GROUP HERD-TESTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22607, 26 June 1935, Page 5

GROUP HERD-TESTING

DOMINION FEDERATION ANNUAL MEETING fpEB United Press Association) PALMERSTON N., June 23. Delegates from all parts of the Dominion'are attending the annual meetin<r of the Dominion Group Herd Testing Federation, Mr G. H. Bell (Oakura) presiding. The annual report revealed a slight falling-off in membership. This is attributed to the uncertain outlook of the dairy industry. It was shown that the group cows under test numbered 233,570; and the association cows 6792. Messrs Bell and W. J. Low (Bay of Plenty) were re-elected to the Management Committee and Mr Bell was reelected president. CONSIDERATION OF REMITS The conference decided to alter the testing season. A number of alterations was made to the uniform rules, including the decision that all. the cows in the heard must be submitted for teat and be included in the monthly herd averages. This alteration will bring the rule to the same basis as that whereon the Dairy Division collected the annual averages for many years past. A remit that all calves marked by the association should be known as certified marked calves was defeated, _ the chairman reporting that the committee would give, authority that proceedings be taken in the event of the future misuse of the words "marked calf." Dissatisfaction was expressed in two remits at the amount of work put on. the association secretaries in the compilation of statistical returns, and the federation asked that an endeavour be made to curtail the amount of work in this respect, but it was pointed out in reply that the data was extremely valuable not only to the associations but to the industry generally. Both remits were defeated. The federation levy was fixed at a halfpenny per cow. It was decided to ask the Government to place a greater number of qualified veterinary surgeons in the field to help the farmers to combat stock diseases. The next conference will be held in the same town as the National Dairy Association Conference. THE CONTROLLING ORGANISATION For some time past herd-testing associations have realised that the controlling organisation must be strengthened so that there will be a greater stability in the work. This point was emphasised in the Dairy Commission's report, and recently a deputation from the Herdtesting Central Executive waited on the Executive Commission of Agriculture to see what could be done, as well as to seek financial assistance to enable full use to be made of the statistics available from the herd-testing work. The commission's reply was presented to the federation to-day by Mr A. H. Cockayne. The proceedings were in committee, but subsequently Mr Bell reported that the federation had decided to give wide powers to its Management Committee in any movement strengthening the controlling organisation.