FARMING NOTES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 274, 26 February 1941, Page 3

FARMING NOTES

PASTURE MANAGEMENT

The very favourable grow 111 experienced in most districts during the winter and spring lias permitted the saving of bigger areas for hay and silage. K will also mean that bigger areas of pasture will have got out of control,, thereby becoming rank and unpalatable to stock.. Such rough, stemmy pasturage, seed heads, and also weeds, such as thistles, buttercups,, docks and rushes, should be cut wit ll , the mower to allow the more nutritious clovers and grasses breathing space. Wherever possible the aim should be to keep pastures short and leafy, not a very easy task during the dry autumn period. Where grass growth is insufficient to give an adequate nutritions feed for high producing dairy cows and there arc no reserve paddocks available for autumn use, it may be necessary to feed out good quality silage at this period of the year. The maintenance of dairy production usually forms a management problem at this time. The flushing of the ewe flock preparatory to putting out the rants is another problem also dependent upon the provision of suitable nutritious feed. On iliee.p farms it should bo possible to close np for several weeks at least some paddocks which have been previously well grazed. At a convenient time these paddocks may then be made available to the ewe flock. If the ewes have been in fat condition tlioy should be put on short rations previous to being placed in the "flushing" paddocks. Pastures in their first year require careful treatment if their future production is not to be harmed. Unless they are beiing used for specialised seed production they should not be allowed to go to seed; If necessary, topping should be practised rather than too severe grazing by sheep which might harm the finer grasses and clovers. For those pastures on the farm which require improvement, there are several methods which may be adopted. Firstly, ploughing up and re-sowing is always the quickest and most satisfactory method if also the most costly. Preparatory cultivation work should be carried out as soon as soil conditions' permit, for a good pasture cannot be established on a hastily prepared seed-bed. Secondly, the improvement of pastures by Lopdressing may lie carried out now, if practicable, in the higher rainfall districts. Pastures cut for hay or silage may require a dressing now. Thirdly, thqre is the possibility of Ihe improvement of thinned and deteriorated pastures by allowing them to run to seed, provided they contain a sufficient number of useful plants which may beneficially be increased by re-seeding. Fourthly, surface sowing of deteriorated pastures when the first good rains occur in the autumn is another method of pasture improvement. CURRENT CROPPING WORK There is still a limited opportunity for sowing a few crops now as a provision for extra green or succulent feed in the ensuing dry months, says a statement by the Primary Production Council. Catch-crops for autumn feed are frequently taken between the cereal and root or forage crops. The earlier such green feed is sown, the longer will be the period it is available for use. Cape barley sown at the rate of two bushels per acre is ready for graz. ng within four to six weeks attar sowing. It is a suitable crop when soil conditions are dry and may be sown in early February. Algerian or Dun oats sow.i in February or March will give green feed up to August. Such green feed crops may be used for providing the necessarsy succulent feed for flushing ewe flocks. Another catch crop, which is generally termed a temporary pasture, is a mixture of Italian ryegrass and red clover. This can be sown following soft turnips; especially later in the autumn when it is really too late for the soAving of a permanent pasture. A mixture of 20 to o0 lbs of Italian ryegrass and 4 to 6 lbs of red clover may be sown. However, the sooner such areas are sown the better, since the jmsture is available for a longer time for green feed. It

may lie used for hay the following summer. Existing root and oilier crops should receive every attention in the way of horse-hocing or intcr-tillage until such time as injury is likely to be caused to tli.i foliage by these operations. .This measure serves not only to destroy competitive weeds but also as a means of conserving moisture. Crops of lueernc sown in November and December should be ready for their.first cut in February. Care should lie taken to see that the first cut of lucerne is not taken at 100 early a stage, otherwise considerable harm may be done to the immediate vigour and tlic subsequent establishing of the new crop. If fresh shoots arc developing from the bases of the plants cr if weeds are tending to "choke" them, cutting may generally be carried out with advantage. The feeding of dairy cows during February should also receive every attention, for while the quantity of pasture feed may be quite sufficient there is the probability at this time of the year that the quality may not be the best for milk production. Early sown soft turnips, green maize, choiu.moellier, millet and lucerne are all suitable crops for keeping up milk production.

MEAT INDUSTRY UNITED KINGDOM SHIPMENTS Following the discussions which have recently taken place'with regard to the cutting and packing of meat for export, the New Zealand Meat Producers Board lias given the following statement to the press:— The manner in which our meat should be cut and packed for shipment to the United Kingdom since the commencement of the war has been a matter of direction.from the British Ministry of Food, and all their instructions have been carried out implicitlj\-

With regard to mutton and lamb, all carcases have been telescoped according to the method laid down. Mutton and lamb shipped from Australia is treated in the same manner. The same practice 1 was adopted in the last war.

In telescoping mutton and lamb, the main principle is to conserve space and to land the carcases at. their destination in the best possible condition. No other method has yet been brought forward that will give? the same results.

Ewes 731bs and over are at present being boned out. These boned out carcases of heavy-weight ewes do not go on to the retail trade but arc taken over by the manufacturing trade in the United Kingdom.

With regard to baconer pigs, up to a short time ago, the British authorities stipulated a limit in respect to the proportion of Wiltshire Sides which could be shipped. In order to conserve shipping space, this Dominion has made* representations for some time past to the British Ministry of Food to allow all baconer carcases to be shipped as Wiltshire Sides. The Ministry of Food has now agreed to this, and a'.l baconer carcases are being shipped in this form. All G.A.Q. and F.A.Q. ox and heifer beef is at present being shipped in quarters under instructions from the British Authorities. G.A.Q. cow beef is also at present being shipped in quarters. F.A.Q. cow beef and other cow beef, is boned out. Bull beef is also boned out. In order to conserve storage and shipping space, the question pf boning out all quarter beef is ati present under discussion Avitli the British Authorities. It may be pointed out by the Board that boned out beef requires speicial stowage in the carrying vessel. Provision has to be made in the way of dunnage to allow of air space, which sets off to a considerable extent any gain in cubic contents which may be made through the boning-out of beef. Consideration must also be given to the facilities. including labour, available at the various Freezing Works, and other factors.

If carcases of mutton and lamb wc.i'c trimmed as lias been suggested no' economy in shipping space would

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