JUDGING OF DAIRY CATTLE

Taranaki Daily News, 1 August 1931, Page 5 (Supplement)

JUDGING OF DAIRY CATTLE

STANDARDS SET IN SCOTLAND < i • ; / ] PRODUCTION PUT BEFORE TYPE. LECTURE BY MR. W. HILL MOTION. An address on the standards and principles of judging. Ayrshire cattle as laid down by the Ayrshire Cattle Heid Book Society in 1921 and since followed in Scotland, was given by Mr. W. Hill Motion to members of the Taranaki Ayrshire Cattle Breeders’ Club at New ' Plymouth yesterday. • . Before the conditions at present m force in Scotland were approved and adopted by the society, Mr. Motion said, judging was based on type, for which 70 per cent, of the marks were awarded. But it was realised in Scotland that The. object was whole milk production, lhe cow was to be judged both on appearance and performance and for that reason a completely different scale of points was drawn up. They were:— Form, symmetry, constitution,. 30 points: mammary development, teats, shape of udder, milk veins etc., 35 points; , authentic milk yield, in the case of the cow, 35 points; authentic milking pedigree, in the case of the bull or heifer,

35 points. . The limits of the milk yield, wmeh were ’ accepted were: —Cow minimum yield 650 gallons, 3.8 per cent, butterfat; maximum yield 1000 gallons, 3.8 per cent, butter-fat; heifer: minimum, yield 500 gallons, 3.8 per cent, butter-fat;, maximum yield 850 gallons, 3.8 per cent, butter fat. If a cow gave 650 gallons no points were awarded and the points for authentic milk yield and authentic milking pedigree progressed in the ratio of one point for every ten gallons over the minimum, so that not more than 35 points were awarded for, a yield of over 1000 gallons. The butter-fat standard for Britain was 3.8 per cent. Certain alterations and modifications had been introduced since the show in February, 1921, but these' were simply for assisting the . judge in his work. Thus 65 points were set aside for the maximum score for appearance or type, or, in other,words, every, excellence that could be seen by the experienced-eye,‘and 35 points as a maximum for milk'yield or milking pedigree.

JUDGING BY POINTS. ' . ' The judge took his standard of excellence from what he considered the best type; and awarded this animal the maximum score. Other animals in the same class were pointed in relationship to the first prize animal. The judge thus placed his animals in the ring according to points for type, and thereafter the score for milk yield or milking pedigree was added to the points for appearance, and the animals finally placed in the position for the prizes. Thus it. would [ be noticed the new standards of judging might be called judging by points. Points for performance cauld only be shown satisfactorily by a figure and appearance or type must be assessed accordingly. . Speaking of milk recording in Scotland, Mr. Motion said it had been going on since 1903, under the control'of the (Scottish Milk Records Association. Funds were provided by the development fund, obtained through the .Board of Scotland, and a special grant from the Ayrshire Cattle Herd Book Society. The milk records were of the estb mated quantity of milk produced by each cow in a separate lactation, and the estimated percentage of butter fat. These were estimated in respect of quality and quantity from the systematic periodic tests by trained recoi tiers approved by the association. file association was constituted ~ of local milk recording groups or circuits, usually fewer than2o members comprising the group. The recorders visited the'farms at intervals varying from 14 to not more than 28 days, and each day of visit was regarded as the middle day of the. period covered by the visit. Thus a very close approximation to the actual milk yield could be obtained. The recorder arrived at the farm in the afternoon, and was accommodated at the farm over-night. The cows were milked in the same rotation night and morning on the occasion of the recorder’s visit. He weighed and sampled each cow’s milk, receiving the milk direct from the milker at.the. cows Mde. This was repeated again, in the morning, and the mixed evening and morning samples were tested by the Gerber method for butter-fat. Visits of inspection were made to each

recorder and to the members of .local circuits at different times throughout the year by members of the associations staff.' Surprise check tests, of'the records of each herd were earned out two or three times a year. Instructions were sent at times from headquarters to the recorder to remain another 24 hours fo a further test of the same herd. Association surprise tests were also arranged by officers from the staff of the association periodically in order to check the work of the recorder. All records closed at the end of December, when classifications and summaries were made out‘at Headquarters. . ’ Milk records were classified into three groups, yields being reckoned at the estimated equivalent of milk of one per cent, butter fat. Thus, 500 gallons of milk at 5 per cent, test would be equivalent to 2500 gallons at 1 per cent. test. The classification of cows was:—Cows in Class 1 not less less than 2500 gallons, heifers in Class 1 not less than 2000 gallons, cows in Class 3 less than 1660 Gallons, heifers in -Class 3 less than 1300 gallons of milk of 1 per cent, butter-fat. Cows and heifers between these figures were classified as Class two.

The scheme of judging and milk recording, Mr. Motion continued, was perhaps not ideal, but it was one of the •best in the world. It specified a minimum and maximum yield, no points beino- allowed till the minimum is reached” and no points above the maximum. This latter provision was intended to debar “freak” yields, or yields which might have a tendency to undermine the con- | stitution of the cow. Considerable criticism had been levelled against the scheme, certain breedeis ® U S gesting qualifying yields only and others that sufficient allowance in regard to performance was not given. to well-bred animals reared on the high-lying, and poorer pastures. Qualifying yields would mean too many classes at the shows, or if a qualifying standard was set for entries only, the true function of the breed would be overlooked. Differences in pastures could be got over by artificial feeding, better handling, and particularly, by breeding, a better typei of animal. greater effort to gatherfood, Greater exposure to climatic conditions, more prolonged development and consequent longevity, played an important part in milk production, and again-the sane development of the dairy; breed. This had been the experience among the Ayrshire, breeders, and finally,, it • was easier to maintain type on the higher than on the low-lying pastures,' The scheme had helped the ' sale ol bulls because their records could be provided. He was not prepared, Mr. Motion said, to lay down a standard for New Zealand where conditions were.; different from ■ those' in . Scotland.' Breeders might be able to suggest lines which might be followed in New Zealand having; regard to the conditions there. It was said, there were too many types of Ayrshire in New Zealand but he was not .prepared to say what the trouble was. 'New Zealand farmers were paid on a butter-rat basic, while in Scotland the basis .was whole-milk, and in New Zealand the standard must be based' on the type of .payment. If there was a standard In New Zealand by which cattle were i judged on production breeders might 'make a breed of cattle that would hold, its own against any other. Ayrshire breeders had'been first .to introduce the scheme in Scotland and there wah no reason why they should not be firct in New Zealand. Questioned on line-breeding by Mr. A. Weir, .who said South Island animals were bigger than those m the North Island, Mr. Motion said it was a question of environment. Line breeding pi openly carried out was one way of nxin o breeding but it also tended to undermine the constitution. ._ , , Mr. Hall said the South Island landwas heavier than that of Speaking on the age at yhich to bnn the heifers in calf he said he thou t that if they were fed very well and were on good land they could be brought in at two years. Otherwise wwer not to bring them in until three } ears.