THE HERD.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18950, 20 May 1933, Page 19 (Supplement)

THE HERD.

The Only Way. We recently enjoyed an experience —an unique one. It was accompanying a friend to purchase a bull in a way that all bulls should be purchased. The sire he was negotiating for had splendid butter-fat backing. The dam was a great-producing heifer, her mother had flue production figures to her credit. The sire was from a cow with a long succession of records. When we reached the farm of the breeder the young bull, his dam and her mother, and this sire and her mother were all at hand for inspection. They were all as satisfactory from the constitution and conformation viewpoints as they were from a producing viewpoint, and, to cap it all, the young sire our friend was after was absolutely outstanding, of great constitution and undoubted masculinity. What a way to buy a bull. To have figures proving the producing blood behind him, to inspect together his Immediate ancestors, and to see in the animal himself outstanding evidences of prepotency, the capacity (so far as appearances go) of being able to pass on the great blood he carried. A further point, the bull was tatooed before he was taken from his dam, a rule with all calves of the up-to-date and careful breeder. How many men purchase a bull In this absolutely safe way? And yet the business of buying a sire means success or failure in dairyfarming.

And the Price. Who can put a value on a sire such as the one described? The man who purchased it had tried for years to get the type of bull he wanted but had failed. He paid a big price for tliis one, realising what the right type of bull would mean to him. And ho cannot afford a motor-carl But the policy lie is pursuing should enable him in the near future to have a car as well as the' best buli procurable. # # * * A Good Friend. The other day a 1 keen young dairyfarmer consulted a friend in regard to the purchase of several pedigree heifers. The friend—he was a friend — succeeded in persuading him not to purchase heifers but to put all the money he intended spending on the heifers, and then double it if necessary, into the best bull be could buy, but to see the dam of the bull before he purchased. That young farmer is now searching the country for the type of sire he should have, being prepared, even If it should strain his resources to the utmost, to buy the best backed and best-constltu-tloned bull he can get. # * * * Splendid Propaganda. In the winter months the Dominion Supervisor of the Group Herd-Testing Federation visits the dairying districts of both Islands to stimulate Interest in more progressive methods of dairyfarming. Mr. Hume has developed a style of address, illustrated by firstclass limelight pictures, which has become the most entertaining type of lecture that is given on rural subjects in this country. He gave his first winter lecture at Ngarua on Monday evening last. It was as successful as ever. Among his pictures, all or which were new, were several that were highly appreciated. One particu-. larly clever one Illustrated the farcical character of some of the pedigrees printed in the catalogues of the annual bull sales. The pictures In regard to successive records were very telling. Mr, Hume made the great point that If every few years a cow is not tested for a year the future buyer of marked stock will want to know the reason for the blanks In the table of records and will at once surmise that the animal was not tested In particular years because something had gone wrong with her. Only by testing every cow every year, said Mr. Hume, could the owner have definite proof to submit to prospective purchasers of his marked stock that the dams were not only heavy and consistent producers but that they were regular breeders and were absolutely resistent to disease. But the lecture was brimful of good arguments for continuous testing and for consistently applying the great lessons that herd - testing affords. Several members of the audience subsequently remarked that the lecture was the most Interesting they had ever attended.