The Waikato Independent. SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1930. ELIMINATION OF THE CULL COW.

Waikato Independent, Volume XXX, Issue 2314, 22 March 1930, Page 4

The Waikato Independent. SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1930. ELIMINATION OF THE CULL COW.

For years past much has been said of the necessity for taking some, steps to eliminate the cull cow from the dairy herd. Through the initiative of Mr S. Lye, the Dominion Co-op. Farm Products Federation, of which body he is the managing director for Auckland, has taken, up this problem on sound, business-like linos. While the movement in this direction has been

hailed with delight by many farmers, others, with that strange apathy for which they as a class" are noted, stand aloof and show but little interest in a matter that is of" vital importance to the dairying industry. Thus, when the local branch of the N.Z. Farmers' Union prevailed upon Mr Lye to address a public meeting at Cambridge yesterday dealing with this question, it was exceedingly disappointing »to find a small attendance of but twenty farmers to hear him. All. present were evidently impressed with what Mr Lye had to say, and unanimously intimated their willingness to support the movement. The Farmers' Union is now to proceed with the setting up of a committee for the district, and it is hoped

that farmers will show more interest and give their loyal support to a project that so vitally affects their welfare. Everyone knows the trouble caused by the cull cow. In these days every progressive dairy farmer is en-

deavouring to improve his milking herd by testing, ;culling the unpayable beasts, and gradually building up a herd of better producers. These cull cows, however, have in the past been ?old in the salcyards and elsewhere, and have continued to cause loss, and the same old trouble has been simply passed on to another and the evil continued. Instances were yesterday furnished the meeting by Mr White, a district organiser under the Federation, who told how some cull cows had recently been sold among a picked herd of Shorthorns, at a high figure, the purchaser having to bear the loss. By means of "potting" these culls, 'this ever-recurring evil is being gradually and effectively stamped out. It would appear from Mr Lye's remarks that farmers have been getting quite a fair price for their cull cows and bulls, and the Federation's movement is working well. Of course there is still room for improvement in the working of the scheme, but it is a very fine and honest attempt to grapple with a serious problem, and rid the country of a great hindrance to the efforts made towards increasing the productivity of

the herds of the Dominion. This is a matter that lies very largely in the farmers' own hands. They had had innumerable lessons on the benefits of cooperation, and should have no hesitation in giving their whole-hearted allegiance and loyal support to their own company.