VALUE OF HERD-TESTING

Taranaki Daily News, 17 July 1929, Page 15

VALUE OF HERD-TESTING

RETURNS FOR THE SEASON. EXPANSION IN TARANAKI. A comparison of the ‘figures obtained by the Taranaki Co-operative Herd Testing Association during the last four years illustrates the value of systematic herd testing. Since the first operation of these methods there has been a marked increase in the productivity of the herds under test. It has been possible to cull with greater accuracy, and this, combined with the rapid pasture improvement, has been responsible for the steady increase, year by year, in. the total output of butter and cheese from Taranaki. . The returns given below are those for the association’s year 1928-29 (August 1 to May 31). A summary of the returns for the three preceding years is also given. The number- of groups, each requiring the services of a tester, has grown from two in the first year to 13 in the fourth year. The number of cows in the fourth year (15,892) was six times as great as in the first year. The important point, however, is the average production of butter-fat per cow per day. In spite of the great increase in the number of cow’s being tested there has been a marked increase in productivity, judged on this standard. The average number of days of test in the respective years has varied be-tw-een 248 and 261, so that a true comparison cannot be made merely on the basis of the average total butter-fat per cow for the full period. Reducing it to average butter-fat per day, the result is:—

lb. fat per day. 1925- 995 1926- 1.0009 1927- 994 ’ 1928- 1.008 This shows that the last year has given tho best result of any'. It is important to note that in that season class B cows were included in the refor the first time. This makes the comparison still more favourable to 1928-29 than the figures indicate. The rules provide that all the cows in a herd must be put under test. The cows are then classified, the A class including all which calve under normal conditions between June 1 and January 1, and all the others going into the B class. Until last year the latter were not taken into the returns. Last year, however, all of them which were under test for 100 days or more were included, and as many would necessarily be very low producers, the effect on the association average would be to some extent depressing. The improvement in the quality of the cows generally is shown by the fact that, in spite of this, the average production has increased. The groups are now being organised fox' the 1929-30 season, opening on Aug-, ast 1, and a further increase in the number is reported to be assured. A redistribution of the herds in the respective groups is necessitated each year, not only by new entries, but also by withdrawals. After a season or two of testing a farmer may decide that his herd is, for the present, in a sound state and that he will save his testing fees for a season ox- two until the bringing tn of young and untried stock makes a renewal of testing advisable. The average number of herds per group is 26. The tester has to give one day a month to each herd, whether it is a small one or a large one. Hitherto the association has charged a uniform fee of 5s per cow, and the financial disadvantage of this to the association where there is a considerable number of small herds is obvious. It has been decided for the coming season to charge a herd fee of £5, plus 3s per cow. There is an alternative of £2 10s pex- herd, plus 3s per cow, under- which the tester will take the samples in alternate months, leaving the farmer to take them in the othex- months and forward them fox- testing. This will enable one tester to cover two groups, but it has certain disadvantages. The Government has subsidised herd testing in the past, the money being used to provide a rebate in the fees charged to the herd owners. If forthcoming again, the subsidy will bo similarly used. The calf-branding scheme incorporated with the herd testing is being increasingly made use of as its advantages are realised. Heifer calves by a pedigree bull from a cow producing 3001 b. of but-ter-fat or over may be branded by the association’s officials. Taranaki farmers are . finding a profitable market in the Waikato fox- such heifers.

For comparison with the Taranaki results, the returns of the New Zealand Co-operative Herd Testing Association, operating in tho Waikato, may be given. In 1926-27 00,507 cows (only A class) gave an average of. 255.491 b. fat in an average of 250 days; in 1927-28 72J34 cows (including B class) gave 228.381 b. fat in 241 days; in 1928-29 77.591 cows gave 244.891 b. fat in 255'days.