10 Sept., 1917] 



lltitl Tcftiiuj. 



323 



Herd Prizes- 



Six herds have qualified to coniiKtc for the Herd Prizes donated 

 by the Government for tlie best herd of ten or more cows completing 

 their period within the twelve monttis ended 30th June. ^ These prizes 

 are allotted on a handicap basis. In the first place, each heifer receives 

 a handicap of 75 lbs. of butter fat. Each cow, on second calf, or three 

 years of age when commencing, receives 50 lbs. In herds exceeding 

 ten in number, each cow is allowed aii amount of butter fat calculated 

 at the rate of h lb. per cow of the herd, ^o herd in which the average 

 of each cow is under 300 lbs. of fat, may compete. 



Mr. A. W. Jones' '' St. Albans " herd takes pride of place with the 

 average of 424.', lbs. ]>er cow. As tliis lierd contains the iiiiniiiuim of 

 ten cows, completing their test in the twelve months, the herd allowance 

 does not apply, and is consequently not shown in the tabulated return. 



Arum of .Spnngliur.st. 



Year. 

 1016 



Lbs. Milk. 

 4.329t 



Test. 

 3-34 

 5- 66 



Butter Fat. 

 240-28 lbs. 



Standard. 

 175 lbs. 



i>. Bead. 



Milk last day. 

 10 lbs. 



Days in test. 

 273 

 273 



Mr. "VVoodmasoii's " Melrose " herd is second with 3951 lbs. of fat, 

 including the herd allowance for its number of fifty-nine cows. 



The average of the winning herd is outstanding, and no one is more 

 persuaded than Mr. Jones that it is due to a virtue which can only be 

 revealed by testing. A sufficiency of food was certainly provided (any 

 dairyman is short-sighted who does not do so). Extravagance would 

 have accomjdi.shed no more, and j)erhai)S less. The diiference between 

 good and bad cows lies not in the capacity to consume food, but in their 

 ability to obtain the maximum of nutriment therefrom and convert it 

 into milk. There is nothing magical in the diet of oaten chaff, maize 

 ensilage, bran and linseed meal, which was all these cows received in 

 addition to tlieir pasture. 



Although the season has not been first-class froui a dairying i)oint 

 of view, a comparison witii last year's returns shows that the average 



