HERD-TESTING PROGRESS

Taranaki Daily News, 6 November 1930, Page 5

HERD-TESTING PROGRESS

INCREASED PRODUCTION. GROWTH OF GROUP SYSTEM. Marked 'by higher butter-fat'produc-tion, from a larger number of cows, and having witnessed the first year’s work of the Herd Testing Central Executive and the Dominion supervisor of herdtesting, the 1929-30 season was an outstanding one in the history of the testing movement in New Zealand. Returns compiled by the Department of Agriculture and reviewed in the current issue of the Journal of Agriculture by Mr. W. M. Singleton, Director of the Dairy Division, show that 283,731 cows were tested during the period, an increase of 24,137 over the 1028-29 total, due principally to an expansion of the group system of testing. This number represented 20.4 per cent, of the cows in milk or 19.7 per cent, of all cows—in milk and dry —in the Dominion. The average production for all cows tested during the season (272,5*54), was 253.611 b. of butter-fat in 247 days, the corresponding figures for the proceeding year being 245,811 cows, 242 days, and 240.501 b. of fat. This, commented Mr. Singleton, was an exceedingly satisfactory increase, more particularly since the position could scarcely be credited to climatic conditions. The highest group average for the season was 421 b. of fat from 1113 cows in 281 days compared with 3C’4.'711b. fat .from 984 cows in 27’6 days during 1928'29; the highest association average was 440.93 lb. of fat from five cows in 293 days, compared with 358.501 b. fat fiom 105 cows in 273 days- in 1928-29. The. highest group cow gave 8861'b. of fat-in 3’50 the highest in the previous season giving 8881 b. fat in 305 days, while the highest association cow gave 6391 b. fat in 285 days, against 704.201 b. fat in 350 days by the highest in the preceding season. Taranaki heads the list in the average production, according to land districts, of all cows under test, for which effective season’s summaries (100 days or ovei-) were obtained. The average production of Taranaki cows on that ■basis was 271.591 b. of fat. Then comes Auckland, with an average of 260.271 b. of fat; Hawke’s Bay, 258.061 b; Nelson, 255.151 b.; Marlborough, 250.761 b; Southland, 249.921 b.; Wellington, 246.801 b.; Otago, 244.411 b.; North Auckland, 241.1 a lb./Canterbury, 237.651 b.; and Gisborne, 234.621 b. In the majority of cases these figures represent substantial increases over the previous season’s averages. The Wellington and Otago .averages show a marked decline, while production m Canterbury has remained at the 1928-29 level. “Group herd-testing has shown remarkable progress,” states Mr. Singleton. “The system was inaugurated in 1922 and commenced with six groups comprising 7500 cows. During the season 1922-23 there were 84,825 cows on test in the Dominion, so that the group quota was only 8.84 per cent. of the total. Each year has shown an increase in group testing, until for the season under review there were IS4 groups in operation, with a total of 242,638 cows, or 85.5 per cent, of grand, aggregate of cows tested.” A classification of the production of tested cows according to the two principal systems in operation—group and association—is made. The association system shows a falling off under each heading, except the two important ones of average days in milk and aveiage butter-fat. There is a considerable increase under each “group” heading. The steady advance of the length of the average lactation is a gratifying feature. “In perusing this table two points immediately attract attention,” _ says Mr. Singleton. “Firstly, the association yield is° higher in relation to days in milk, and, secondly, the average days in milk for group cows is .28 days more than for association cows. The explanation of the first point lies probably in the fact' that in many instances only selected cows from the better herds are placed under association test, whereas, speaking broadly, group rules provide that the entire herd must be enterc for test. The more complete recording system, and the fact that the testing officer’s visit more or less compels the

taking of samples and milk-weights until drying off would doubtless explain the longer group-testing period.” A statistical summary of the number of cows tested in each of the various land districts shows the percentage which the tested cows bear to the total cows in milk. The most striking points are the comparatively low position of Taranaki, in the North Island, and the fact that in the South Island those districts which might be considered-the more specialised dairying region test a relatively small proportion of the cows. The North Island percentage, at January 31, 1930, was 23, and the South Island, at the same date, 8.5. An additional point of interest in this respect is that the percentage of dry cows to total cows in’ the Dominion has shown a steady decline over the last five years. In 1925-26 the percentage was 9.38, while last season it was only 3.57, a fact which, taken in conjunction with the increased average production per cow, represents a very substantial increase in butter-fat production.

“An adjunct of herd-testing which is receiving considerable support in some districts is the scheme commonly known as calf-marking,” continues Mr. Singleton. “Under this scheme heifer calves from registered purebred sires are marked by means of an individual and permanent identification tattoo in the ear, it being necessary for the dam to have produced under group test, a certain minimum butter-fat requirement according to age. Calf-marking was first linked up with herd-testing by the New Zealand Co-operative Herd-testing Association sonfe five years ago, and the system has extended rapidly. 'Some 641 calves were marked in the first season while last year’s number was over 12,000.

“Two years ago the Dominion Group Herd-testing Federation which now controls the calf-marking work, extended the system to bull-calves. With bull calves both sire and dam must be registered purebred animals, and, in addition, the dam must have been tested by. an association affiliated with the Dominion Group Herd-testing Federation. Minimum butter-fat requirements according to age apply as in the case, of the heifer calves, the standards being slightly higher for the marking of 'bull calves.

“The sum of £10,500 has recently 'been paid by the Government as a subsidy on the past season’s herd-testing, the major portion of this amount having been distributed among testing dairyherd owners. A sum of £BOOO has been granted by way of assistance to herdtesting carried out during the current season, 1930-31. g

“A noticeable feature of herd-testing in New Zealand is its comparatively reasonable cost. This is very important. Herd-testing is only one of the avenues through which the dairy -aimer is required to expend money, ana it is only one factor in successful dairy farming. Care must be taken not to overstress the relative importance of the subject. Herd-testing will not in itself improve the herd, but it supplies that information which is essential for systematic herd improvement.