GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL HERD-TESTING OF PUREBRED DAIRY COWS.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 54, Issue 1, 20 January 1937, Page 33

GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL HERD-TESTING OF PUREBRED DAIRY COWS.

SUMMARY OF THE 1935-36 SEASON’S WORK.

W. M. Singleton,

Director of the Dairy Division, Wellington.

The Government Official Herd-testing has now been in operation for nine .years, . the. . present summary covering . the year ending 30th September, .1936. Since the inception of the system 16,701 statements of seasonal production have been issued, representing an average of 1,855. cows per year. ...During, the - past season 1,910 cows were tested, a decrease of 148 cows from the. .1934-35 total of 2,058. The cows tested during the season under review were in the herds of .183 breeders, as compared with., 195 herds for the

previous season. The maximum number of Certificate-of-Record breeders with cows on test ■ during the same period was 237, so that over 75 per cent, took advantage of the Government official herd-testing system. Average butterfat production per cow showed an increase, of 16-28 lb., the 1935-36 average being 326-32 lb. fat, as compared with 310-04 lb. for the previous season. The statistics appearing in this review are based on all cows on test for six months (180 days) or more. The Government Official Herd-test is a ten-months test. Cows other than registered purebreds are omitted from the tables, although a small number are tested each year by special arrangement. The number of cows tested under this heading during the period under review was thirty-two, as compared with. thirty-one for the previous season. Registered purebred cows totalling 125 were on test for less than 180 days, and are therefore not included in the summary tables. The following figures provide a comparison of average butterfat production for the various systems of testing in the Dominion: New Zealand’s average herd-test cow for the 1935-36 season, including all cows in milk 100 days or . more, yielded 257-64 butterfat in 258 days. The • Government Official Herd-test average on the same basis was 322-1916. in 283 days, while the Certificate-of-Record 305-day test average was . 417-76 lb., and the Certificate-of-Record 365-day test 516-36 lb.

* Totals do not agree since some breeders tested more than one breed.

Breed. Number of ■ Breeders. Number of Cows. Average Yield for Season. ‘ Days. Milk.- | Butterfat. Butterfat. Season . 1934—35. . Lb. . Lb. Lb. Lb. Jersey • .. 151 1,368 287 5,955’7 320-85 Friesian . . . . • 20 285 284 8,271-6 295-19 Milking Shorthorn .... ■ 7 182 276 6,332-9 264•69 Ayrshire .. .. 2 31 292 6,708-2 266•06 Red Poll . . 1 4 234 3,324-3 134'44 Guernsey . . Shorthorn .. ■ ' ■ 151 20 7 .. j 2 1. 1 Not repfe 1,368 ■ 285 .182 31 ' 4 6 rented. ■287 284 ' 276 292 234 300 c ncc .*7 ' ooA.Sff J » / 8,271•6 6,33 2 ’9 6,708’2 3,324’3 5,079-6 295-19 . 264’69 266-06 134-44 271-26 ■ -- T , f i •' . ’ Totals and averages 178* ‘ 1,876 ; ' 285 ■ ' .6', 348 • 310-04

Table I.Official Herd-testing in Two Past Seasons on Basis of all Cows on Test for 180 Days or More.

Jersey .... <- -.. 160 1 >350 ; ■■--272 ' C 5,765-7 ■ ■ 3I5-72 Friesian 16 • 392 275 ,402•6 299-19 Milking Shorthorn .. 6 • 108 ■ 277 7,477-6 306-95 Ayrshire .. . I 6 305 5,455’0 241-91 Red Poll . . . . I 19 260 •5,288-7 214-77 Guernsey ... Not represented. Shorthorn . . ' . . 2. . 3 242 6,800-2 250-92 . . ' . Totals and averages 183* - ’ 1,878 . 273 6,410-4 310-41

Season 1935-36

Class. Season 1934-35. Season Number of Average Days. Average Milk. -Average Butterfat. Number Cows. Average Days. Average Milk. Average Butterfat. Lb. Lb. ' Lb. Lb. 'Two-year-old . 5 286 5.252-4 282-42 503 288. 5,46o-7 300-10 Three-year-old .. .. 218 287 6,139-9 341-51 . 265 290 6,166 • I 339-36 Four-year-old .. .. 199 286 6,465-8 346-45 173 : 287 6,474’5 360-53 Mature .. .. .. 369 289 6,681-3 355-45 318 282 6,702-5 363-01 Two-year-old and under 86 284 7.274-5 256-84 70 . 290 7,369-i 266-03 Three-year-old .. .. . 46 278 7.865-8 279-55 72 288 8,258-7 295-10 Four-year-old .. . .. 47 275 7,841-1 283-67 59 282 9,031-8 322-05 Mature .. .... 106 289 9.447-5 338-24 - 162 292 ■ 9,686• 7 343'22 'Two-year-old and under 45 275 5,159-4 211-09 ■14 286 5.906-3 246-77 Jersey Milking j Three-year-old Three-year-old . 218 33 287 274 6,139-9 5,672-6 34I-5I 252-92 265 26 290 282 166 -I 6, 6,593-2 339-36 273-I9 Four-year-old 199 286 6,465-8 346-45 173 287 6,474’5 360-53 Mature 369 289 6,681 -3 355-45 318 282 6,702-5 363-OI 'Two-year-old and under 86 284 7.274’5 256• 84 70 290 7,369-1 266-03 Friesian Shorthorn Three-year-old Four-year-old . 46 33 278 269 7,865-8 5,874-3 279'55 270-00 72 22 288 283 8,258-7 7,34i-2 295’10 307-10 Four-year-old Mature • 47 7i • 275 281 7,841-1 7,597-2 283-67 301-63 . 59 43 282 .282 9,031-8 8,922-2 322-O5 360-02 Mature and 'Two-year-old 6 291 . 5,099-7 209-79 5 305 5-442-3 241-03 106 289 9,447’5 338-24 162 292 9,686-7 343’22 'Two-year-old and under 45 275 5,159-4 211-09 14 286 5,906-3 246-77 Milking Ayrshire Three-year-old .. . . Four-year-old 2 . 4' 287 303 5,844-2 7,338-4 245-40 292-02 1 305 . 5,518-1 246-31 Mature .. ... .. I9‘ 290 5,174-8 280-54 'Two-year-old and under ■■ 4 234 3,324-3 134-44 3 251 4 > 883• 6 215-17 j p Three-year-old Three-year-old ‘4 287 ' 4,529-9 179-88 33 274 5,672-6 252-92 26 282 6,593’2 273-19 Four-year-old ..,■■■ .. 4 274 . 6,285-2 238-72 Mature .. .. .. 6 277 ' 6,184-4 256-95 f Two-year-old and under .. 2 305 4,739’8 252-77 . Shorthorn Guernsey Three-year-old - .. . . Four-year-old .. .. • • • > Not' re presented. Mature . . .. .. 4 298 5,249-6 280-51 f Two-year-old and under . * Shorthorn Four-year-old Three-year-old 33 269 5,874-3 270-00 22 283 7,341-2 307-10 Mature Four-year-old . Not re presented 219 7,509-4 273-25 7i 281 7,597’2 301-63 43 282 8,922-2 360-02 under Two-year-old Mature • . , I 2 253 • 6,445-6 239-75 6 291 5,099’7 209• 79 5 305 5,442-3 241-03 Ayrshire Three-year-old Four-year-old 2 4 287 303 5,844-2 7,338-4 245-4O 292-02 1 305 5,518-1 246-31 Mature 19 290 5,174-8 280-54 C Two-year-old and under 4 234 3,324-3 134-44 3 251 4,883-6 215-17 Red Poll Three-year-old 4 287 4,529-9 179-88 Four-year-old 4 274 6,285-2 238-72 .. 'Two-year-old and under 2 305 4,739-8 252-77 > 6 277 6,184-4 256-95 Guernsey Three-year-old Four-year-old »Not re presented. Mature = Two-year-old and under 4 298 5,249-6 280-51 * Shorthorn 1 Three-year-old Four-year-old Not re presented - I 219 7,5O9-4 273-25 253 __ 6,445-6 239-75

Table 2. Average Production in classes and breeds for all O.II.T Cows