THE DAIRY SEASON

Waipa Post, Volume 45, Issue 3212, 4 August 1932, Page 5

THE DAIRY SEASON

SEQUENCE OF HEIFER CALVES.

With the hundreds of dairy cows coming to profit this month dairymen are interested in the progeny of their herds. Inquiry locally gives the impression that on some farms there has been a preponderance of heifer calves so far.

One farmer, with a herd of well over fifty cows, stated yesterday that over half of his herd is now at profit, and of the calves the great majority are heifers. He had been hoping for bulls, but in one day nine successive heifer calves were produced. Another farmer states that his returns to date indicate about equal numbers of heifers and bulls. All appear healthy, and he is pleased with results.

A farmer at Pokuru stated that the '""' first dozen cows to come to profit all produced heifers, and then a sequence o£ bulls arrived. Inquiry from a Hairini farmer brought the reply that calves this sea-.; son on his own farm and on that of a neighbour appeared to be about • " fifty-fifty." He had not noticed any preponderance of one 5ex.....

One farmer at Mangateparu (according to the Morrinsville' Star) has had only five heifer calves Qut of 42 born on the farm in the past few : weeks. At one period there were 29 bull calves in succession.. Another farmer of the district'who.wanted to save eight heifer calves managed to get only that number out of his whole herd. ,'■'»* ...

Several other Mangateparu farmers who happened to be in a group when these figures., were quoted .said they had also had a big proportion of bull calves. One man said- that: last year it was just the opposite—he had nearly all heifer calves.

Asked how his calves were turning out. a Kurunui farmer said he had had a great run of heifer calves. There were 17 heifer calves In succession, then a bull calf and.then seven more heifers. ■ . A farmer at Piako said he had only four heifer calves out of 20 calves that had arrived to date.