Topics For The Man On The Land

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 30, 16 March 1948, Page 6

Topics For The Man On The Land

Awakeri Young Farmers Suggestion At Meeting Club Makes Progressive

After full discussion at the annual meeting of the Awakeri Y.F.C. held recently, a remit has been sent to the district secretary proposing that the district endeavour to raise sufficient funds to enable one member annually to attend a short term course at an approved agricultural college. The next item on the agenda was the outlaying of a suitable programme of activities for the coming year and it was compile from suggestions of members present; subjects for debate were also decided on.

The invitation from the "Wellington council to send one delegate to the Leadership week' was accepted and A. Mundy was nominated. Arrangements were finalised at the meeting to have a film evening conducted by Mr L. Hahn. This showing will take place in the Awakeri Hall in the near future. The following officers were elected at the meeting: C. Haultain, chairman; R. Wallbank, secretarytreasurer, senior advisory member, Mr E. A. Haultain; the remainder of the committee are Messrs A. B. Barr and D. Allan; auditor, N. Carter; vice-chairman, C. Martin; and press reporter, D. Missen. Facial Eczema Incidence

The incidence of facial eczema among sheep in the Waikato and the northern part of the King Country is widespread. Outbreaks have occurred as far south as Aria and Pio Pio and around Hamilton, Morrinsville and Matamata, Apparently most of the flocks are affected in varying degrees. The disease shows variations in intensity from acute symptoms in which skin lesions and a jaundiced condition arise from badly affected livers to almost indetectable liver damage and no other observable symptoms.

Hay In Racks The Answer To Shortage Of Roughage In Flush Spring Months

Satisfaction of appetite in a dairy cow is as important as the supply of necessary nutrients in the food. If sufficient bulk is not given, a cow will always have a "hungry" condition; for example, wood-chewing will develop in stall-fed cows getting insufficient roughage in an otherwise satisfactory diet. The remedy is hay in racks on a help-yourself principle. Under New Zealand conditions a cow is liable to suffer from insufficient substance in the ration in the early spring with the sudden onset of pasture growth, or in the autumn after a prolonged dry spell. At these times pasture is very immature and sappy, and bad scouring will be inevitable unless hay is fed to provide the necessary roughage. The difficulty is one of getting the cows to eat hay, as this young grass is so palatable. The appetite of a dairy cow in terms of dry matter intake varies from 2£ to 3 per cent of body weight. For example, a small Jersey of 8001 b. live-weight will eat from 201 b. to 221 b. of dry matter daily, while a medium-sized Friesian of 12001 b. will eat from 301 b. to 331 b. of dry matter daily.

French Inquiries About New Zealand Invented Drainage Machinery

The Technical Centre for Agricultural Machinery (Paris) expresses interest in the ingenious trenchdigging machine evolved by Mr Guy Lewis; of Alfredton, Wairarapa and a smaller trench-cutter also designed in the Wairarapa. The writers ask for information concerning the machines, and the names of the constructors so that they may be communicated with. The Lewis machine, which is particularly suitable for rough country, comprises two discs five feet in diameter, spaced 11 inches apart, and mounted on a stout frame, behind which are two very wide wheels to distribute the weight in soft country. In operation, the upright discs cut a slice of soil eight inches deep, and this remains between the travelling discus until, at the top of the circumference, a scraper ensures that the continuous slice slides on to a single disc slightly off the horizontal. The pressure of soil causes the single disc to revolve and to throw the slice well clear of the back wheels. Three cuts at ordinary tractor speed will excavate a trench two feet deep and nearly a foot wide, for tile-laying or for an open farm drain into which tile or mole channels can be led. The second machine consists of a U-shaped cutter mounted on a frame. As the machine is let into the ground the cutter severs a slice of up to seven inches wide, which is carried to the surface on a long slide and deposited on one side of the trench by a crowder. Five or six cuts are necessary for the formation of a tile drain two feet deep.

A snake farm for the production of serum for snake-bites is to be started in Natal. There will be 8000 snakes on the farm, including puff adders, cobras, and mambas.

New Rehab. Dairy And Sheep Trainees Award: Amended Wage Rates

The wage rates for Rehabilitation dairy and sheep farm trainees have been amended to conform with the provisions of the Agricultural Workers' Wage-Fixation Orders, 1947. The new rates are:— Dairy Trainees: £5 6s 6d a week from November 1, 1946. Where trainees are not provided with board and lodging by their trainors the wage rate is increased by £1 per week from November 1, 1946, to July 30, 1947, and thereafter by £1 5s a week.

Sheep Trainees: £4 15s from. November 1, 1947. No charge is to be made for board and lodging provided, but where a trainee is not provided with board and lodging by his trainor, his wages are to be increased by £1 5s a week. Trainees supplied with only lodging or free house are entitled to have their wages increased by £1 a week. Where a married trainee is occupying a house or portion of a house on a farm which house or portion thereof is owned by the farmer no rent is to be charged. Factors affecting appetite are: (a) individuality—some cows, particularly high producers, have an appetite greater than others; (b) succulence—soft foods are eaten " in greater quantities, even as humans will eat more new bread than stale; (c) palatability—a cow's appetite for good pasture is greater than it is for poorer stemmy pasture; (d) exercise—animals grazing will eat more than stall-fed animals with little or no exercise; (e) function—a milking cow eats more than a dry cow; and (f) variety—a cow will eat more if there is variety in the diet.

Therefore sufficient good hay should be held over to ensure that cows obtain a good supply of roughage during the period of flush growth in the early spring.

More Lime Is Needed To Reduce The Acidity In Highly Organic Soils

Clay soils with a high organic matter (humus) content require greater amounts of lime to improve their physical condition than where humus is relatively absent, or present only in small amounts. Experiments have shown that as the clay and organic matter increases, greater amounts of lime are required to change the soil reaction from acid to neutral. A soil high in clay and organic matter requires nearly three times as much calcium to bring the soil to neutrality as is required by a light sandy soil. The physical effect of lime on the soil is to cause a coagulation (flocculation or bunching) of the clay particles, the result being an improvement in texture most noticeable on clay soils. The effect is quicker and more pronounced when burnt lime or slaked lime is used, although ground limestone will also cause improvement. However, not all sticky soils are improved physically. Clay colloids flocculate readily; humus is less sensitive, and protects the clay to some extent from the action of lime, although humus in itself has a coagulating effect. Also, there are soils which are "sticky," but in which fine silt particles predominate, and which are not improved by liming. This is due to the non-colloidal character of the silt particles. Improvement of texture by liming is not permanent unless the lime status of the soil is maintained. If the flocculating agent is removed the soil may return to a deflocculated condition. Flocculation improves aeration of the soil by increasing the pore space, and drainage and cultivation is thereby also facilitated. Nitrate of soda has the reevrse effect to lime, and on clay soils it causes deflocculation and increased stickiness, if used at a heavy annual rate over a period of years.