HERD TESTING.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 12 June 1926, Page 13

HERD TESTING.

PROPOSED ASSOCIATION FOR SOUTH CANTERBURY. PRELIMINARY MEETING. A preliminary meeting was held in Mr 11. H. Eraser’s office on J, Thursday " niglit for the pur- ' pose of discussing the formation of a Herd Testing Association for South Canterbury. There wero piesent:—Messrs A. S. Elwortliy, 0. L. Gillies, B.Ag., 11. H. Eraser, A. G. Ridley, R. Maddren, F. I. AAashbomne, T. R. Mackay, and H. E. Martin. Mr T. R. Maclvay, who presided, said in opening the meeting, that it would pay the district well to have a herd testing association. A. great many cows were being milked which were not worth milking, as they did not pay loi their keep, and .something should bo done to improve the dairy herds of the district. The South Canterbury Jersey Club and the Timaru A. and 1. Association had taken the matter up and it remained for daily farmers to do then Mr Maddren, in reply to a question, said there aro about (MOO cows between the Rangitata and Waitaki rivers quite sufficient to warrant the formation of a Herd Testing Association. Mr Fraser said that when 111 the North Island recently he had made inquiry into this matter, and l lie had since received some inlonnation from the Southern Hawke s Bay Herd J cstimr Association. Tlio Association theie had been in force for three years and bad become quite a useful bodj. Hiej had two systems of testing—-the group and the old individual system. Two officers were einijloyed-a senior one at £240 a year, with £SO additional foi tlio purpose of running a small l'ord truck, and an assistant at £l9O a yoai. Every farmer testing, signed a p.n. for tlio full amount and gave an ordei 011 liis factory for a reduction to be made each month, tho p.n’s. being handed to the Bant as security for the overdraft. Their arrangements m thr> fliroction always worked admnnbly.. Mr Gillies gavo a lot of information concerning tho possible methods of testing, and what in his opinion, would bo tho host way of carrying on the Association here. . After a detailed discussion it was decided, on the motion of Wasbbourno and Elworthj, that Mr Lillies be asked to formulate- dctai.s of a tasting scheme, and submit it to a future meeting. Jt was decided to ask some practical dairy farmers to attend the next meeting which is to bo held on June -.0. Mr .Gillies stressed the fact that a Testing Association would be of great value to South Canterbury, and it was said that the formation of such an Association would pur. thousands of pounds into tho pockets of the daip farmers of the district, in addition to which it would be of considerable national advantage.