DOMINION DAIRY HERDS

Taranaki Daily News, 1 June 1935, Page 24 (Supplement)

DOMINION DAIRY HERDS

INCREASE IN DAIRYING EFFECT OF THE DEPRESSION. An interesting review appears in this month’s issue of the Journal of Agriculture on the size and distribution of New Zealand dairy herds, prepared by Mr. E. J. Fawcett; economist of the Department of Agriculture. The total dairy herd of New Zealand has increased by approximately 500,000 cows since 1929-30, remarks Mr. Fawcett. This rapid expansion has taken place 1 coincident with a decline in commodity prices, and there have been many conjectures as to the types of farms on which the major development has taken place. An analysis of holdings, based on herd size, was made by the Government Statistician for the 1929-30 season, and again for the 1933-34 season. Consideration and comparison of the data contained in these tabulations gives us an indication of the direction in which dairying has developed during this period. The Government Statistician’s figures are based on agricultural and pastoral enumerations as at January 31. For purposes of classification, farms are broken into two groups, namely: Holdings wholly or almost wholly devoted to dairying (specialised) and all holdings. The figures used, refer to holdings of one acre or over situated outside boroughs. For this reason the total number of dairy herds shown does not check with the total number of suppliers to dairy factories. For the 1929-30 season the total number of herds enumerated was 65,496, whilst there were 59,417" suppers to factories. In 1933-34 there were 70,434 Herds enumerated, but 71,837 suppliers were recorded in the factory lists for that season. In 1930 there were 19,671 holdings in respect of which returns were submitted showing no dairy 'cows, whilst in 1934 there were 13,934 holdings in this category. It can be assumed safely in many instances that these holdings carried cows for the provision of household milk, but were not concerned with factory supply. FACTORY SUPPLIERS. Th® first movements of importance which should be noted/ therefore, are that the number of herds enumerated increased and that factory supply had become general -by 1934, when factorysuppliers exceeded the total number of herds recorded outside! boroughs. It is clear that financial stringency amongst sheep-farmers in the early stages of the expression caused many of them to develop dairy herds of various sizes, and all of them to supply factories with their surplus produce if cream collection was practicable. During the period 1930-34, total production increased by 36 per cent, whereas Suppliers to factories increased by 29 per cent. f A table showed that coincident 'with the increase in suppliers, a definite movement has taken place in herd-composition within the supplying-groups. Herds Of from one to nine cows have dropped in numbers and in relative importance, from 48.9 per cent, to 40.2 per cent. Larger herds have increased in actual numbers, but those up to fifty-nine cows have decreased in the percentage they represent within the Dominion herd, whilst herds of Sixty cows or more assume greater relative importance, from 8.1 per cent, to 12.9 per cent. ; / In 1930 herds on farms devoted princito dairying represented 50.8 per cent, of the total, and had increased to 60.5 per cent, by 1934. It is clear that management on many farms has been directed to change from a sheep-domin-ant to a cow-dominant position' during < this period, comments Mr. Fawcett. The percentage position of 1934 relative to 1930 was'as follows: Specialised group, / herds increased 27.9 per cent., total area ; of farms increased by 44.2 per cent, total ; cows concerned increased by 46.4 per • cent. Non-specialised group, number of ! decreased by 13.5 per cent., total area of farms 1.2 per cent, and total cows concerned increased by 7.2 per cent. Mr. Fawcett states that; within the '■ specialised category, increases in cows ■ and in area have been fairly balanced. : The increase in area,, however, is mainly 1 accounted for by those farms which have : changed over to cow-dominant propositions. Cow increases are mainly influenced by increments in established, herds. In the non-specialised group, the number of herds have been reduced by the switch to “specialised,” and the increase in cows is wholly accounted for by enlargement of the dairying side of enterprises already devoted to mixed sheep and dairy farming.

The trend towards enlargement of existing herds, and the increasing relative importance of larger herds in the industry, is demonstrated in a comparison of the percentage of the total, which is represented by herds falling within definite size groups. In the specialised groups, although the total number ’of cows in herds of under forty has increased, the percentage of the whole which they represented in 1934 has declined, whereas herds of above forty cows have rapidly increased in relative importance. In ■ the non-specialised groups, small herds of under ten cows have declined in number, whilst others have increased in number and in relative’importance. This is specially true of the larger Jierds on non-specialised holdings. Wherever practicable, the dairy herds on sheep and mixed farms have been increased in size, and particularly so on farms of about 1,000 acres where comparatively small herds ' have been developed to augment incomes and to provide some cash income each month. The average area of the non-specialised group, and the resultant area per cow, suggest that the increase in enumerated herds has been mainly on large holdings, while the herds on small holdings have decreased.

A summary over the four-year period is as follows:—

(1) It has become a recognised practice for farmers to supply factories with their surplus butterfat wherever collection is practicable, but over 40 per cent, of suppliers have herds of under 10 cows. (2) The number of farmers who submit returns showing dairy herds on their property has increased materially. (3) Dairying has assumed a dominant position in an increasing number of farm enterprises. (4) The major increases in dairy cows have taken place on specialised dairying holdings. (5) On specialised holdings the major increases have taken place on farms carrying 40 cows or more. (6) Although a number of non-special-ised holdings carries large dairy herds, the relative importance of these herds in the dairying industry is small.