DAIRYING IN HOLLAND

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 59, Issue 4171, 11 August 1939, Page 3

DAIRYING IN HOLLAND

HEED IMPROVEMENT METHODS. REGISTRATION SYSTEM. Several points of interest about breeding of dairy cattle and registration of pedigree stock in Holland were explained during the visit to Victoria by Mr Gerhard Ten .Cate, a leading Dutch manufacturer and agriculturist. Because of the small area of the farms, the large majority of dairy herds range between 10 and 20 cows, and considerable numbers have fewer cows. It is impracticable for each farmer to keep a bull for breedingpurposes. Consequently, bull associations are liormed, and several bulls are kept tor the service to cows owned by the contributing members. Fees are usually equal to 7s to 10s a cow.

Many advantages are claimed for this system, which not only is practicable because of the density of the farms and cow population, but provides members with the choice of a number of sires. A member may employ the services of several bulls in a small herd, because he believes that certain bulls may improve observed weaknesses in individual cows. Moreover, this collective effort enables the purchase or’ the most promising sires, and it also gives a wider opportunity to prove the breeding value of each bull. Before a bull is eligible for entry to the herd book he must be inspected and receive a favourable award from the judges. His dam, of course, has previously qualified on type and production. In recent years more attention is being given to quality to compensate for the decrease in numbers. This applies to all classes of domesticated stock. Production is not regarded to be an adequate qualification of the dam of a sire required for herd improvement. A high standard of conformation and breed character is considered to be imperative, and the demand for bulls is limited to the superior animals.

SATURATION POINT. The adoption of these methods is practicable only because the saturation point in regard to a number of dairy cows has be.en reached, the small size of the farms, high cost of teed, and a community effort made possible by intensive farming methods. Many dairy farms in Holland may have only five or six cows, and during the day the owners may work in the factories and mills or the adjacent towns. Mr Ten Cate stated that there was not a herd of 50 cows in his province, and the 30-cow herd is exceptionally large for the country- . .

For several years restrictions have been placed on the Dutch farmer forbidding his rearing more than a specified number of heifer calves and pigs. A yearly quota is allotted to each farm., but often it works out against the landowner. The object of the.system is to prevent an overproduction of dairy products and pork. European markets have declined, and it is considered inadvisable because of costs to produce more than can be sold at a satisfactory price. Generally the quota enables the farmer to rear sufficient heifer calves to replace the annual losses, but, if in a small herd the crop of calves in one year should be all bulls, he cannot the next season expect any increase in his quota to recoup the previous year’s loss. He must rear only the allotted one or two calves.

COW CONFORMATION. It is commonly believed that the Dutch authorities placed first emphasis on production for the registration oi pedigree stock, but Mr ien Cate stated the general procedure as follows: — When the calf is born a system, comparable to the calf-registration system in use in New South Wales, is employed. Subsequently the cow is inspected by a panel of not fewer than three judges, who mark a score card, and only animals scoring /o points and more are eligible to take the next step. This classification is conducted to avoid breeding from cows showing any defect or weakness in conformation. Each of the eight divisions of the animal is carefully and critically examined, and unless the cow scores well on conformation she is ineligible to qualify on production. Points are not given to what is termed “milk signs,” the texture and quality of the udder and teats, but these external dairy features are classed A. B, or C, according to the judgment of the inspectors. A cow may be inspected once only, and whatever numbers of points she receives, provided they be the minimum or more, required by the standard, will be her standing or grade for type in the herd book A The points are entered with her name, and for this reason the owner takes special care of any cow likely to qualify, and will submit her only when he considers she is at her best. Cows may be inspected at any age after the first calf, but if once rejected are not eligible for re-examination. Special value is placed on cows scoring 90 points and more, and the best cows generally score from 88 to 90 points. Having qualified on type, the cow must undergo a production test before final entry. For the Groninger breed—a heavy hind-quartered type of black and white cattle suitable to the rich and heavy soils—the lactation period must not be less than 4000 litres of milk and 4 per cent average test, equivalent to a little less than 900 gallons, which, if averaging 4 per cent, would be equal to 360 lb butterfat in New Zealand. As a result of the agricultural depression a few years ago a strenuous effort is being made to increase the average fat percentage, because it has been realised that economy in the production of butter depends largely on higher average tests. The production qualification may be made at any age, but likely heifers are usually kept till nearly three three years of age before calving, and given special attention to ensure entry into the herd book.