1909 |
- First organised routine Herd Testing Service commenced by New Zealand farmers, supervised by the Department of Agriculture.
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1922 |
- Testing Officers employed in the Waikato region.
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1926 |
- Dominion Group Herd Testing Federation established.
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1927 |
- Official calf identification service introduced.
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1934 |
- Royal Commission study of NZ dairy industry recommends the formation of a Herd Testing Council to control all herd testing.
- Establishment of progeny testing/sire survey.
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1935 |
- Artificial insemination research begins.
- Artificial insemination with progeny tested bulls offered to members of the NZ Co-operative Herd Testing Association.
- First artificial insemination trials begin on 44 Waikato herds.
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1936 |
- Formation of the Herd Recording Council (to become the Herd Improvement Council) charged with 'improving the standard of the cattle in the dairy industry'.
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1937 |
- First sire evaluations based on progeny records undertaken.
- Herd wastage data included in national statistics obtained from herd testing highlights the importance of mastitis and brucellosis as causes of loss in dairy herds.
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1938 |
- Artificial insemination field trials begin in Ngarua district on 332 cows.
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1939 |
- Launch of Herd Improvement Plan.
- Amalgamation of 28 Herd Testing Associations into six Herd Improvement Associations.
- Formation of NZ Dairy Board's Consultancy Officer service; six Consulting Officers appointed, one in each Herd Improvement Association area.
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