IMPROVING THE HERDS

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 121, 24 June 1930, Page 2

IMPROVING THE HERDS

Per Press Association.

IMPORTANCE OF TESTJNG. CONFERENCE AT HAMILTON.

HA1UILTON, Last night. The anuual conference of the Dominion Group Herd Testing Federation was lield here to-day, delegates from all parts of the Dominion being present. The president, Mr Dynes Fulton, and the executive, Messrs G. R. Herron (Southland), G. R. Parlane (Canterbury), G. H. Bell (Taranaki), W. Dougall ' (Dannevirke), P. W. Hill (Dargaville) and W. J. Law (Bav of Plenty) were re-elected. Messrs Fulton, Herron, Bell aiid Hill were appointed to represent the federation 011 tlie Domir.ion centra] executive. Dr. C. J. Reakes, Director of Agriculture, attended the conference. He said he regarded the group lierd testing movement as one of the most important ever inaugurated for the henefit of the dairying industry. A number of important remits were considered. Tlie main part of tlie conference consisted of the' consideration of a model set of rules, drawn up with the object of making tlie work -of group herd testing uniform throughout New Zealand. Mr Dyues Fulton in his anuual address said that 111 the 1921 season 45,564 "cows were under test, while this season approximateJy 300,000 were under test. The great effect of herd testing was seen in tbe fact that, whereas the _ average produet per cow in the Dominion at the end of 'the 1921-22 season was estimated at ,175 pounds, it was confidently anticipated that the average for the past season 'woulci" reach 225 pounds. They could look forward. with confidence to the day near at hand when tlie objective of the federation would he ohtained — • three hundred pouhds of butter-fat per cow.