DOMINION’S LIVESTOCK

Taranaki Daily News, 17 July 1929, Page 15

DOMINION’S LIVESTOCK

FURTHER EXPANSION NOTED NEW RECORD IN DAIRY COWS. OTHER CATTLE ALSO INCREASE. Following the recent announcement of the interim return of sheep, showing the record total oi 29,011,447, provisional returns have been issued of other livestock, enumerated at January 31. The outstanding facts are the attainment of a new record in dairy cows; an increase in the number of other cattle for the first time since 1924; a sudden drop in the number of pigs and a decline in the number of horses. It should be observed that the present statistics are subject to revision, and judging by previous experience, the final returns will be appreciably higher. The number of dairy cows in 1928 was 1,352,398, exceeding by 28,966 the previous record of 1925. ‘ Following are details of the interim return for 1929 in comparison with the final return last year, showing a further increase of over 18,000: — DAIRY COWS.

The reduction in the number of dairy cows in 1926 and 1927 was wholly in the South Island. In the latter there were 307,797 in 1925, since when there has bee.n_ a decrease of 48,000. The North Island herds exceeded 1,000,000 cows for the first time in 1924, when they represented 76.55 per cent, of the total for the Dominion. The present enumeration shows over 81 per cent, in the North Island. LARGE INCREASE IN ONE YEAR. / The total number of cattle was at the record figure of 3,563,497 in 1924, since when it declined each year to 3,257,729' in 1927. Last year’s return showed an increase of 16 ; 000 and now a further increase of 170,000 is disclosed, the latest total being 3,444,191. If dairy cows are excluded the statistics show a record of 2,286,178 other cattle in 1922, and annual contraction of the total to 1,921,371 in 1928. As against the decrease of 364,800 in six years, there has now been an increase of 152,000. The following summary show’s the distribution of cattle other than dairy cows: —

FEWER PIGS AND HORSES. The rapid expansion in the number of pigs appears to have been checked. In 1916, when the annual enumeration was commenced, there were 297,000, but three years later the total had fallen to 235,000. It increased annually to 586,898 last year, the gain in' 1927-28 alone having been over 66,000. This year’s return shows a fall to 556,795. A notable feature of the 1928 statistics was an increase in the number .of horses which had been steadily declining since 1911, the gain during the year having been 3450. On the evidence of the interim returns this has not been sustained, as the total is given as 299.120, against 307,160 last year and 303,713 in 1927, the latter having been the lowest since 1904.

AVERAGE DAIRY YIELDS. NEW SOUTH WALES STATE. COMPARISON WITH DOMINION. In a review of dairying conditions in New .South Wales for the year ended last month, the director of dairying in that state, Mr. L. T. Maclnnes, claimed that the average production per cow had substantially increased. The herd-recording data available showed that for 1927-28 a total of 43,000 cows averaged 157.61 b butter-fat. This as on all-in average, with no exclusions for any cause whatever. On the basis on which cow production averages were computed elsewhere this was equivalent to 2021 b fat. This year, with 80,000 records available, tho average was expected to be higher, in spite of the six months’ drought and the doubling of the herds submitted for testing. Mr. Maclnnes asserted that New South Wales was achieving a production increase comparable favourably with New Zealand as shown by the following herdtesting figures for the two countries:--

H 926-1027. j N.Z. N.S.W. : No of cows tested 170,000 23,000 ; ' lb. lb. ! Average fat per cow 240.-18 172.53 ; 1927-1928. ; No. of cows tested 224,000 43,000 lb. lb. Average fat per cow 224.68 202.13 It would be seen, said Mr. Maclnn.es, that in New Zealand there had been a falling-off in each cow’s yield of 15.81 b fat The Dominion authorities accounted ’for this by (a) the number of new herds coming into the testing movement in 1927-28, representing an increase of 30 per cent., or about 54,000 cows, and (b) the unfavourable season experienced- in the latter year. In New South Wales there were also adverse conditions —(a) an increase of 87 per cent. in the testing movement, and (b) a dry spell lasting from August to December which lost the State the benefit of the spring (when most of the cows calved) and the early summer, The Ney South Vales tested herds, however, gave an increase in yield of 29.01 b fat. In both these years, Mr. Maclnnes added, the New South Wales cows had been computed on the same basis as those of New Zealand, where the average was taken for a selection of each herd, all cows which had not more than 1-00 lactation days to their credit being excluded. In many instances in New Zealand the associations did not test during the three winter months, whereas in this State recording was continuum throughout the year. 0

1928. 1929. Increase. North Auck’and 221,315 • 224,294 2,9 i'H Auckland .... 374,513 3’92,020 17,507 Gisborne ..... 35,000 36,949 1,949 Hanke's Kay 51,41-6 511,618 2</2 Taranaki .... 207,179 207,646 4G7 Wellington .... 198,101 198,891 700 —— ■ ■— —- North Island 1,087,614 1,111,418 23,804 South Island 264,784 259,361 *5,423 ■ ...1 »— -1 ■ Totals 1,352,398 1,370,779 18,381 ’Decrease in South Island.

1928. 1929. Increase. North Auckland 243,743 262,902 19,159 Auckland 350,35-5 395,419 3G,0G4 Gisborno 260,401 279,621 19,2"0 Hawke’s Bay .. 151,363 165,893 14,531 Taranaki 149,623 165,506 15,883 Wellington .... 428,013 456,718 28,705 ■ ■ — »' — North Island 1,592,498 1,726,059 133,561 South Island 3>-!8,S73 347,353 18,430 ** ■ ■ ' ~ Totals ... 1,921,371 2,073,412 152,011