HERD=TESTING RETURNS

Taranaki Daily News, 17 June 1933, Page 22 (Supplement)

HERD=TESTING RETURNS

TARANAKI ANNUAL FIGURES INCREASE SHOWN THIS MAY. INTERESTING STATISTICS LIKELY.

(By

“Tainui.”)

With the publication of the May returns of the Taranaki Co-operative Herd Testing Association, the herd-testing year has closed, and in the course of a week or so the' complete annual returns will be published. These are eagerly awaited, as Mr. H. Baily, the secretary of the association, takes such a very keen interest in the work, tire importance of which he regards very highly, that he compiles some very interesting statistics, giving a wealth of detail and conveying an abundance of valuable information. It is anticipated that last year’s figures will be exceeded in several instances, but though individual suppliers know just how well they have done the comparative figures and the general average will not be available until the figures now being prepared by Mr. Baily are published. The autumn, however, has been very favourable to production and the cows therefore have hung on very well.

Following on the increase noted in April it is interesting to note that the averages for May also show an increase, the figures being 3181 b. of milk, 6.2 test and 19.761 b. of butter-fat, as compared with 2831 b. of milk, 6.2 test and 17.451 b. of butter-fat. The increase is certainly only 2.311 b. of butter-fat per cow, which does not appear to be much, but over 14,638 cows it represents 33,8131 b. of fat, which at 9d per lb. butter-fat—a reasonable estimate in the present rising market—represents £1268 Os 4d—a substantial amount to be divided among the owners of the cows under test.

The highest group average this May was Moa’s, with 22.301 b. fat, as against Uruti’s 21.891 b; of fat last May. The lowest group this May was Tikorangi, with 14.811 b. of fat, whereas last May Tikorangi, also the lowest for May, averaged 14.601 b. ■ fat. Midhirst-Tariki possessed the highest individual herd this May, averaging 33.81 b. of fat, compared with Okato’s 34.61 b. of fat last May. New Plymouth possessed the highest individual cow for May with 721 b., whereas last May the best producer was in the Stratford group with 561 b. of fat. THE KOHETI DISTRICT LITTLE KNOWN BUT PROGRESSIVE LAND RESPONDS TO TOP-DRESSING (By “Tainui.”) Turning sharp to the right on the New Plymouth side of the Tarata zig-zag, one encounters the Tariki Road which, traversing a razor-back, provides the motorist in the summer time with some interesting scenery, besides being a short cut for travellers journeying from Tarata to Tariki and beyond. As the road for a considerable distance is not metalled it is not a winter route. About half a mile or less from the Junction Road, however, the. Kohete Road branches off to the left, traversing for nearly a couple of miles country that is terra incognita to most Taranaki residents; but is an area where a number of settlers, mostly returned soldiers, are working indomitably against odds to carve out homes and futures for their wives and' families. The land is very "broken, but it contains some warm, well-sheltered valleys, whilst the hillsides are in most cases ploughable, though there are some razor-backs. It responds well, however, to top-dressing, particularly with basic slag. The land, is suitable for mixed farming. Some indication of how it answers to top-dress-ing is given by the experience of one settler who some few years ago took up a section of 120 acres on which those who knew the country told him that he would not be able to keep 30 cows. He top-dressed heavily, putting on 16 to 20 tons of basic slag each year, or a total of 66 tons in four years, with the result that he is now milking 35 cows, which produced over 70001 b. of butter-fat. In addition the farm carried in the summer 20 to 25 head of young stock. It also carries one ewe to the acre, and the farmer took off 90 lambs as well as 15 fat wethers. The settlers of the district save a little hay to help carry over the winter, but they grow soft turnips and in some cases chou mollier for autumn feed, and swedes for the winter. ■ The settlers have, of course, to contend with ragwort, but by stocking and top-dressing are keeping that pest to a great extent in check. Unfortunately with the present low prices of produce it is probable that the settlers may not be able to afford ,to apply the necessary amount of top-dressing, in which case the land will go back, and their work of bringing the land into production will be largely undone. However, the present upward trend of prices is making them feel more optimistic. GROWN IN ENSILAGE PIT. FINE CROP OF PUMPKINS. A Kaimata farmer planted one pumpkin seed in an old ensilage pit, which still contained a considerable quantity of ensilage. He collected no fewer than 60 pumpkins, all of considerable size. Some (other farmers who have tried growing pumpkins in their ensilage stacks have not met with great success, owing, it is thought, to the bed becoming too dry. In the case of the - Kaimata farmer, the pit was low-lying and held the moisture. POISONED CATTLE. DEATH DUE TO ARSENIC. Mr. A. Pickels, a noted cattle breeder, of Wondai, Queensland, has suffered severe loss by the death of Beauty the Sixth of Blacklands, a famous Australian Illawarra Shorthorn champion cow, and Beauty the Ninth of Blacklands, a two-year-old heifer. The cattle arrived at the Gympie Show Grounds to compete a the Gympie Show, and early next morning some of the animals showed symptoms of illness. The heifer died in the afternoon, and Beauty the Sixth early the next morning. Beauty the Sixth of Blacklands won championships at numerous country shows, and was a valuable animal. Mr. Pickels is one of the best-known cattle breeders in Australia, and his Blacklands stock has appeared in Queensland show rings for more than 31 years. Arsenic was found in the contents of the stomachs of the dead cattle. An investigation is being made.