HERD TESTING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 858, 9 November 1916, Page 2

HERD TESTING.

ADVANTAGE OF THE SYSTEM. Herd testing is not as generally practised in New Zealand as it should bo, if dairymen want to obtain the best possible return from their holdings. Mr S. 8. Steel, herd-tester to the Cheltenham and Apiti Cow-testing Associations, has issued a summary of the advantages derived. To the dairyman who lias tested his cows from the first month's milking to the- last, taking four consecutive Bamplcs each month, conscientiously and systematically weighing, pouring the milk from one bucket to another before sampling, cow-testing has shown which are the boarder-cows eating into the profits made by the good-producing cons present in ovi-tv herd, the cows which. by their poor returns, will always make dairying a drudgery, or a side line ot no importance. Having no sentiment, it lias told the truth, however unpalatable, giving facte in place of fancies. It, lias proved the cow that, owing to light colour of, or the extreme sniallliesa of her J'at globules—which will retard the rising of the cream—has been classed as indifferent, it has shown the cows that do not respond to extra feed ing siiflicient to cover their cost;, the cows that do not rise Ln percentage of fat as the season advances, in proportion to tin; loss in weight of milk, to maintain a payable return; the cows Which Uiongh producing heavily at the

start of tin' season, have collapsed soon after services, or at the first dry spell; and the cows that are not persistent, that, are too irregular, or too often in an abnormal condition. It has proved the fallacy of relying on mere observation, the price paid, a. long pedigree, a perfect, escutcheon, a single isolated test, relationship to a proved cow, weighing only, and culling on age or condition. It lias proved the necessity of knowing your cows individually, as well as collectively, and the importance of mating with a bull whose dam has a proved batter fat record. It has allowed the culling of heifers on their first season's milking, instead of having to milk them for several years at a loss before finally deciding to cull them out. Testing heifers has also tested the butter-fat value of their sire as early as it is possible. Some good cows cannot reproduce themselves in future generations, even when mated to a prove.l bull, being themselves only flukes. Cow-testing has proved the genuine breeder. To the employers of labour, it had

proved a check on their employees, as well as creating iu them more interest in their work. To the coutraet-sliare-nnlker, it has been a sure way to prove the wasters, and compel owners to sell all cows re-

turning under a certain standard of product ion. It has proved the £ s. d. that is in the early-calving cow, where provision has been made for early feed.

The direct benefits to the farmer are of an accumulative benefit to their local co-operative dairy company, by increase of supply from the same radius, with consequent decrease in cost of manufacture and by placing the supply on a more permanent basis. Loss of fat in separating, which is sometimes considerable, the loss in one month being sufficient in some cases to cover the whole cost of testing the herd, has been proved and chocked at once by the association members who have forwarded samples of skim-milk with their other samples at each testing period. By saving the heifers of proved parentage of several seasons' testing, and feeding them, sure progress is being made, the herd ultimately being bred from one or two families. Most progress has been made in increase of but-ter-fat average per cow when testing has been followed for several complete successive seasons, and when the sampling has been done by the owner or other responsible person, and not left to tin- boy. The 3301b and over butter-fat cow cannot be bought; she must be bred. Test your herd. There may be cows in it whose return will surprise you. Mate with a proved bull—they are now obtainable and—dairy on sane business lit os. Time and money spent in finding out the duffers ami fattening them is better business than time spent in continuing to milk them at a loss, and never raising the value of the herd. >. r o dairyman will accept the cream-

carter's guess at the weight, or the manager's guess at the fat content of his cream. It has to be weighed and tested. Why, then, continue to guess at the individual cow's return.