TESTING OF DAIRY HERDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2928, 27 April 1910, Page 6

TESTING OF DAIRY HERDS.

From the particulars available it appears those suppliers of the Dalefield Dairy Factory who formed a Cow-testing Association are fully convinced of the value of the step taken, and are quite prepared to continue the work. The experiment thus carried out by the dairying staff of the Agricultural Department may thus bo considered a success so far. But unless others are prepared to follow the

lead given, the object aimed at will not have been achieved. When, the year has expired and the full particulars of the experiment are made available. —and it is to be hoped no time will be lost in doing s o _ m any valuable lessons will no doubt be gathered from the details. The information we published last week indicated clearly that already those concerned have learnt more about their herds than they anticipated, and were thus enabled to correct mistaken impressions as to the value of some of their cows. Our contemporary, the Dominion,"has ascertained some further particulars about one of the herds, which clearly show the vast difference between a good cow and one that is indifferent so far as the financial results to the owner are concerned. It appears that five cows which Mr Knutson entered for the contest have up to the end of March given over 3001 b of butter fat each. The average dairy :owl in New Zealand gives about 2001 bof butter-fat. Ibis season having been a good one from the dairying point of view, it is fair to put the average yield at about 2251 b. Mr Knutson's five cows, with six or. seven weeks of the season still to run, had the following vi-'ids to their credit up to March 31 :—427.251b, 320.731 b, 322.731 b, 351.461 b, ard 3351 b. With butter-fat at Is per lb this means that the average cow produces £ll 5s in the season, whereas Mi> Knutson's best lias already returned on the same basis £2l 7s. The figures thus show a clear gain of nearly 50 per cent, when looked at in this light. As a matter of fact the relative profit is very much greater. It, is almost impossible to stato (lie cost which has to be provided beforcs a. cow can be said to return a profit, because circumstances vary greatly. Some four years ago Mr Gebbio, of TaranaK'i, prepared data jiving capital outlay, rent of pasture, labour, etc., and arrived at l.ho conclusion that- it was necessary to obtain a return of £7 12s per year per cow before a cow became profitable. Taking these figures as- somewhat near the mark, it must be remembered that if a herd returns over £1 12s per cow in a year it does not follow that all the cows in the herd were profitable. As a matter of fact experience of testing in all countries has shown that there are cowjs in every herd that are not profityielding. Thev consume as much feed, require just as much labour and attention as the best oow, so that if the owner is enlightened as to the real state of affairs he can replace the unprofitable cow with one that will give an adequate return. A comparison of the yield of one of Mr Knutson's cows on the basis of Mr Gebbie's data with the average cow will show the money which dairymen are losing. The value of the 2251 bof butterfat of the average cow at 12d per lb would be £ll ss. If from this is deducted the £7 12s mentioned as the sum to be orovided before a cow yields a profit, it is seen that the profit from the average cow is £3 13s. The value of the 4271 b butter-fat given by one of Mr Knutson's rows would be £2l 7s. Deducting the £7 12s mentioned from this, the orofit is £l3 15s, In other words, Mr Knutson's cow, with its unfinished season, brings in nearly as much profit as four average cowls would do in a full season. That is one of the things which have been demonstrated by the experiment conducted h? the Agricultural Deoartment at Dalefield. With that fact alone before them dairv-farmers in other districts should make for taking up cow-testing with the advent of the next season.