DAIRY INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20626, 26 July 1930, Page 19

DAIRY INDUSTRY.

HERD-TESTING SUCCESSES

GOOD AVERAGE PRODUCTION

The best, group performance in tho New Zealand Co-opcrativo Herd-testing Association territory for the 1929-30 season was Ngarua, near Te Aroha. The 1113 cowis tested in tho group gave an average yield of 318.421b. fat for 281 days.

There are 1900 acres in the Ngarua district, and the total butter-fat produced was 354.4071b., which is equal to 1861b. of butter-fat per acre. Theso figures are claimed to be a record for the Dominion. One farmer in the district, Mr. F. Hayward. secured a return equal to 2501b. butter-fat por aero from his herd, while another, Mr. J. F. James, whoso herd, which averaged 379.61b. fat for 86 cows in 292 days, was tho highest in the group. Ngarua was tlio highest group in tho association for tho 1928-29 season, tho average yield being 304.1711). fat per cow for 984 cows.

Manawaru, which was runner-up for the 1929-30 season, was tho leading group for three previous seasons in succession. In 1925-26 the Manawaru group folded an average of 283.81Jb. fat per cow for 1323 cows. In the 1926.27 season Manawaru created a Dominion and probably a world record with 317.831b. of fat per cow for 1581 cows in 258 days. Manawaru's average for the 1927-28 season was 287.011b tat per cow for 1470 cows During the past season, Manawaru averaged 311.111b. fat per cow for 1257 cows in 269 days. Where checks have been made between the herd-testing returns in the Ngarua and Manawaru groups and the factory figures, the records had been remarkably close, thus proving tho efficacy of tho group herd-testing system.