THE SCRUB BULL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16372, 21 June 1927, Page 7

THE SCRUB BULL

METHOD OF ELIMINATION BREEDERS' FEDERATION'S SCHEME. A deilnitc scheme for eliminating the scrub bull from the dairy herds of the Dominion was submitted to the recent meeting of the N.Z. Dairy Breeders' Federation, held at Palmerstou North. The committee's report stated: — "That headway in the use of good class bulls is being made, I hat education through demonstrations, lectures, and the press is having and will continue to Lave very great influence, and that Tho.-c forces should las used to the utmost; that dairy factories should be urged to offer jinanciat assistance on easy terms to suppliers who desire to purchase a good bull; that the necessary alterations in the law- should be made to give factories better security over bulls purchased in this way; that herd testing should be encouraged by Government subsidy; and that combined advertising by the breed societies out of a common fund should be undertaken with the object of advocating the purebred dairy bull with butter-fat backing (apart from any particular breed) and of crucifying the scrub bull.

"While not recommending legislation until the administrative costs and details have been fully investigated, we recommend conference to discuss the following scheme, based largely on the South Australian Dairy Cattle Improvement Act, 1021." The committee put forward the following scheme for the consideration of the meeting: — "1. On March :.)I of every year every bull shall be licensed. Fee 10s. Penalty £2O. "2. License fees and lines are paid into a fund called the Dairy Cattle Fund. ";$. From the fund a subsidy of 00 per cent, of the valuation price, determined as indicated below,, with a maximum of £l!0, may be paid to tho purchaser of a bull that complies with the following conditions: The bull must bo in good health and of good dairy type; but be not less than 10 months and not more than seven years old; must in the case of a three-year-old or older bull havo been fruitful in the preceding year; must be registered in a recognised herd book, and must be the progeny of a dam which under official test has reached a specified standard of production, or of two grandams. A purchaser who within two years, disposes of the bull without the consent of the Director of Agriculture forfeits the subsidy, and only one subsidy may be paid in respect of any oue bull. Note: Valuation price—lt may be objected that tho payment of a subsidy will simply mean that the price of a bull goes up by a corresponding amount —the purchaser still pays the same, tho vendor reaps tho benefit of the subsidy. There may be something in this, so it is suggested that a maximum price based on butter- [ fat backing be tixed. This would be calculated on the basis of, say, Is. per pound for the production of the dam or Is, per pound for the average production of tho two grand-dams if the dam herself is untested. "4. It will be observed that there is no attempt in the proposal to define a scrub bull —a difficult thing to do —and no attempt to inspect bulls with a view to condemning them. The man who wants his scrub bull may; still keep him, but he must pay a license fee which goes to help in the purchase of pedigree butter-fat backed bulls for those who want that kind."

In moving the adoption of the report, Mr. C. G. C. Dormer stated that the first, essential was herd testing. In almost every case tho start of improved herds was made with testing. That was the most important recommendation. It was also .suggested that factories bo circularised and asked to make finance as easy as possible where the purchase of stud bulls was desired. In- this • respect,' however, the question of security had to be considered. The legal' fees would add greatly to the cost 'of a' bull where security was required, and some regulation was required to make the cost of arranging a security as light as possible. Mr. W. Singleton, Director 8T tho Dairy Division,, Department of Agriculture, thought tho committee was to be commenced for the very sensible scheme that it had brought forward. He doubted, however if the Government would bring forward legislation for compulsory licensing of bulls every year, with a penalty for default. .The suggestion of providing security for.financing the purchase of bulls was a very important matter, and he would use his best endeavors to see if matters could not be simplified in this direction.

On the motion of Mr. Dormer, it was decided to leave the matter in abeyance until Mr. W. M. Singleton had had the legal position defined.