BUILDING UP DAIRY HERDS.

Wairarapa Age, 30 July 1925, Page 5

BUILDING UP DAIRY HERDS.

During past years the younger dairying districts have drawn considerably on Taranaki as the oldest dairying province in the- Dominion, where systematic attention has been given for many years to raising the standard of productivity of dairy herds. There are now to-day numbers of dairies producing up to 400 lbs fat, even from the much vaunted Waikato operating. there largely this season. It is not suggested that high producers are in the majority in Taranaki because some of the lowestyielding herds in the Dominion are being milked there, and unfortunatefly it is a number of the latter that have found their way to the Wairarapa. This has tended to lessen the confidence of would-be purchasers. As proof that good stock is to be bought it may be mentioned that during the last fortnight about 50 .head of heifers were secured by a representative South Wairarapa dairy farmer with the sole object of building up his herd. These animals were bought personally from some of the best producing grade Jersey herds in the Taranaki districts, the average production running from 3201bs to 4001bs fat. Similar animals are still to be procured, but owing to the intense culling and the distinct rise in dairy produce the prices of dairy heifers are advancing considerably. Those who desire to take advantage of present prices must do so at once in view of the undoubted rise.