15 Dec, 1919.] 



Standard Herd Test. 



741 



W. WOODMASON, Malvern. (Jersey.) 



Completed since last report, 6. Certificated, 6. 



GRAND SUMMARY OF THE STANDARD HERD TEST FOR 

 SEASON 1918=19. 



Below is presented a grand summary of the past season's herd-testing, 

 in which the 450 individual yields are classified according to breed. 



It cannot be claimed that the tables give a quite fair comparison of 

 the merits of the respective breeds because, though in the more largely 

 represented breeds the average shown may be a true enough indication 

 of the breed's capacity, some of the breeds have such small representation 

 that the mean of their yield cannot be so readily accepted as typical. 

 As a comparison, however, it is interesting, and, as such, is offered as 

 the best possible from the material available. 



Jersey fanciers can justly be pleased with the result in the mature 

 cow class. Ba.'^ed as it is on the records of 147 cows it is likely to fairly 

 indicate the breed's capacity as butter-fat producers. 



As far as the yields of nine cows can be used to deduce the worth of 

 a breed, the Friesians show to advantage in the second-calf class. It 

 will be noted that the average to which they attain in this younger class 

 exceeds the highest average of the older cows — their own breed as well. 

 As represented by seven animals in the heifer class the Friesians again 

 top the list, with an average of 335 lbs. of butter-fat. 



Whether the white and blacks will maintain their position in a butter- 

 fat test when they are as largely represented as the Jerseys remains to 

 be seen. So far, only 23 Friesian records are available for consideration, 

 and there is little doubt that there could be selected from the tested 

 Jerseys a similar number of animals with a higher aggregate, but in 

 fairness also it must be said that the members of the Friesian breed being 

 tested are as high a proportion of the State's total Friesians as the tested 

 Jerseys are of the total Jerseys. The figures appear to indicate that 

 the Friesian promise is in the younger generation. 



The table showing the total yields of the respective breeds, irrespec- 

 tive of class or age, is only published for what it is worth for compara- 

 tive purposes. It enables one to .see what is possible from 450 cows of 

 mixed ages, as most herds are. The average of 6,616 lbs. of milk and 

 332^ lbs. of fat which these animals of varying ages and breeds yiel^led, 

 is a standard to which all dairymen may reasonably aspire. They need 



