BEST DAIRY COW?

Waipa Post, Volume IV, Issue 167, 29 November 1912, Page 4

BEST DAIRY COW ?

BUTTER-FAT COMPETITIONS. A TWELVE-MONTHS' TEST PROPOSED. The secretary of the Wairarapa and East Coast P. and A. Society (Mr H. S. Moss) has forwarded details of an important movement in the Wairarapa for the institution of a twelve-months' butterfat competition. Of late many suggestions have been put forward as a means of solving the much-debated problem of what is the most profitable cow to the ordinary dairy farmer. Eventually a proposal was offered for consideration at a meeting of a special committee of the Wairarapa A. and P. Society. The chair 'was occupied by Mr E. Eagle, junr. Mr C. H. Cormack moved as follows: —

1. That a provisional committee, consisting of Messrs W. C. Buchanan, M.P., H. R. Bunny, W. Howard Booth, W. Henry Booth, W. O. Bayliss, E. Eagle, junr., A. Gallon, D. Graham, J. Moncrieff, and C. Morgan, with power to add to their number, be appointed to discuss and report to the general committee of the Wairarapa P. and A. Society the advisability of holding a milking competition for purebred dairy cows for a period of, say, twelve months, under the auspices of the society, at Carterton. 2. Competition to be open to purebred cows only, any breed. 3. Fix the amount of entry fee for one or more cows from any breeder, 4. Arrange conditions of entry and closing date of entries, also conditions under which competitions are to be held. 5. To decide where cows are to be pastured, the number of acres per cow. and the rent per acr;. 6. Conditions of feed for cows. 7. To arrange for the care of animals, milking, taking of tests,

weighing each cow's milk daily, and keeping records of same. 8. Deciding if the tests are to be made under the supervision of Government officials or by a person appointed by the committee. 9. Prizes to be offered, and mode of procuring same. Mr Cormack expressed the opinion that the competition could be successfully arranged by drawing up such rules as would prove generally acceptable to the breeders of dairy stock, and that by ciicularising owners of purebred stock, sending entry Corns with onditions clearly stated, sufficient support would be forthcoming. The entries should close at such a date as would give the committee ample time to lease a farm suitable for the competition, which would commence at the beginning of next year's dairying season, and to engage a man to take charge and sufficient milkers to tend the cows. The milk could be sent to one of the local dairy factories, and the payment received for same would probably be sufficient to pay rent of farm and wages, but should there be a surplus after paying expenses the amount could be devoted towards prize money. Each breeder would probably enter one or more of his be'st cows, and the daily record — pounds of milk and butter-fat and the test —could be published in the leading newspapers. Mr Cormack urged that the competition would be a good thing for the dairy farmer, inasmuch as it would prove positively which was the best breed and the best strain for the farmer to select from. Competitions of the character suggested had been held in America, Canada, and Denmark, and although in the last-named country, after seven years, they had not decided which was the best breed of cow for the farmer, the competitions in America and Canada had practically decided the question. Mr Cormack said he had gone into the financial aspect of the matter, and estimated the expenditure and receipts as follows : Expenditure —Lease of 150 acres at £3 per acre, £450; wages, £3OO ; other charges, £250; total £IOOO. Receipts : Entry fees, 50 cows at £3 per cow, sale of milk, allowing £l7 per cow, £850; total £IOOO.

Mr Cormack said he had probably over-estimated the expenditure and under-assessed the receipts.

Mr E. Eagle, jnr., said two of these competitions had been conducted in America, and in addition to proving educational, had proved a great success. The principle difficulty he could see was in respect to the bulls, and he. expressed the opinion that breeders would not send cows unless accompanied by their own particular male animal, and this could not be undertaken on the score of expense. The various breeders' associations should be induced to take the matter up, and select the best cows from amongst their members' herds to compete in the competition. He did not personally favour a competition in which artificial feeding was permitted; the contest should be held under ordinary every-day conditions, and the cow that gave the greatest profit per acre was the breed of cow the dairy farmers generally wanted to know about.

Mr H. R. Bunny thought the proposal a little ambitious at the present time, but recognised that nothing but good would result from a discussion on the subject. He thought the principal difficulty would be in attracting sufficient entries, and whichever way it went it would mean the members of the society putting their hands in their pockets. There was also much truth in Mr Eagle's assertion regarding the bull question. Farmers who possessed good cows would not feel inclined to send their best cow away for twelve months without a guarantee that she would receive proper attention and treatment, and in this connection they would have to solve another problem. Everything depended on the man at the head of affairs in a competition of this description, and unless that man or official had the entire confidence of every one of the competing farmers, the competition would be a failure. Mr Bunny did not favour stall-feeding competitions, and declared that this competition should be conducted on precisely the same lines as followed by the ordinary dairy farmer.

Mr W. C. Buchanan, M.P., said that a discussion on the subject by practical men might result in the proposal being adopted. The bull phase of the competition appeared to him the most outstanding difficulty, and and unless a farmer could get the male of his choice locally it was only natural to suggest that he would not send his cow to compete. He emphasised the fact that a thoroughly competent man would need to be appointed to conduct the competition. Although the dairying industry had made great strides in this country, Mr Buchanan declared the industry was still in its infancy, and the difference between New Zealand and Canada, for instance, was very great, and we were losing a vast amount of money through not having firstclass cows. If the farmers of this Dominion decided to immediately increase their stock of firstclass cows, and reduce their second quality stock, they would be conferring an enormous benefit not only on themselves, but the dairying industry generally in this country. The motion was carried.

Mr Buchanan promised to discuss the matter with the Prime Minister, and ascertain what (if any) assistance the Government would be prepared to give the movement.