The Timaru Herald. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1911. DAIRY FARMERS' METHODS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14361, 6 February 1911, Page 4

The Timaru Herald. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1911. DAIRY FARMERS' METHODS.

The advice given • by Mr James Dunlop, one of the Scottish Agricultural Commissioners now visiting this Dominion, on the subject of i co-operative milk testing associations, has been urged reSeatedly by the dairy produce ivision of the Agricultural Department. Mr Dunlop, who is himself an agriculturist of great experience, in an interview which we published on Saturday, dwelt on the advantages which have followed the adoption of this system in Scotland, and also in Denmark, where, he stated, the cost of producing a pound of butter has been reduced by threepence by its means. He added that there was great room for improvement in New Zealand dairy cows, and the introduction of the system would bo followed by great benefits. At the annual meeting, of the South Island Dairying Association, held at Invercargill a week ago, Mr Cuddie, chief of the dairy produce division of the Agricultural Department,' said that cow-testing was the most important matter which he had to bring before them. No ono could say that New Zealand farmer? were not progressive, but this important movement had not received in tho south the attention which it deserved, though the Department was now receiving constant requests for information which showed that farmers were beginning to take an interest in the matter. Private testing had been carried out on several farms for some years, with satisfactory results. One herd, with nn average of 1601bs of butter fat, had in five years incronsed the amount by 801bs per head. The method adopted had been by selecting and culling, and by tho use of a sire from a good milking stroin. Within the last few years tho system hnd been adopted by tho Dnlefield Dairy Company, in the Wairarapa district. Eight hundred cows wore tested during a recent season with a view to finding out how far the opinions of farmers as to tho merits of their stock coincided with the results of actual tests. Each member was asked to furnish a list of what ho considered liis best eight cows. No farmer picked the eight best. Tho owner of one herd, for example, picked five of the eight best. Ho picked ono row with a return of 2-12.44 lbs of fat. and omitted one of which the return was 350.2b" lbs, ;. difference of 107.82 lbs, which at Is per lb would be .£5 7s Kid. In another typical case a wrong selection anil exclusion made a difference of £7 18s 2d. The only true test, declared Mr Cuddie, was by the scales for quantity and the liabeoek for qualify. If the testing was conducted on co-operative linos it: would cost only .'is per head per year, and every fanner would know delinitelv which were his good and which his had cows. In face of these figures, and others Quoted bv Mr Thmlnn from tikm

expenViH-u ui (.ilit'i- <■<uiiiii-H's, i( i.s plain tlllll Nl'H A'ulallll tIIMIHTS will In- liliiul ii> their <nvii interest i if they il" mil ili'riilc to «rive the .-tibji-rt or .-o-opt'iativi' co\vtt'siiag - move utiouiioii than il lias received iioiu them iu tin; pust.