BRITISH HILL FARMING

Chronicle (Levin), 6 February 1948, Page 4

BRITISH HILL FARMING

Galloway Cattle Breeder's Talkln Levin As- ' It was most unusual to address a Young ' Farmers' Club meeting without having women present, commented Mr. A, Duncan, chairman of the council of the Galloway Cattle Society of Great Britain, when speaking to a gathering -ot the Horowhenua Y.F.C., and the Levin branch of Federated- Farmers iast night. In his country, there were usually more girls present at such 'a meeting than men. Mr. Duncan, who is on holiday m New Zlealand, has been invited by the Federated Farmers of New Zealand to'give evidence-.before the Royal Commission on hill country farming.. , „

During his traveis m New zealand, he has given several talks t'o various farmers' organisations. It .was through- the Horowhenua Young Farniers' Club that' he wss invited to give an address in Levin. The president of the Levin branch of Federated 'Farmers, Mr. C. E. C. Webb, introduced Mr. Duncan and thanked the Young Farmers' Club for givirfg his members the opportunity to join with them in hearmg the talk. Mr. Duncan gave a very interesting speech on hill farming in Scotland. Although this was not a hill farming district, hill farming did form the basis for f at stock farming on better land. Where ver one went, the stock was usually brought off the hills for fattening. His main interests were in Cheviot sheep and Galloway cattle for in Scotland, farmers did not farm the

hills in such a big way as:in New ■ Zealand.- In Britain, sheep were counted in scores, not in thousands, as here. Sheep had been b.red on these farms for .generations and when the land was sold or leased the sheep went with -the farm. It was not usual to take any of the breeding sheep away from the farm where they were probabiy direct descendants of the first stock placed on the hills and were quite used to the boundaries. SHEEP EXERCISED Sheep were herded from the top of a hill to the bottom twice each day being kept at the top at night and then graduafiy worked to the bottom during the day. This exercise was regarded as mostTmportant by the sheep breeders in Scotland. One factor against the systeln, was that farmers were not able to control the' grasses as in New Zealand. Labour costs were' of course much higher, but the shepherd always did the shearing and dipping and attended to the sheep throughout the year. Another striking difference was that the hills in Scotland were very wet and farmers went to considerable expense to keep them drained. "Normal land" had drains about every chain apart on it. "The better class of land in Scotland -f is equal in vaiue to third class land in New Zealand," commented Mr. Duncan. "The wool 'on the sheep is

of very minor importance, sheep being mostly bred for meat and stiid purposes. Sheep are fattened off' on cultivated crops as the grass is no good in summer and autumn." In the true cattle breeding country, the Scottish farmers had to rely on hardy hreeds of cattle chief of these being jlie Galloway cow. This animal had a remarkahle a'dvantage in wet country in that it had a double coat. There was a warm furry uiidercoat and a•long hairy outercoat. This advantage would be obvious when it was known that last year, snow had cQVfered the ground from December to April and his own 100 head of cows had stayed outside and reared calves during that period. However, it should- be remembered that the cattle were wintered on ' crops and hay. " • HIGH PRICED GALLOWAYS After weaning, the young .calves were taken down to the flats fbr a year and then taken- back to - the hills for two years and finally taken down again for a fihal fattening. In this way, they" killed out at three years, or- two years • nine

,jnon.ths, an ."amazmgiy good" car[icase of beef. The cattle usually worked out at '£70 per head for a 13 cwt. beast. The great thing about the Galloway hreed was the long life- during which they were used for breeding. Heifers were never allowed to calve for the first three years, but after 'that they would continue for a good ten years and then would be fattened and sold as beef. Marginal . land in Britain was subsidised in many ways, said Mr, Duncan. For sheep and cattle, • direct financial assistance was given. Drainage, seed oats and1 certain other seedsJ manuriiig and ploughing were subsidised in various ways. These differed in each country in Britain. In conclusion, Mr. Duncan said that he had seen in New Zealand some country that would be very suitable for -Galloway and Galloway cross cattle. The Galloways had been crossed with shorthorn bulls, or in- better country, shorthorns crossed with Galloway bulls. '