BETTER DAIRY HERDS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 82, 6 April 1929, Page 22 (Supplement)

BETTER DAIRY HERDS

Certificate of Record Results

DECREASE IN COWS UNDER TEST

(SPECIALLY WHITTEN FOR “THE CHRONICLE”). Two reviews issued each year by the Director of the Dairy Division are of special interest to farmers because they show the position of our dairy herds, and the improvements that are being effected in them. One of these deals with herd testing, and the other with certificate of record testing which is confined to pure-breds. The review of the certificate of record testing for the 1928 season i c now to hand, and the results are of more than ordinary interest, although no outstanding records have been made this season.

Testing for certificates is confined mainly to pure-bred dairy breeders who prove both their cows and their bulls by this means. A certificate is the hall mark of production, and is universaly accepted as such, and as a certificated bull has had to sire four daughters (from different dams) each of which must have herself have secured a certificate, it is clear that he has butter-fat producing ability. Decrease In C.O.R. Testing. Although ordinary herd testing as carried out by the group method has increased enormously during the last few seasons, the certificate of record testing appears to have become less popular, and there has been a fallingoff in the iiiiinbcrs tested. No reason is adduced in the report for this falling-off. but it must surely be due mainly to the high cost of the system. The fact that group Tierd-testing has been so efficiently organised probably has something to do with it, many being content with records gained in a herd-testing association. Obviously, there should be a considerable increase in purebred testing, if only to cope with the increased demand for pure-bred bulls with butter-fat backing, a fact, which makes the decrease all the more remarkable. It has always been found that a growth in herd-testing under the group system leads to increased interest in better stock, and a very much larger percentage of pure-bred bulls is used in districts where testing is general, than in districts where little or no testing is carried out. In the Waikato and Bay of Plenty, for instance, herdtesting is almost universal, and more than eighty per cent of the herds are headed by a pure-bred bull. In Canterbury and Otago the herds so headed would be very many less than this figure. It has been estimated by one dairying authority that close on 18,000 bulls are needed for replacements each season, and it is obvious that haphazard selection must often be practised when so little certificate of record testing is being carried out. Jerseys Stand Supreme. Although no fresh records were made by the Jerseys during the year under review, they stand supreme in that 367 certificates were issued, this being more than four times the number issued to the next highest breed. Despite investigations which showed that the Jersey milk produced less cheese per pound of fat than that of the lower testing breeds, the breed retains its popularity, and there, appears to have been no swing-over in favour of any other breed. While on the question of high testing breeds, it is interesting to record that the first certificate ever issued to a Guernsey, went to a cow belonging to the Ruakura State Farm. This cow, a throe-year-old, produced 4871b5. of fat. Mr Singleton apparently has a liking for the breed, for he says: “Considering the undoubted merits* of

the breed, it has always been somewhat surprising to us that the Guernsey has not been more strongly represented numerically in New Zealand. . . The merits of the breed will thus be apparent, and we arc of opinion that the Guernsey could be introduced with advantage to many of our established dairying districts.” If is diflicult to see what advantage would accrue from fresh importations of Guernseys, which after all are similar in many respects to thc Jerseys, although larger. The Jersey has attained such a strong position that it. seems unwise to weaken, or attempt to weaken it by tin' introduction of a 1 breed with similar characteristics. I There is, however, little likelihood of i this happening. At present there is only a handful of Guernsey breeders in New Zealand, ami it is obviously impossible for them to import animals of the type of some of the Jersey bulls which have recently come to New Zealand. Low Testing Breeds. The Friesians easily lead the remaining breeds, this breed gaining 79 certificates for the year as against 11 for the milking Shorthorns, five for Ayrshires and two for Red Polls. Apparently Friesian breeders are limiting the numbers sent forward for testing, and as a result the averages are rising, the excellent average of 5271b5. of fat being recorded among those tested this season. Thc mature Friesian class was the strongest of all breeds tested, the eighteen animals averaging 6511b5. of butter-fat. The only change in the leadership of the various classes in this breed was in the junior two-year-olds, whore Parcora Echo Blossom gained a certificate for 8191bs. of fat, beating the previous record by 141bs. Of the elevon milking Shorthorns tested, only one put up an outstanding performance, gaining a certificate for 727 Lbs. of fat. The leaders remain the same, six out of the seven being bred by Ranstead Bros, of Matangi. So few of the breed were tested this year that it is impossible to make comparisons with previous seasons insofar as production is concerned. An outstanding record of 8321b5. fat was made by an Ayrshire this year, the cow being owned by Mr AV. Moore of Masterton. Mr Moore now holds two of the four class records, the other two being held by Mr A. M. Weir, a Southland breeder. The records of the few Ayrshires tested were entirely satisfactory.

The only Red Polls tested came from the Government farm at Ruakura, and no alterations took place in the class leaderships. The principal feature of the certificate of record tasting has been, the decrease in the numbers coming forward, a feature whicn cannot bo regarded as satisfactory in a country so largely dependent on dairying as is the Dominon. It remains to be seen whether this decrease is a real one, or whether breeders are satisfied with records gained under the very much cheaper system of group herd testing.