HEAVY MILKING SHORTHORN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 690, 15 June 1929, Page 29

HEAVY MILKING SHORTHORN

MELBA 15TH OF DARBALARA’S RECORD

In last week’s agricultural section an article appeared in which reference was made to the performance of the Canadian Friesian, Canary Korndyke Alcartra. In 305 days the cow produced I,OSOIb of butter-fat. This is claimed to have been a world’s production record for the period—3os days.

Commenting on this Mr. A. W. Green, secretary of the New Zealand Shorthorn Milking Association, writes pointing out that the Milking-Short-horn, “Melba 15th of Darbalara,” at seven years of age, produced 1,6141 b of butter-fat in 3G5 days.

I After two years’ experience with the

herd test Ayrshire breeders in U.S.A. (says a contemporary) are about ready to admit that it is about as much of a feat to make a 4001 b herd test butterfat average as to develop individual* with 8001 b records. This confirms the experience of cow-testing association* in U.S.A., thousands of records in which show that few herds, either grade or pure-bred of any breed, can make a 4001 b average when every animal is included, and that still fewer can make such an average two or more years in succession. American Herd Improvement Association cows average 7,5001 b of milk a year, as "compared with 4,5001 b for all American cows, but only 2 per cent, of the cow population have joined the select circle of improvement associations. How long

will it take, then, to raise the average of butter-fat production for United States cows from ISOlb to an average that will return a profit to the owner? Or when will the dairy industry of America catch up with the increasing demand for dairy products? In the meantime, however, Ayrshire breeder* apparently are well pleased with the herd test. Holstein breeders have adopted it very recently, and at least one other leading dairy breed is flirting with the idea. In this connection a word of praise for the Ayrshire herd of E. W. Van Tassell at Wentachee, Wash., which led the Pacific Coast with a two-year average of 8, 6241 b milk, 34S butter-fat. An order for textile machinery for Russia to cost £350,000 has been placed with an Oldham firm.