HERD IMPROVEMENT

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20841, 27 June 1939, Page 9

HERD IMPROVEMENT

DAIRY BOARD’S PLAN HERD TESTING ACTIVITIES NEXT SEASONS PROGRAMME (Special to Times) WELLINGTON, Tuesday Reference to the herd improvement plan of the New Zealand Dairy Board was made by the president, Mr G. R. Herron, in his report to the annual meeting of the Dominion Group Herd Testing Federation today. •'The plan is a long term one,” said Mr Herron, " the main objectives of which are to discover those strains of dairy cattle from which worthwhile sires are produced; to disseminate information on the best possible lines "f breeding; to develop by contact with farmers the proper interpretation and use of herd testing results; and in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, the Farmers’ Union, tiie Young Farmers’ Glubs, and other organisations, to raise the general standard of per cow and per acre production. “ The Department of Agriculture is vitally interested in utilising to the full the data which can be collected on disease losses and disease problems through the herd improvement associations, which in turn will thus be contributing in no small part to the elimination of disease. As the herd improvement plan wall have the co-op-eration of the Government departments, the board and the herd improvement associations, and the co-op-eration of factory directorates can be relied upon to provide that local driving force which is so essential, the success of the plan should be assured. It is, in effect, a national movement now being launched by the Government and the industry to make dairy farming more profitable for those engaged in it. Increased Efficiency “When the plan was first under consideration,” continued Mr Herron, “the Herd Recording Council and the New Zealand Dairy Board recognised fully that the adoption of such a plan was doomed to failure if the resultant increased efficiency in production was capitalised against the farmer. This matter was taken up with the Minister of Marketing, and the board has been assured by the Government that no increase shall be made in the standard on which the guaranteed price is at present based until such time as the average effective production for the Dominion reaches that figure. Thereafter only 50 per cent of any increase in the average effective production for the Dominion shall be credited to the guaranteed price standard. “ As the result of the inauguration of the Herd Improvement Plan, it will be necessary for amalgamations to take place, so that the work of the herd improvement associations will be on a highly efficient basis. Many will regret to see the passing away of local herd testing associations, though we should recognise that they have very usefully served their purpose, by paving the way for the new organisations. For the successful operation of the herd improvement associations the management committees of the present herd testing associations must continue to give the maximum assistance to the movement.

B rom Thymol Blue Test “The testing organisations are to be congratulated on the way in which their members co-operated by approximately half the herds under test for production accepting the mastitis tes{. The experience gained has shown that from a statistical point of view the industry and the Government are unable to obtain that wealth of reliable data which was anticipated. The test is really a coarse one, but of considerable value to the farmer who has no other way of obtaining advance information on developing cases of mastitis in his herd. The leucocyte test is more complete and is recommended provided the farmer can carry it out. The investigation has established the fact that a brom thymol blue re-action definitely indicates that the chemical composition of the milk in that quarter at that time is affected, and that the cause in 90 per cent of the cases will prove to be mastitis. Unfortunately, however, the test varies considerably in its consistency under field conditions. Under these circumstances, therefore, it has been decided that the mastitis service as carried out last season will not be available next season. The necessary gear for the work will remain in the different districts and it is anticipated that associations will make arrangements whereby those members desiring to have this service will receive it at a minimum of expense. Total Number of Cows “ The total number of group cows charged for this season is 219,252, against 246,265 charged for the previous season. Most of this reduction took place in districts seriously affected by the facial eczema last autumn, and followed by the exceptionally unfavourable spring. “ Levies for the season, including adjustments on the previous season's payments, amounted to £475 Is sd. In accordance with the arrangements made with the dairy board the bulk of the levy will be paid to the board. “No less than 51 attended the course at Massey 'College, in July last year, which was the largest attendance ever at one course. All these men were absorbed before the season commenced. The course last year was on the new basis whereby it was controlled by the dairy board, and certificates in herd testing were withheld until the men had proved themselves in the field. It is to be hoped that a similar number will present themselves this year, when'the course will be held from July 4 to 21.” In conclusion, Mr Herron expressed the federation’s appreciation of the work of the New Zealand Dairy Boar! and the co-operation of the Department of Agriculture, and referred to the services of Mr G. 11. Bell, of Taranaki, and the secretary, Mr C. M. Hume, who had been associated with the federation since its inception in 1926. Messrs F. Johansson (Northern Wairoa) and G. 11. Bell (Taranaki) were re-elected unopposed to the committee.