NOTE AND COMMENT

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1514, 7 March 1901, Page 51

NOTE AND COMMENT

The most important question affecting the dairy farmer of New Zealand is certainly that of testing. Not the testing of his milk to ascertain its money value, but the testing of the milk of each individual cow in order to ascertain its value or otherwise. The great economy in dairying, and consequent profit, must come by this means, and in a, very short time the only successful dairyman will be the man who systematically tests his cows. ***** The importance of the question has been well put by the Dairy Commissioner in the bulletin which he has just issued, and which should be in the hands of every dairyman. The Commissioner cites the following instance: “One cow xmoduces 2501 b of butter annually and the other 1751 b. Assuming that all butter produced abpve 2251 b is clear profit, the cow producing 1751 b, besides beiii geared for and fed at a loss, would eat uip the profit made by the first cow.” 3 * * * * * How many cows throughout the colony are only producing 1751 b. A much greater proportion, we believe, than it is possible to realise. Of course there is no means of ascertaining the number, for the fact—strange as it may appear to an outsider—that the great majority of dairy farmers do not know which of thei? cows are profitable and which are practically eating their heads off * * * * * Cases are common enough now of business-like dairy farmers, who —following the example of the ordinary tradesman —keep an account of what it costs to produce the milk of each cow as against the resulting return. By this-- means the unprofitable members of the herd are ascertained and the herd is biiilt up to an all-round profitable standard. * * * * * To those dairymen who have realised the absurdity of working in the dark in regard to their cows, we would heartily recommend the Tnillefcin of the Dairy Commissioners as a guide to them in the work of testing and improving their herds. In the past the charge has been made against dairymen that they never carry out their work on a proper system, and that without system the business cannot prove thoroughly successful. This is ony too true, but now that they have the means of working systematically, it will be regrettable indeed if they do not jump at the opportunity and make the fullest use of it. We have enough confidence in the intelligence of dairymen to believe that they will do so.