A COMPLETE FARM.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 984, 26 November 1910, Page 22

A COMPLETE FARM.

DAIRY, HORSES, CATTLE, AND ;■■'■ '■'■■/."''' -"PIGS.."'' , " "■■ .: Ono of the.most, thorough! .'and complete farm/factory establishments 'in. New Zealand is that of Donald's Estate, Featherston. It. was-'-inaTigurated by the late Mr. James DdnaJUj 'and comprised a dairy, factory' and plant, dairy farms, and,horse,, cattle, .sheep, and pig-breeding' ;.estab'iishrqonts. Tho ■ late. Mr... Dpnaid. thoughtTpf ,',the .. plan of making/his .'factory",self-supporting in every- ftispect; T, AVliile the'-scheme' was in operation he died, but tho work was taken-up..by-.the; present .general, manager; Mr. Allen DonaW, "and carried on . with'_such'.success that, 4 the ,business is regarded .as .-.one. of.; trie ..small.'' farm ■ features 'of New. Zealand'. 'Tli ere are now aWinilked 1 . an; ag- ■ gregate/ofvabouc-600 cows' twice' a day. The. 'milk, is brought along to the /factbiy/'aM' maiiuiaciu'red at'the rate of 100 bbxes : a.'week;.irito-.tlie well-known Tarureka ; ,, butter., .. Byproducts are used from the-,factory to feed pigs and calves on adjacent sections, the stuff being- taken- along'.in.' trolleys upon a specially-constructed railway line. All animals are fed on pasteurised skim milk; ',' Special' attention" is ■ devoted to pigs, of'..which Eompi6oo baconers aro ■.fattened each'■.yoar.;'; i Tnej< Varo run twenty to the acre, and aro' ; placed, in paddocks and -well housed. By giving them plenty of room in the paddocks, Mr. Donald finds that they do not root tbe soil;up much,land in.addition they, keep themselves cleaner than.' : in the usual treatment meted . out to them. The breed is Berkshire, and they -are fed upon skim milk, and crushed barley. The calves number over one hundred. They aro fed up, and are eventually worked back on to dairy farms, to take their place eventually as producers. The advisableness of rearing calves and pigs at a dairy factory is very-economical,;but great caro has to be taken regarding cleanliness. Hγ. Donald is most'particular on this . subject.' ;•■' By .working up tho by-pro-ducts at tho.factory, the cartago of butter-milk back. to tho various farms is saved, and another gain was . that there was. systematic feeding and superintendence. Tho animals were fed at regular intervals, and , everything was carried .on in a proper .way. ■ ■ It is worthy of noto thatthe Taratahi Dairy Company, near Garterton, has made a start on Mr. Allen's lines, although no doiibt it will-bo some-time beforo they strike the elaborate" System which is such a "feature of'the Featheretou proprietary factory. -. Miss B. Donald is superintendent of tht. butter-making,; ■where everything .is conducted on the most modern lines.- ... ■ .'•■....'

The late Mr. Donald was also a. great draught-horse' breeder. ■ .Hβ had. followed the.bu?iness : for ,;.about .thirty years,; during" which :,time Jie was one of trie prize-takers in tho Wairarapa.'• : ;Mr. .Alloii Donald is also carrying ori this industry, and with success, one of his", stallions, being .sold'in : Melbour'ne. last year ; for '350 guineas. Another ■■ also .brought' a: three-figure price, and the'ro-is a fair'demand from Australia,Jf'or;4urthcrj"'of the Donald stock. \ : ,(at.;preseat sixteen hrecdiug,.mares'/.at,,'tho.' J st ; ud, while ono of the 'stall.ionsV'isV Shepherd Lad, purcha!ied'frpm: ,M:r.;E-rM.::Buckley, of the .South : Isiaii(l"' i : ;:} Mr- Donald believes that.tlierp"will-\alwaysjhe''a demand for heavy draughts;-'■becauso'the breeding trend was' .to.,thc..light kind,, and shatters had to';'bo"; heavy. :fi .>.:\: ;

Tho 'estdto ;has;, recently gone in. for Lincoln- sheCp-breediiig, '•■ ewes ■' having been purchased four .year.s..ago from Mr, W. Strang. The ranis ■.used were from Matawh'ero.Estate, and the stock is giving every ' It is tho intention of Mr'."Donald to keep them at tho high standard attained by their ancestors; and in 'accordance with the accepted values which aro placed on tho many, branches, of-the Donald Estate farming .and'dairying industry.