FARMING NOTES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 156, 17 September 1941, Page 6

FARMING NOTES

REARING CALVES ON WHEY With the change-over from butter to cheese production, the question of using whey in the place of skimrnilk for the raising of calves on the dairy farm is of considerable importance. Farmers who have been supplying cheese factories in past seasons will be fully conversant with the use of whey in calf feeding, but to those who are changing over this season and who have formerly been accustomed to the use of the following notes will be of interest.

There is a general tendency to look upon whey with disfavour, but this need not be so if a little extra care is exercised in using it. Both skim-milk and whey are described as bulky or watery concentrates, in that the drj'-matter content per gallon is low. The proteins and mineral matter contained in each are of high feeding value so far as the rearing of yciung stock is concerned. On a general basis, it is considered that whey possesses more than half the feeding value of skim-milk. If a suitably dry concentrate is added to the whey ration the feeding value, of the latter may be brought up to equal that cif skim-milk. This is the practice generally followed, and is one to be recommended. Any attempt to make up any deficiency in whey through the provision of excess quantities is definitely harmful in the case of young animals. Indigestion, scours, bloating, distended abdomen, and pot-bellies are frequently seen when calves aro fed excessive quantities. Start of Feeding

The same general principles of feeding apply to calvcs being reared on whey, and it is even more important in this case that all new-born calvcs should, be given the first milk, o,r colostrum. This first secretion is unsuitable for the factory, and supplies a very real need for the calf at birth. The -colostra! milk is laxative and protective in its action on the alimentary canal of the young calf. It initiates and stimulates the digestive processes, and removes the solid matter in the bowel at birth. Calvcs which, are given the colostral milk are much less susceptible to infection by harmful bacteria causing scaurs. Regular Feeding Important In the rearing of calves on whey the same strict attention must be paid to cleanliness and regularity of feeding., , Dirty whey-icontainers and buckets .should be avoided,' as they are a poteint cause of scours. Regular feeding times must be observed, and overfeeding with whey should be always very carefully checked" The surroundings should be clean and wholesome, and the importance of freedom on a clean, leafy pasture need not be stressed. Tf an owner desires to use a supplement other tljan meat-meal, quite good results are obtained through the addition of linseed. In the young calf this is best supplied as linseed jelly. This is prepared by boiling lib of linseed in one gallon of water until the seed coats have burst and a jelly in formed. A tablespoonful of the jelly may be added to each feed of the young calf, gradually increasing to half a pint each feed. As the calves become older the use of a grain ration will hasten the growth and development of any backward or stunted calves. If, however, the calves have free access to good, clean, clover pasture, grain feeding, except fcir show purposes, should not be necessary.

METHODS OF COMBATTING GRASS GRUB Nearly every autumn a certain amount of grass grub damage is done to pastures in the Western Bay of Plenty. Tin; severity of the attack varies from year to year, but every deascm at least souse pastures are more or less badly ailivled. Damage ai'-ciDS to be more severe on hill couniry than on coastal points, and pastures' dominanUy paspalum are les.s severely allVc ted than pastures con'ainmg a large proportion of the finer grasses. Sometimes, pastures on ii fa-m may lie so severely damaged I hat there is .serious loss to the farmer, and in a!l eases production is affected to some exient.

It is very easj' to identify alTected areas. The grass has a yellowish, dead appearance, and, if pulled, will co'ine up in sheets. In the soil underneath will be seen the greyish grubs that are responsible for the damage. The attack leaves the soil in a characteristic unconsolidated spongy state. Where, only a small part of a farm has been affected, the damage, can be repaired fairly simply by feeding out good quality hay and heavily stocking the - damaged areas. The seed shed from the hay, together with the consolidation obtained from the trajnpljng of the stock, will help to remove the paddock considerably, and in many 'cases paddocks treated in this way show little effect of the attack by the following season. In cases of heavy attack, treatment will vary according to circumstances. When a farmer can afford it, it may be advisable to plough in the autumn and sow down a temporary greenfeed crop of, say, oats and Italian ryegrass. This can be grazed off in thei sprang and shut up for a crop of hay or silage. BRITAIN NEEDS CHEESE

The vital importance of the drive for the production of greatest possible quantity of cheese is strikingly indicated by an extract from a letter received this month from Mr G< V. Were, a dairy instructor and grader, of the Dairy Division, who is at present on loan to the High Commissioner's Office, London. Mr Were, who has acted as dairy grader and instructor in the Wairapara, Waikata and North Auckland districts, has lieen in the thick in a number of severe air raids. He writes as follows: —- "Food is one of our majpr problems of the moment. Our week's ration of meat by careful cutting lasts two meals and the bacon ration one. Substitutes far meat have to bo found for four days weekly, and that is not easy. If only we could obtain more, cheese we could get along nicely. Cheese at present is a far more important item of diet than butter. We have to spread butter so thinly that wei may as well use margarine for all the flavour we get from it, unless it is bad.

"If our dairymen in New Zealanl could fully appreciate the need for more cheese in this country I feel sure that they Avould gladly make what comparatively small sacrifice this involves b3 r having their milk converted into cheese instead of butter." WORLD'S OLDEST COW SHE WAS 29 YEARS OLD Thirty years agoi a cow of the Ayrshire breed was exported to Australia from Scotland. She had a calf 1 named "Victoria," and this animal had just died at the age of 29 years, the greatest age ever recorded for a milking cow. At 18 years, of age, when she was bought by Messrs Korff Bros., of Campbell town, New Sydney, she produced 15,5951bs of milk and 473.351bs fat. Two years later she was champion at the Sydney .Royal Show, and even at the age of 24, when she won second prize, she gave 13,3131bs of milk and 5421bs fat. "Victoria's" only son, "Glengowan. Victor," born when she was 20 years old, lias sired some of the greatest milk producers in Australia, while a daughter of hers, "Glengowan Joyce" held the Australian record as a two year old, producing 53,433 lbs milk and 2,29f>.91bs fat in four lactations each of 1 273 days.