DAIRY-HERD TESTING.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XIII, Issue 2, 21 August 1916, Page 132

DAIRY-HERD TESTING.

PROGRESS OF THE KAUPOKONUI ASSOCIATION.

S. McKENZIE, Dairy Instructor, Manaia.

The Kaupokonui Cow-testing Association (Taranaki) was organized and the work started in the year 1910. The results obtained so far indicate this to be one of the most successful organizations of its kind-success assured by a spirit of enthusiasm among all the members. After two ’ years’ work under the general control of the Dairy Division of the Department of Agriculture, the Kaupokonui Co-operative Dairy Company thought so highly of its testing association that it approached the ’ Department to appoint an officer to specially continue the work —salary , and expenses to be paid by the company. This was carried out, and has proved satisfactory.. t 0..: all concerned.. It is pleasing .to note. that the neighbouring Joll Co-operative Dairy Company is now running a large association on similar lines, and, judging: by recent inquiries, other companies are likely to follow suit. :..' ,

During the past six years a great deal has been written about the value- of -cow-testing, but . the writer feels confident that the Kaupokonui records quoted below will help to . convince many non-testing farmers of the benefits gained by association members in i this district who consistently test their herds. :

The following figures show the increase in \ butter-fat gained by .members who have tested continually from ; the season 1910-11 to' that of 1915-16 : < 7 '.. (■ - .

Increases gained by members who have tested continually from 1911-12 to 1915-16 are as follows :

The table which follows shows the increases gained by those members who have tested from 1912-13 to 1915-16 :

The records, of which the above are examples, indicate' clearly the progress the farmers concerned are making, and have enabled them to use their best judgment in grading their herds up to an increased average yearly production.

Testing has taught many farmers to milk fewer cows, and has shown them that by paying more attention to the smaller herds and feeding the fewer cows better they were more than compensated for the culls sold. Furthermore, they have learned that the best and cheapest way to improve their dairy stock is by breeding their own cattle and selecting progeny from the profitable members of their herds. The only way to ascertain the animals from which to breed is by the use of the scales and tester.

In the season of 1910-11 at Kaupokonui twenty-four herds, representing 1,454 cows, were under test, their average production

being 222-02 lb. butter-fat ' per cow. For the past season (1915-16) sixty herds were tested, representing 2,343 cows, and these had an average of 283-36 lb. of butter-fat per cow, thus showing the association increase to be 61-34 lb. fat per cow in six years.

Kaupokonui has 229 suppliers, who have milked during the past season 10,212 cows, the average production from these being 224-47 lb. butter-fat.. In the 1910-11 season 10,085 cows were milked and averaged 193-14 lb. butter-fat per cow. Thus after six years the company has an increased yield of 31-33 lb. fat per cow, obtained very largely by assistance from its cow-testing association.

i • • • ' Herd. 1910-11. • ; ■ 1915-16. ■ • I ■ " '■ Increase per Cow in Six Years. Number of Cows. Herd Average Butter-fat. Number of Cows. Herd Average Butter ’ lb. 'lb. lb. . I 26 183-00 25 ' 3O5-38 122-38 2 88 229-66 • 65 348-80 119-24 3 67 230-82 37 37I-38 I4O-56 4 48 219-48 46 261-08 41-60 5 51 205-22 63 272-44 67-22 6 35 217-91 35 281-48 63-57 Herds’ average 315 v 228-76 271 3O6-94 90-01

Herd. . 1911-12.. 1915-16. Increase per Cow .in-Five Years. Number of Cows. Herd Average - Butter-fat. Number of Cows. Herd Average . Butter-fat. lb. lb. lb. . I 55 'Vn;ib. . ' 4241-87 43 lb. ', ' 312-39 lb. ; 70’52 2 37 ■ 241-58 36 353’55 I u-97 3 • 29 182-51 26 289-71 107-20 4 ■ 12 404-48 ■15 452'15 47-67 • 5 37 200-89 37 308-48 107-59 Herds’ average 170 234-23 157 '■ 317-76 92-65

-..Herd. 1912-13. 1915-16. Increase per Cow in Four Years. Number of Cows. Herd Average Butter-fat.-Number of Cows. Herd Average;' Butter-fat. I 20 lb. 191’47 18 lb. 300-39 lb. 108-92 2 49 294-4I . 47 357-01 ■ 62-60 • 3 • 46 , 211-94 ■ 46 236-95 25-01 4 9 ■ 224-07. . . 14 296-61 72-54 5 82 216-09 ’ ' 78 264-29 48-20 6 ■58 255-02 50 ■ 332-65 77-63 7 34 281-01 29 340-57 59-56 8 3i 245-67 31 274-39 28-72 9 6 224-58 6 , . 343-9° II9-32 IO 48 '■ . 236-96 43 255-23 18-27 Herds’ average 383 ' 241-31 362 292-56 51-04