Sep. 2, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 



649 



Production of Fourteen Herds Compared^ 



Par MS ON Bod all a Estate. 



L. T. MacINNES, Dairy Expert. 



An interesting comparison of the results obtained from the various herds on 

 the Bodalla estate is afforded by the figures given below. In all, nearly 1,000 

 cows are milked in the fourteen herds on the estate, and during the twelve 

 months just ended the total production of milk and of butter-fat from each 

 farm was recorded, enabling the results on each farm to be compared with 

 the rest, "fhe herds are the result of systematic culling for a number of 

 years, but the cows are kept under natural conditions, no hand-feeding being 

 adopted except with green fodder crops when necessary. The averages of 

 the seven leading herds compare favourably with the best of the herds tested 

 on the North Coast, but it is unquestionable that tlie improvement of the 

 herds could be greatly hastened by the individual testing of the cows every 

 thirty days. The present system of keeping records indicates the merit of 

 each herd, but the value of every unit in those herds is not so well known. 

 The testing of the 1,000 cows would keep a tester going about three weeks 

 in every month, but undoubtedly it would be profitable. 



As to the results, the position of the pure-bred Friesian herd at the Home 

 Farm is as interesting as that of the Grade Friesians in second place. 



In the second table is shown how the milk from each farm is disposed of. 

 The butter-fat is ascertained from samples taken from the bulk vats of milk 

 delivered night and morning. 



