TESTING OF PUREBRED DAIRY COWS.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 54, Issue 3, 20 March 1937, Page 159

TESTING OF PUREBRED DAIRY COWS.

REVIEW OF THE NEW ZEALAND CERTIFICATE-OF-RECORD SYSTEM IN 1936.

W. M. Singleton,

Director of the Dairy Division, Wellington.

The certificate-of-record testing position at the close of the calendar year 1936 indicates a slight decrease in the number of first-class certificates issued as compared with 1935. A feature of the year was the increase in the number of cows tested in the yearly division, and the definite falling-off in the number of cows entered in the 305-day division. During 1936 first-class certificates of record were issued to 534 cows, as compared with 554 cows in 1935.. 490 cows being in the yearly-test division and the remaining 44 in the 305-day division, the comparative figures for 1935 being 450 and 104 respectively. (1) C.O.R. YEARLY TEST DIVISION. The 490 certificates issued during the year represented an average production of 509-0 lb. butterfat, a decrease of 7-3 lb. over the 1935 average of 516-3 lb. fat for 450 certificates. First-class Certificates issued. The number of cows which have been granted first-class certificates since the inception of the certificate-of-record system in 1912 now totals •9,867. Subdivided into breeds this total represents 7,297 Jerseys, 1,807 Friesians, 462 Milking Shorthorns, 222 Ayrshires, 69 Red Polls, 2 Guernseys, and 8 Shorthorns. Table 1 provides a numerical summary ■of yearly certificates of the first-class issued during the past two calendar years :

Second-class Certificates issued. Thirty second-class certificates were issued during the year, 22 being gained by Jerseys, 6 by Friesians, 1 by a Milking Shorthorn, and 1 by a Red Poll. The previous year’s total was 24. In the past year the •average production of the 22 Jerseys was 512-55 lb. fat, the 6 Friesians averaged 600-16 lb., while the 1 Milking Shorthorn was credited with ■646-28 lb., and the Red Poll with 547-44 lb. fat. Third-class Certificates. - Third - class • certificates issued during the year numbered 47, ■comprising 42 Jerseys, 4 Friesians, and 1 Shorthorn. The average ■of the Jerseys was 496-48 lb. fat from 8,668-4 16. milk in 364 days,

for the Friesians 707-04 lb. fat from 19,419-3 lb. milk in 365 days, while the Shorthorn gained a 'Certificate for 411-61 lb. fat from 9,810-6 lb., milk in 365 days. At the request of the New Zealand Dairy Breeds Federation it has been decided to withdraw all third-class certificates of record and toissue second-class certificates in their place. The issue of third-class certificates has been discontinued, and from the Ist January, 1937, there will be only two classes. The rules relating to the issue of firstclass certificates will remain unchanged, while a second-class certificate will be issued to cows which comply with the rules for first-class certificate in all respects save period between calving for commencement of test and calving subsequent to test. Breeders concerned are being supplied with the necessary details. - Period between Calving. The average period between calving for commencement of test and calving subsequent to test for the 490 cows granted first-class certificates in 1936 was 400 days, as compared with 404 days for the preceding year. The corresponding period for the second-class cows was 465, compared with 463 in 1935. The rules governing the testing allow a maximum period between calvings of 455 days for first-class certificate and 485. days for second-class C.O.R. Jerseys. Class Leaders. None of the Jersey records completed -during the period under review seriously challenged the existing class-leaderships for -the breed. Credit for the highest Jersey for 1936 goes to Reshure Nova Supreme, owned by Mr. H. S. Fleming, of Clevedon. Commencing test at the age of 6 years 307 days, Reshure Nova Supreme gained a certificate for 945-00 lb. fat from 15,147-4 lb. milk in 365 days. This cow is also the holder of a third-class certificate for a production of 1,007-42 lb. fat on a record commenced at 4 years 78 days. The -present Jersey class leaders are as follows

Jersey Class Averages.

Certificates issued to Jerseys in the yearly division in 1936 numbered 418, as compared with 381 in 1935. The 418 certificates represented an average production of 505-13 lb. fat, being 6-6 o lb. below the previous year’s average of 511-73. The averages class by class for 1936 and 1935 are given in Table 3 :

The averages, class by class, of all certificates issued to Jersey cows since the commencement of the C.O.R. system in 1912 are given in Table 4 :

Jersey C.O.R. Bulls. The names of 2,645 bulls are now included in the list of sires of C.O.R. Jersey cows, and of this number 542 have qualified for the C.O.R. bull class. A bull is classed as a C.O.R. bull when he has four or more daughters with first-class certificates, each daughter being from a different dam. Forty bulls have now qualified for the Jersey Cattle Breeders' Association's champion butterfat bull class, the qualifications for this class being as follows : Each bull must have five or more daughters which under first-class C.O.R. conditions have

produced 520 lb. butterfat when starting test up to three years of age, 580 lb. when starting between three and four years of age, 640 lb. when starting between four and five years of age, or 700 lb. when five years old or over. It is not necessary for each daughter to be from a different dam. The corresponding standards for cows in the 305-day test are 4601 b., 510 lb., 5601 b., and 620 lb. butterfat respectively. Friesians. Class Leaders. No changes took place in the Friesian class leaders during the year. The highest Friesian for 1936 was Moneville Sylvia Posch Mercena, owned by Mr. M. S. Rennie, of Mangere. This cow commenced test at the age of 5 years 36 days, and gained a first-class certificate for 8.38-77 lb. fat from 21,345-6 lb. milk in 345 days. This is the third certificate gained by Moneville Sylvia Posch Mercena, her record of 764-09 lb. fat in the senior two-year-old class being a ' particularly fine performance. The Friesian class leaders are as follows :

Friesian Class Averages. Fifty-six certificates in the yearly division were issued to Friesian cows in 1936, this being the same number as for 1935. Average production

for 1936 worked out at 561-50 lb. fat, as compared with 563-95 lb. for the preceding twelve months. The Friesian class averages for 1936 and 1935 are as follows :

The averages, class by class, of all certificates issued to Friesian cows since the commencement of the C.O.R. system in 1912. are given in the following table :

Friesian C.O.R. Bulls. C.O.R. bulls in the Friesian breed now total 122, three new names having been added during the year. In last year's review the total was given as 120, but this should have read 119. Some 649 sires are represented in the 1,843 Friesian cows (including the 305-day division} certificated to the end of 1936.

Milking Shorthorns, Class Leaders. The Milking Shorthorn class leaders remain unaltered as the result of the past year's testing. The highest performance for the year for cows of this breed was put up by Bon Accord Nancy Lee, owned by Miss Rita Arnold, of Waimea West, Nelson. Commencing test at the age

of 3 years 127 days the cow referred to is credited with 670-62 lb. fat from 14,077-2 lb. milk in 365 days. The Milking Shorthorn class leaders .'are as follows :

Milking Shorthorn Class Averages.

Certificates were issued to eleven cows of this breed in 1936, as compared with ten in 1935. Their average production was 456-44 lb. fat from 10,880-7 lb. milk in an average milking-period of 360 days. Twoof the cows were in the junior two-year-old class, three in the senior two-year-old, one in the junior three-year-old, and five in the mature class. The averages, class by class, of all certificates issued to Milking Shorthorn cows since the commencement of C.O.R. testing for this breed in 1914 are given in the following table :

Milking Shorthorn C.O.R. Bulls. One new name was added to the Milking Shorthorn C.O.R. bull list during the year, , the total now being sixteen. A total of 150 siresis represented in the 462 cows of this breed certificated to the end of 1936-.. Ayrshires. Class Leaders. Four cows of the Ayrshire breed qualified for first-class certificatein 1936. The class-leadership list remains unchanged, being as follows :

Ayrshire Class Averages.

The averages, class by class, for all certificates issued to Ayrshire cows since the commencement of C.O.R. testing in 1912 are given in the following table :

Ayrshire C.O.R. Bulls. One Ayrshire bull qualified for the C.O.R. class during the year, bringing the total to 13, while 126 sires are represented in the 225 Ayrshire cows (including the 305-day division) certificated to the close of 1936. ' Red Polls. Only one Red Poll cow qualified for first-class C.O.R. during the year, being in the mature class. This cow's record did not affect the list of class leaders, which is as follows :

Red Poll Class Averages

The averages, class by class, for all certificates issued to Red Poll cows since the commencement of C.O.R. testing for this breed in 1918 are as follows :

Red Poll C.O.R. Bulls. Twenty-eight different-• sires are represented in the sixty-nine cows of the breed (including one in the 305-day division) certificated to date. No new names were added to the Red Poll C.O.R. bull list during the year. (2) C.O.R. 305-DAY TEST DIVISION. Only 44 first-class 305-day certificates were issed during the year under review, 39 of these going to Jersey cows and sto Friesians. In addition, 2 Jerseys and 1 Friesian were granted second-class certificates in the 305-day division. Jerseys. Class Leaders. The junior two-year-old was the only class which experienced a change of leader. In this class Mr. J. Murray’s Erinview Moss, with 576-44 lb. fat, gives way to Mr. D. Yandle’s Punga Nui Joyce, which raises the class-leadership record to 590-91 lb. fat. The class leaders are now as follows :

Jersey Class Averages.

The production averages, according to age class, of the 39 first-class certificates issued to cows of the Jersey breed during 1936 are given in Table 15. The average for all the cows was 450-89 lb. fat, and the .average test 5-76 per cent.

Friesians. Class Leaders. There was no change in the list of Friesian class leaders, which remains as follows :-

Friesian Class Averages. The average production of the five Friesians which gained certificates during the year was 336-88 lb. fat from 8,698-8 lb. milk in 293 days. All were junior two-year-olds. Thanks are again recorded to the various Breeders’ Associations connected with the C.O.R V testing for their continued co-operation.

Breed. 1936. 1935Ordinary. Repeat. Total. Ordinary. Repeat. Total. Jersey .; 383 35 418 . 352 28 381 . Friesian . . . . 43 13 56 1 44 12 56 Milking Shorthorn 9 2 ' . He IO .10 Ayrshire . . 3 . I 4 I I Shorthorn ■ ' I I Red Poll .. ' ■i' ■ 1 I I ; Totals . 439 51 490 409 •41 450

Table I.

Name of Cow and Class. Tested by Age at Start of Test. Fat required for Certificate. Yield for Season. Days. Milk. Butterfat. Junior Two-year-old. Yrs. dys. lb. lb. lb. Beechlands Summer A. Moreland and Sons, i 343 275.5 365 I5.467-2 899-25 Lass A. Moreland and Sons, Te Rapa Yrs. dys. I 343 lb. 275-5 365 lb. I5.467-2 lb. ' 899-25. • Senior Two-year-old. Ivondale Golden P. J. Petersen, Waitara 2 311 271-6 365 12,962-2 768-46 Rainbow P. J. Petersen, Waitara 2 3ii 271-6 365 12,962-2 768-46 Three-year-old. Ivondale Silver P. J. Petersen, Waitara 3 327 309-7 365 I5.O73-4 95O-63 Rainbow P. J. Petersen, Waitara 3 327 309'7 365 I5.O73-4 950-63 Four-year-old. Woodlands Felicie P. J. Petersen, Waitara 4 364 364 384-9 384-9 365 365 I7,332-6 l7,332-6 1,220-89 1,220-89 Mature. Holly Oak’s Annie. . W. T. Williams, 5 9 35o-o 365 18,522-7 1,056-49 Pukehou 5 9 350-0 365 18,522-7 1,056-49-

Table 2.

Class. Number of Cows. Average Yield for Season. Days in Milk. Milk. Butterfat. 1936. lb. lb. Junior two-year-old ' ‘ . . 167 354 . 7,873-6 449-H Senior two-year-old ' ■ . . 4° 345 7,862 •I 452-47 Three-year-old .. 64 359 9,3 O 5-O 522-75 Four-year-old 54 354 10,084-2 575-91 Mature . . 93 354 10,283-4 575-12 1935Junior two-year-old 166 360 7-990-5 455'34 Senior two-year-old 40 357 8,988-7 ' 499-60 Three-year-old .. . . 60 361 9,994-r 560-23 Four-year-old 42 356 9.900-5 564-92 Mature . . .. .. 73 ■ 358 10,435-2 576-13

Table 3

Class. Number of Certificates. Average Yield for Season. Days in Milk. Milk. Butterfat. lb. lb. Junior two-year 3,280 349 lb. 7,267- I lb. 4 O 9-3I Senior two-year-old 866 346 7,926-0 448-13 Three-year-old ,217 346 8,705-9 487-5 Four-year-old .. .. 53 34 9,285-6 5I9-75 Mature .. . . 1,976 347 9,598-5 58-74 All . . 8,192 34 8 8,3 2 3-o 4 6 5•30 Average test, 5-59 per cent. 8,192 348 8,323- 0 465•3°

Table 4.

Name of Cow and Class. Tested by Age at Start of Test. Fat required Certificate. Yield for Season. Days. Milk. Butterfat. Junior Two-year-old. Monavale Queen Bess T. H. Richards, Cardiff Yrs. dys. 2 16 lb. 242-1 365 lb. 20,501-1 lb. 740*50 Senior Two-year-old. Pareora Echo Blossom T. Sheriff, Clandeboye 2. 223 262-8 365 22,671-9 819-81 Junior Three-year-old. Monavale Queen Bess T. H. Richards, Cardiff 3 56 282-6 365 21,609-3 . 800-18 Senior Three-year-old. Totara C.R. Buttercup Piri Land Co., Auckland 3 247 336-7 365 25.885-3 989-10 Junior Four-year-old. Totara Veeman Lulu Piri Land Co.; Auckland 4 12 349’7 365 22,364-2 946-78 Senior Four-year-old. Totara C.R. Buttercup Piri Land Co., Auckland 4 267 375-2 365 27,108-1 1,079-14 Mature. Alcartra Clothilde Pietje Vernon Marx, Mangatoki 7 355 350-0 365 3I.3I2-5 1.145-24

Table 5.

Class. Number of Cows. • Average Yield for Season. Days in Milk. Milk. Butterfat 1936. lb. lb. Junior two-year-old 20 351 ' 13,240-8 459-98 Senior two-year-old . . 5 ■ 359 I4.5IO-3 499-81 Junior three-year-old 5 365 14.937-2 575-5T Senior three-year-old .. 3 333 15,237-3 562-21: Junior four-year-old . . 2 353 15,379-0 620• Senior four-year-old 6 330 16,553-9 561-04 Mature . . .. • ... .15 • 361 18,784-3 704 • 88193 5Junior two-year-old .. 18 365 I3,446-5 479-04 Senior two-year-old . .. 5 365 13,927'4 516-54 Junior three-year-old . . 2 365 880-7 691-17 Senior three-year-old 7 321 15,773-9 55o-o8 Junior four-year-old 3 336 .17,719-2 583-43 Senior four-year-old . 5 334 16,429-7 587-15 Mature . ... . .. . . 16 . 350 17,281-1 653-57

Table 6.

Class. Number of Certificates. Average Yield for Season. Days in Milk. Milk. Butterfat. lb. lb. J unior two-year-old 676 347 lb. ,980-2 lb.' 425-5I Senior two-year-old 276 349 ' 12,849-5 457- 8 5 Junior three-year-old 198 . 344 13,619-0 481•89 Senior three-year-old 201 337 14,183-6 509-34 Junior four-year-old . . 139 345 15,334-1 543•75 ■Senior four-year-old 142 346 16,229-5 568-36 Mature .. 613 343 16,241-3 574-0° All . . 2,245 345 : 14,, 069 -3 498-87 Average test, 3-54 per cent. 2,245 345 14,069-3 498-87

Table 7

Name of Cow and Class. . Tested by Age at Start of Test. Fat forrequired Certificate. Yield for Season. Days. Milk. Butterfat.. Junior Two-year-old. Yrs. dys. lb. lb. lb. Matangi Quality 4th. . Ranstead Bros., Ma2 109 251’4 365 14,572-8 59I-89 Senior Two-year-old. tangi Pinedale Beauty 4th G. D. Hall and Son, 2 362 3II-7 365 I3.273-O 580-62 Junior Three-year-old. Otorohanga Matangi Quality 4th. . Ranstead Bros., Ma3 153 292-3 365 16,281-4 678-02 Senior Three-year-old. tangi Matangi Ruth 2nd .. Ranstead Bros., Ma3 304 3°7'4 365 14,032-7 14,032-7 747-86 747-86 Junior Four-year-old. tangi Matangi Matilda 4th.. Hon. : Mrs. E. J. 4 .0 3I3-5 358 14,640-2 630-38 Senior Four-year-old. Blyth, Kohimarama Ashley Bank Winsome Peach Bros., Sefton 4 298 37-3 365 17,687-7 730-93 Mature. Glenthorpe Lady A. J. Melville, BuckMature 350-0 365 20,136-2 856-85 land

Table 8.

Class. Number of Certificates. Average Yield for Season. Days in Milk. Milk. Butterfat. Junior two-year-old ■ 58 349 lb. 8,406-2 lb. 346-25 Senior two-year-old 46 350 9,020-3 376-83 Junior three-year-old 29 337 9.750-7 . 398•70 Senior three-year-old .. 32 344 10,999 .457-26 Junior four-year-old . . 26 350 11.097-5 454-38 Senior four-year-old 34 343 11,623-3 462-59 Mature . . . . .. . . . 285 342 ,817-6 . 473-46 All .. 5io 344 ' 10,958-8 443-31 Average test, 4-04 per cent.

Table 9

Name of Cow and Class. Tested by Age at Start of Test. Fat• required Certificate. Yield for Season. Days. Milk. Butterfat. Two-year-old. Fair Maid of Green- W. Moore, Homebush Yrs. dys. lb. lb. lb. Fair Maid of Green- W. Moore, Homebush Yrs. dys. 2 27 Ib. 243-2 365 lb. 12,281-3 lb. 673-56-bank Three-year-old. Maesgwyn Victoria .. C. Morgan Williams, 3 250 302-0 365 16,507-7 646-98-Kaiapoi 3 250 302-0 365 16,507-7 646-98-Four-year-old. Ivanhoe Fancy Kaiapoi A. M. Weir, Menzies 4 308 344'3 365 14-207-7 7I3-93-Ferry 4 308 344-3 365 14-207-7 713-93-Mature. Floss of Braeside .. Ferry W. Moore, Homebush 7 287 35o-o 365 20,305-5 832-72

Table 10.

■ Class. Number of Certificates. Average Yield for Season. Days in Milk. Milk. Butterfat. lb. lb. Two-year-old . . . . 72 344 " 8,959-0 . 372-02 Three-year-old . . .. 40 347-10,028-0 413-26 Four-year-old 27 346 11,378-0 459'5 Mature . . .. . . no 348 11,942-9 485-96 All . . Average test, 4-09 per cent. 249 348 L 10,711-2 438-47

Table 11.

Name of Cow or Class. Tested by Age at Start of Test. Fat required Certificate. Yield for Season. Days. Milk. Butterfat. Two-year-old. Yrs. dys. lb. lb. lb. Wayward 6th B No. i G. S. Young, West 2 188 259'3 365 1 1,228-0 511-42 Plains Three-year-old. Dominion Gold Top Central Development 3 302 3°7-2 365 9,491-25 459-46 Farm, Weraroa Four-year-old. Wayward 6th B No. i G. S. Young, West 4 297 343-2 365 13,290-0 580-05 Plains Mature. Waihou Pip .. W. Jackson, Waihou 7 25 385-0 365 12,681-8 537-90

Table 12

Class. Number of Certificates. Average Yield for Season. Days in Milk. Milk. Butterfat. lb. lb. Two-year-old. . . 43 . 345 7,575’7 336-7 2 Three-year-old 16 346 7,905-1 349-63 Four-year-old . . 8 349 9,806-8 43O-72 Mature . . ' 26 . 34i , 10,501•0 443• All . . Average test, 4-36 per cent. 93 ■ 344 8,642•1 376-93

Table 13

Name of Cow and Class. Tested by Age at Start of Test. Fat required Certificate. Yield for Season. Days. Milk. Butterfat. Junior Two-year-old. Yrs. dys. lb. lb. lb. Punga Nui Joyce D. Yandle, Te Wera . . Yrs. dys. i 349 lb. 250/5 305 lb. 10,122-0 lb. 59O-9I Senior Two-year-old. D, Yandle, Te Wera . . I 349 25O-5 305 10,122’0 590'91 Erin view Joan J. Murray, Woodville 2 339 284 4 305 IO,I3O-I 607-08 Three-year-old. •Glendale Silver A. Montgomerie, Ka3 3i9 3I8-9 305 i'L352 ; 7 631-42 whata 3 319 318-9 305 IL352-7 631-42 Four-year-old. Hatcliffe Lady Gay . . whata H. J. Kaye. 4 60 329-5 305 10,619-9 664-49 Mature. Hua Brook Perfect Lady H. Sal way, Bell Block 6 5 360-0 305 12,837-1 676-13

Table 14.

Class. Number of Cows. Average Yield for Season. ■ Days in Milk. Milk. Butterfat. Junior two-year-old • 18 292 ■ ' lb. ' . 7,184-0 lb. 412-27 Senior two-year-old 3 305 6,924-0 402 •84 Three-year-old ... .. 6 302 . 8,071•6 474-14 Four-year-old . . : . . 5 304 9,095-1 521-01 Mature . . . . 7 305 8,7 o 5-9 500 •80

T able 15

Name of Cows and Class. Tested by Age at Start of Test. t Fat required Certificate Yield for Season. Days. Milk. Butterfat. Junior Two-year-old. Yrs. dys. lb. lb. lb. Sealands Magpie H. G. A. Cameron, Yrs. dys. lb. lb. lb. Sealands Magpie H. G. A. Cameron, 2 22 22 252-7 252-7 305 305 11,727-4 II,727-4' 454-16 454-16 Pietertje 2nd Weraroa Senior Two-year-old.. Rosevale Beauty Posch E. H. Watson, Windsor 2. 216 216 272-1 272-1 3A5 305 12,273-5 12,273-5 468-50 468-50 Griselda Junior Three-year-old. Totara De Koi Nina Piri Land Go., Auck3 117 117 298’7 298’7 305 305 16,005-9 16,005-9 501-37 501-37 land Senior Three-year-old. Sealands Alcartra H. G. A. Cameron, 3 304 304 3W4 3W4 305 .305 10,407-8 10,407-8 389-04 389-04 Fobes Weraroa Junior Four-year-old. Senior Four-year-old. Ellerlea Aaggie Segis C. H. Steadman, Pokapu 4 357 357 359’2 359-2 305 305 15,311-9 15,311-9 557'7 J 557’7 J Minto Mature.Ellerlea Egie Segis C. H. Steadman, Pokapu 6 345 345 360’0 360'0 305 ' 305 16,303-1 16,303-1 650-85 650-85 Minto

Table 16.