FARMING NOTES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 37, 17 July 1939, Page 2

FARMING NOTES

LIFE OF COW AVERAGE PRODUCTION PERIOD TESTS IN SCOTLAND What is the average life of a cow in the dairy herd? Recently the statem.r.t was made by a professor at one of the agricultural coilcgi.s in England that it averages about twu and a half years—a statement that nearly took the breath away from some of the farmers whom he was and has since occasioned much discussion in agricultural jour, nals in Great Britain. The question has been made the .subject of investigation by Messrs R. R. Kay and Andrew McCandlish, of the West of Scotland Agricultural College, Glasgow, and their opinion is that she average life of the cow in the dairy herd is four years. Messrs Kay and McCandlsh have been, inquiring into the factors that pfiect the yield and quality of milk, and have come to the conclusion tfeafc maximum production in a cow is usu ally reached between seven and eight years of age; an Ayrshire cow is generally expected to be at her best at that age. though in some cases greatest production may be reached a little earlier or a l'ttle later. Then they slate definitely that ''the average life of a cow in a dairy herd is around four years," and they infer that a very large percentage of the cows r.re removed from the herd before they reach the age of greatest usefulness. Rairjng Average Production. A con~s:!erable numb ol *. r T e removed, as poor bot the investigators say that every possible effort should be made to increase the percentage of animals that remain in the herd until maturity is attained. In this way the average* production could be raised appreciably, and considerable economies effected. In the course of their inquiries, Messrs Kay and McCandlish find a fairly regular increase in m'lk and fat production, up to the age of seven years, while above it the production tends to decline. Even when a cow has reached maturity she does not necessarily deteriorate rapidly in production. This is another argument in favour of keeping mature cows actively producing in, the herd. They conclude from the evidence they have obtained that not only has the dairy cow a considerable period of usefulness after she reaches but that there is a tendency to retain good producing- cows even longer than other individuals. The practice is justified owing to the breeding value of the good producers. It w 11 pay to retain them even after they decline in production if they are still capable of breeding. GERMANY AND FOOD Despite fixed prices and guaranteed markets for produce, it is stated that Germany is now less able to feed herself than she was in 1914. The arable acreage has declined, production has fallen, and the country is more tha,n ever dependent upon foreign supplies.

GRADING OF PRODUCE INCREASE OF ''FINEST'' PRAISEWORTHY IMPROVEMENT Tluic has been during rcecnt years iuch a large percentage of graded 'mtter classed as "iinest" that any increase in that percentage is praise, /or thy, stales the annual report of he New Z.:land Dairy .federation. The present season, up to the time of writing this report, ev'dences an increase in the percentage of butter grad.d as ''finest ' and a slight reduction in that graded as under "first, grade." The percentages for the past two seasons are: — 1935.39 1937-33 Finest 86.8.7 8(3.16 First 12.70 13.32 Under first 12 .51 Average grade .. 93.491 93.466 Improvement in Cheese. Cheese quality has evidenced a greater improvement in that the percentage of "finest" shows a very considerable increase, and the reduction in, the percentage under ''first' grade is substantial. Day and night temperatures have been lower this season than during the previous season. This has meant cooler and sounder milk and crcam. Cheese curing room temperatures have been lower ? and cheese has arrived at grading stores in the warmest weather at about ten degrees lower in temperature than during the pre ceding summer. These factors havf* been favourable to higher grading points. The gradings of cheise during the past two seasons show the following percentages: — 1938-39 1937.38 Finest 19.38 9.61 First 78.59 85.32 Under fir.it 2.02 5.06 92.214 91.904 WEEDS IN PASTURES CAUSE OF SPREADING RESULT OF "WET" GRAZING Some years ago, when a party of English farmers visited New Zealand, considerabl; comment was heard from them on the number of weeds seen in pastures on.Dominion dairy farms, compared with similar farms in England. This critic'sm was probably well deserved at the time, and it is doubtful if the position is greatly improved to-day. Farming methods here differ so greatly from those in that herein probably lies the real cause •>f the trouble. In England pastures are used mainly for grazing and hay, and all winter fodder is fed in stalls. In New Zealand, under different dairy ing conditions, the feeding of hay and supplementary crops is carried out in the paddocks. The result of this latter pr'acticc is the trampling of wet and soft paddocks, and this leads s not only to the loss of pasture plants by burying, thus leaving vacant spaces for weeds ? such as docks, thistles rushes, etc., but also the ground itself becomes ''air-locked'' and natural drainage is slow, resulting in a cold ground in the spring. This state of affairs can 'be minim. \ ised by, firstly, keeping the stock off wet areas when passible and by feeding the hay on dried ground, which is often of a poorer quality and will benefit by the process Secondly by the use of harrows to distribute droppings, and trampled-in, hay, and to aerate the soil. If topdressing is delayed to the. springy a small quantity of grass seed broadcast with the fertiliser will help to choke out the weeds and fill up the vacant spaces. A few sheep to clean up a paddock after cows has a beneficial effect as the sheep often eat weeds that cows will not touch.