On the Land.

Waikato Argus, Volume XXV, Issue 3844, 27 July 1908, Page 3

On the Land.

GRADING DAIRY COWS

Following up the subject of breeding and culling dairy cows, touched upon in a leading article in last week's issue on State Dairy Herds, writes "Korari" in the Weekly Press, some interesting information may be taken from a practical paper read by Mr J. Corrigan at a recent meeting of the Hawera Farmers' Union. In regard to grading cows he recommended every dairy farmer to adopt a system of grading his cows. At the start he should decide to keep no cows in his herd that would not test 3.8 in the flush of the season, and yield 600 gallons of milk for the year. After he has got his herd up to this standard he can go on improving another point, and obtain a 3.9 test, and 700 gallons of milk for the season. Mr Corrigan goes so far as to assert that if every farmer in Taranaki adopted this method and took the minimum grade of 3.8 test and 600 gallons of milk for the season, there would not be more than 33 per cent of the cows that are milked in Taranaki at the present time kept, for dairy purposes. He goes on to say:—"At the present time the average amount of butter fat per cow per annum in this Dominion is something like 1801bs. If the cows would be brought up to the standard I have quoted, "and I don't think it would bo asking too much, the annual return per cow would be about 2401b butter fat. If this could be achieved it would increase our returns per cow per annum by 601b butter fat. Put this at lOd per lb, and it would mean £2 10s per cow. There are about 100,000 dairy cows in Taranaki, so this would mean an increase of £250,000 per year for this province without having to increase our pastures." One can foliow Mr Corrigan so far. But suppose all the Taranaki dairy farmers whose cows are not up to the minimum standard laid down, adopted this advice in the coming season and called out the 66 odd per cent of cows that Mr Corrigan assumes are not worth keeping for dairy purposes, now are these two thirds of the dairy stock of the province to be replaced? Mr Corrigan's subsequent views do go some way towards answering the question, but not wholly so. On the subject of breeding dairy cows, which is so closely related to the foregoing, Mr Corrigan draws from his own experience, upon which a man who sets out to give practical infoimation is always on safe ground. He says: —"My experience is that the best breed you can get for this district is two crosses of Jersey and one of Holstein. This particular breed, I find, milks a longer period than any other, and is also a good tester, and has a hardy constitution —qualifications necessary for a dairy cow. I want it understood that although I advocate this breed, I am not running down the other breeds of cattle, as experience has taught me that you will get some good dairy cows out of any breed; but why 1 advocate this breed is that you get a larger percentage of good cows from them than from any other. Next to this breed comes the Shorthorn-Jer-sey cross —two crosses of Jersey and one of Shorthorn. This breed is equally as good a tester as the Holstein cross, but does not milk so long a period, nor are they as good in constitution. Next to the Shorthorn cross comes the Jersey-Polled Angus cross. This breed, many will no doubt say, is essentially a beef breed, but from experience I can tell you I have cows bred this way—two crosses Jersey and one of Polled Angus—that are real good dairy cattle. They do not give quite the quantity of Shorthorn cross, nor do they milk any longer period. Their constitution is better, but you do not get the same percentage of good cows from this breed that you do from the other breeds I have quoted above. JerseyAyrshire cross I do not advocate. You get some good cows of this breed, but a very large peixentage of weeds. You will notice I have all along crossed the Jersey with the other breeds. I find this is absolutely "necessary to keep up the butter fat test." This information is both interesting and valuable, and largely substantiates the view expressed by the editor when he said that there is a necessity for a standard breed to work upon. To carry out Mr Corrigan's suggestions successfully we want more Holsteins and more Shorthorns, for I take it that the Jersey cross can best be accomplished by using Jersey bulls, and there is now a fairly large number of good Jersey herds from which the bulls can be obtained, but if two thirds of the present dairy cows in Taranaki are deficient in milk yield, crossing with the Jersey will not improve the yield of milk to the extent required. We must have, therefore, more Holsteins and dairy Shorthorns, and they can only be obtained by importation and the formation of new herds. We want the heavy milking Shorthorn such as were imported into New Zealand in the early days, and can be obtained at the present time in England. The Lincoln Red Shorthorn would probably prove as good a yielder,or even better than the Holstein, and would be specially suitable for the heavy grazing land in Taranaki.