BETTER FARM STOCK

Waipa Post, Volume 44, Issue 3178, 14 May 1932, Page 3

BETTER FARM STOCK

INSPECTION OF MALE ANIMALS. LEGISLATION DESIRED. A lengthy circular from the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoial Association, outlining a scheme which has as its object stock improvement, more particularly in relation to the sires used, came before the geneial committee of the Masterton A. and P. Association on Wednesday. The communication stated that a gratifying response had been received to a circular addressed by the Canterbury Association to kindred bodies some time ago, fully 90 per cent of the A. and P. Associations favouring some scheme being given statutory authority for the elimination of male animals which were not fit for use as sires. The following was put forward as a suitable scheme for adoption:— Legislation to be promoted making it compulsory that all bulls, rams and boars bear an inspection brand of approval before being offered for public or private sale or service. Provision to be made to extend the operation of the Act to all male animals used for stud purposes after, say, three years. The stockowners of’each provincial district to elect a committee fallowing the provincial districts of the Meat and Dairy Boards, such committee to be the administrative authority for that district. A central body to be elected from the various district organisations which would draw up uniform regulations and this body would see that the Act was properly administered. This board could be strengthened by the inclusion on it of nominees of the Meat and Dairy Boards, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Scientific and ndustrial Research. The only officers necessary would be a secretary to each district committee and one or more inspectors. The communication stated that the enforcement of regulations would be easy since the responsibility of rejected stock would rest with the owner and the penalty heavy, no owner or purchaser would run the risk of a heavy fine. There was no suggestion of dealing with females at the inception of the schenTe, or, indeed, at any time. Older countries had found that the easiest and most satisfactory method of dealing with stock improvement was to act through the sires.

The principle of the scheme met with support by the Masterton A. and P. Association. Mr William Perry, a member of the Meat Producers’ Board, and prominent breeder, observed that it was a very big scheme to undertake. Probably if it was tried out on dairy cattle it could be successfully applied to other stock. There were a great many difficulties and a certain amount of expense and he doubted whether it would be possible to put the whole scheme into operation at the present time. Undoubtedly it was very necessary. With the low butter-fat production of some herds there was no doubt that something ofthis kind was necessary. As far as sheep were concerned, Mr Perry pointed out that there were roughly 17 million sheep in New Zealand. They would require from 340,000 to 550,000 rams. It was a big task, but if it could be put into operation with one section of, stock and proved successful others might follow suit. Mr D. McGregor expressed the opinion that the slump would do a great deal toward eliminating scrub sires. Breeders had to limit the use of sires so that inferior quality animals would be neglected. This would have the effect of improving stock. It was decided to suggest _to the Canterbury A. and P. Association that it should make the scheme the subject of a remit to the annual conference of the Royal Show Society which would be attended by 40 delegates from A. and P. Associations and breed societies.