CULL COW DRIVES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20168, 9 June 1928, Page 10 (Supplement)

CULL COW DRIVES

UNPROFITABLE ANIMALS MEANS OF DISPOSAL. The disposal of cows that have been culled because of their failure to prove profitable members of the dairy herd is a question that has frequently been discussed at farmers ’ conrerences, but so far no scheme having a general application has yet been adopted. Since herd-testing has been more used as a means of finding the poor yielding cows, the herd rejections have largely increased. The proper place for these discarded animals is the slaughter house, but unfortunately many of them are bought up by dealers or sold. l by auction, anrl find their way back into some other herd to the continued detriment of their •immediate owners.

This matter was taken up by the Wairarapa Farmers’ Union four years ago since when, under a system known as cull cow drives, no less than 4000 non-profitable animals have been finally eliminated. This system is proving quite successful and is simple to operate and may be thus briefly described:: A small committee is set up in a given district to inquire from neighbours the number of cull cows that are offering. Later each owner is given an identification brand to distinguish his cows. The cows are afterwards collected and driven to the nearest freezing works and killed and graded. A return is then supplied showing the nett weight and grade of his entry. The operation of this scheme is said to have been of great benefit to farmers, the prices realised being in practically every instance in excess of those offering before the inauguration of the drives. The number of farmers participating is increasing now that they realise the advantages, and it is confidently expected that the current year’s average butter-fat production, ascertained through the Herd Testing Association, will show a marked increase. This is a matter that could be taken up with profit locally with very little trouble. The good work of the Herd Testing Association that is operating in this district is doubtless discover-

ing quite as many unprofitable cows as have been found in the Wairarapa dairying centres. If all these rejects were safely placed on the books for beef or boning purposes, they would realise their full value without any risk of being bought by unsuspecting dairymen who are starting herds or looking for replacements. The cull cow drive has been practised in Taranaki for a couple of years with marked success.