating, with a consequent increase in butter-fat production in New Zealand.