JUDGING OF COWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21117, 26 February 1932, Page 10

JUDGING OF COWS.

BUTTER-FAT PRODUCTION. MATAMATA COMPETITION. [lltOM OL'JI OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] HAMILTON. Thursday. An interesting judging competition of the butter-fat producing capacity of cows was conducted by the New Zealand Herdtesting Association at the Matamata Show 011 Tuesday. Five Friesian cows wero selected from three herds that were under test in the Matamata district. The cows' had calved at the same time, and each had been milked for 200 days. The association oliicials knew the butter-fat production of each cow. On Tuesday I he 74 competitors were invited to examine the cows, and to place them in order of productive capacity, and to give their estimates of what the cows had produced. Nine competitors succeeded in placing the cows in the correct order, and the three who. gave the most accurate production ligures were: Mr. 11. Whewell, Tamahere, 1; Air. S. 11. Duxfield, Matamata, 2; Mr. E. (Jiibb, Okoroire, 3. The actual production, of each cow was as follows:—No. 2, 4141 li. butter-l'at; . No. 3, 3351b.; No. 1, 2961b. ; No. 4, 2341b.; No. 5, 21111). Of the 74 competitors, 42 picked the best cow, and two considered the best cow was the poorest producer. Seve/i placed the poorest producer as the best cow, and 41 placed Jier in the correct position. In previous competitions held by the association, only one competitor had placed the cows in their correct order. A useful purpose is served by the competition, in that it demonstrates that herdtesting is the only sure method of ascertaining the value of a cow from a productive point of view, and that appearances arc often deceptive.