HERD TESTING.

Wairarapa Age, 4 July 1929, Page 5

HERD TESTING.

OPERATIONS IN WAIRARAPA FOR PAST YEAR. INCREASES OF PRODUCTION RECORDED. RESULTS OF THE MOVEMENT. A summary of the results of herd-testing in the Wairarapa during the past season shows that the continuance of testing, coupled with systematic culling and the disposal of the culls by means of cull cow drives, is having a markedly beneficial effect on the production of those herds whose owners are following this enlightened method of increasing production. Although this season is recognised to have been less favourable to high production than 1927-28, individual cows, herds and groups all show a higher result than previously. With the successful establishment of calfmarking (i.e., tattooing of heifer calves whose dams have given 3001 b of butterfat or more under test) there is every possibility of quickly building up a herd of high producing cows which cost no more for upkeep than their unprofitable sisters. Time after time, it is stated, where a farmer has commenced testing with a herd of 60 cows, at the end of two years he has culled his herd down to 40 cows, and with less work and less feeding has produced considerably more butterfat from the 40 proved cows than from the original 60. To test a herd of 40 cows, it is pointed out, does not cost more than the return from the poorest average cow in the herd. The figures of the ten highest herds and ten highest cows in the Gladstone No. 1 and No. 2 Groups, and the Martinborough Group appear below. The Grey town Group’s results have already been published, and those for the Featherston Group will be available in a few days’ time. In the five Wairarapa groups, 7380 cows were tested last season.

The results show that there ia a remarkable increase in the number of herds averaging over 3001 b of butterfat, no less than 20 out of 78 herds in three groups having attained this desirable point of production. Herd-test-ing in the Wairarapa is also on the increase, Greytown having formed an extra group, while Eketahuna is now in process of forming at least one new group. The' annual meetings of each group and the combined Wairarapa Association will be held during the present month.

GLADSTONE No. 1. Ten Highest Herds. Daily Cows. Fat. Days. Avg L. A. Keats . 18 .377.58 274 1.38 S. J. Clarke . 36 326.71 245 1.33 Miss Clere ... 31 317.98 244 1.30 K. Stewart. 27 299.91 230 1.30 E. L. Rayner . 24 335.54 261 1.29 A. E. Miles . 10 .351.75 286 1.23 R. Welch . . . 33 291.43 250 1.17 Lan? Smith . 41 274.32 238 1.15 Stempa & Birch 35 276.78 243 1.14 L. R. Wilton . 69 279.80 250 1.12 •R. Taylforth 27 306.54 222 1.38 *H. Mvers . . . 33 292.13 218 1.34 * Eight tests. Highest Cows. The ten highest cows on laily avercge are:— Fat. Days. Avg. E. L. Rayner . . 424.96 213 2.00 R. Taylforth . ... 465.74 2.37 1.96 H. Myers . ... . . 451.01 252 1.79 R. Wilton . . . .. 524.91 296 1.76 E. L. Ravner . . 496.94 288 1.74 R. Weleh .... .. 491.36 283 1.73 H. Myers .... . . 448.60 259 1.73 K. Stewart .. .. 352.20 204 1.73 R. Wilton .... . . 521.15 303 1.73 Lang Smith .. .. 467.51 274 1.71 Group Average. 1928-20 1927 28 1925-28 Butterfat .. 279.68 271.00 197.52 GLADSTONE No. 2. Ten Highest Herds. Daily Cows. Fat. Days Avg W. Bradley .. . 29 271.01 266 1.30 T. McKenzie . . 36 340.67 264 1.29 J. Taylforth . . 25 320.88 25.3 1.27 Rayner Bros. . . 100 334.25 266 1.26 B. Roberts . . . 25 328.18 270 1.21 H. Orr . 38 316.21 263 1.20 J. A. Roberts . 30 .331,18 277 1.19 W. Bubb .. . . 37 307.32 263 1.17 W. Millington 29 303.10 261 1.16 H. L. Herrick . 50 307.06 266 1.15 Highest Cows. The ten highest cows on laily averEge are: — Fat. Days. Avg. D. Thorpe .. .. 451.84 226 2.00 B. Roberts .. .. 537.69 284 1.80 W. Bradley .. .. 546.83 294 1.86 W. Bradley .. .. 518.27 282 1.84 T. Eaton .... . . 395.35 225 1.76 W. Snell . . .. . . 506.69 289 1.75 B. Roberts .. .. 521.26 309 1.69 Rayner Bros. ... 517.14 308 1.68 G. W. Hart .. .. 394.82 235 1.68 T. McKenzie . .. 420.57 245 1.67 Group Average. 1928-29 1927-28 1925-28 Butterfat .. 285.72 270.56 197.52 MARTINBOROUGH Ten Highest Herds. Daily Cows. Fat. Days Avg R. Parsons .. . 66 291.79 243 1.20 C. Bargh .. . 8. G. Grant . . 39 307.65 264 1.17 . 27 .306.57 279 1.10 J. M. Scott . . 33 303.11 285 1.07 Z. Reynolds .. . 47 312.45 29.3 1.07 R. Eager .. . . 26 281.00 267 1.05 J. Martin . . . . 63 259.22 25.3 1.02 W. lorns .. . . 108 256.35 253 1.01 H. Knapp . . . . 73 259.56 258 1.00 A. George . . . 35 25.3.56 254 .99 Highest Cows. The ten highest cows on daily average are:— Fat. Days. Avg. J. McGillicuddy 510.43 239 2.13 W. lorns .. . .. 389.64239 1.63 R. Parsons .. .. 471.02 253 1.62 C. Bargh .. .. .. 379.58 235 1.61 C. Bargh .. . .. 3.37.32 213 1.58 A. George ... .. 429.79 274 1.57 C. Bargh .. . .. .398.46 258 1.54 C. Bargh .. . .. 423.30 279 1.52 H. Knapp . . .. 339.21 227 1.49 R. Eager .. . . . 258.23 240 1.49 H. Knapp . . .. 395.28 267 1.48 J. M. Scott .. . . 417.54 288 1.45 S. G. Grant .. .. 418.00 289 1.44 Group Average. 1928-29 1927-28 Butterfat .. . . .. 234.02 215.56