FARMING AND COMMERCIAL

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1320, 26 December 1911, Page 8

FARMING AND COMMERCIAL

BREEDING AND MAINTAINS A HERD. I'OI.XT.S IX CKOSS-UKKKUIXG. In dairying not: enough titU-niion i.> pniil by 'many farmers to I In , prnpvr breeding and maintaining of tin , li"n!s says the "Town ami Country Jourmil," leierriiig to .Australian conditions. .11 is remarkable that while- breeders of sheep and somu .breeders ul' bref ci'ttlc have attained ((iiilo a pro-fniiin'mt , in An.-tv.i-liii, tliedairy Uovds. with but iVw oxception?, fall sliort of what should l:o -t.lio real capacity of such cattle. 1.1. is difficult to assign n came for the marked disparity in the productive power* of dairy tattlu as butter iiroditceris and Iho wnlibroil tj-pes oi' cat'le for beef purposes. }Vo see splendid herds of Uercl'ords. Shorthorns, Jiovons, and other l;cof cattle, bred along lines leading to permanent utility; while (lie dairy cattle, which have n greater individual value, art; in many cases indiscriminately produced. This di.— regard of Xataro's Kin's is dun cither to a iiiisunderslanding pf what l< the prerequisite in reproducing such animals, or a lamentable lack of intelligence among those dairymen who consider they "have nothing to learn." It has been demonstrated time and again that a greater economic efficiency in dairy cows can be obtained from grade animals; but v.-hnt, do ivo find in many of our dairy herds? Nothing more or less than a mere mixture of nondescripts or mongrels. A dairy farmer will, perhaps, secure a good enough V.iH; but he does not map out a well-defined course; in fact, the careless breeder becomes involved in such a confusion of crossbred and inbred animals that he really docs not know what kind of cattle he is producing. Fortunately, there are some skilful breeders of cattle who furnish an . example of what is practicable in improving the milk and butter-producing powers of dairy cows. The successful breeder of high-clitfs dairy stock has an ideal co\t in his mind; and his efforts tend in that direction. It is in cros.s-breediiig, hoivoyer, lviiwp so many dairy farmers make grievous errors. Cross-Brceding.

Some crossbred cows have given extraordinary .yield.?. A cow ofthe Jp-i'-fy-A.vr-fihin; ty|ie, bred on the South Coast,'produced licit less limn 2lilb. of butter in One . week. This rar we probably considered a "spoij" because no other oF Hie!. sninn type in the locality has boon found to give such a yield. As a matter of facl. what . sccin«; n ''sport" to us may not be n "sport" at all. There is a, /ivell-delincd reason for . the- extra capacity of this cow, if v.'O could find it. There was. in t lift I. cow a Ixilaneimj by Nature which, to .reproduce •inother of similar yielding powers, would need to be sustained, j'aiiy breeders da not make an intelligent effort to sustain ■ biich quality when it presents itself. The wholo dairying world has been experimenting in the direction indicated, and while no definite scheme can ho laid down as being suited to every'country, com- ■ mon sense dictates that in any system ol cross-breeding dairy cattle, a' purebred hull cf any of the pronounced dairy types • must be the first consideration. .Suppose ii dairyman starts with a pure Jersey bull, and a herd of Ayrshiije cows. The blending of. these, two highly desirable milking types will assuredly'prcdm-e a. dairy' herd ,of guo;l-. cjiiality,' consi.itu|iioiia!!y adapted t.o tliß.-natur.il . conditions certain localities impesc. '['he question is, how long shall (he .To'rsf-y bull lie used with the .Ayrshire? H is obvious that in a few generations the prepotency of the bull may raerritsclf to 'the, extent of p-Hminatin;; Iron) the herd nil -.the original ttliaractoriitics fif the Ayrshire breed. It. may.-be. assumed that the. 'u«> oi* the Jer.-e.y bull i.K I his .instance, styiild cease when it. became, iifcos.f.irv to secure calves from the. heifers by this bull. ' J Alternate Use of Dulls. . . ;■ "! At fctagn it is'JosiraT-ro eipect that the hro leading mMlities of .the, .lor'scy and A.Trshiro cattle—alth.ough, perJiap;, modified in some degree—are present in the offspring as the. result of the. crossbreeding. To lipid, as it wqn>, these distinctive, characteristics, the nlttrmifq use of purebred Jerspy and Ayrshire bullis imperative. The timo to introduce the Ayrshire bull and to. reintroduce the Jersey bull, must be left In. the judgment and experience of the dairyman. In some rases, dairy-farmers erroneously continue wi ih. a crossljred .bull, with the idea Hint tbi? biecrf of bull will reproduce dairy stock of the desired, usefulness. This results iu nibngrot stock. ■It .stands Iα reason dial to .vecnre and main tiiin grade cattle, a purebred bull of the types involved, must lw used at intervals necessary to keen an even balance of the essential characteristics. Starting with „ purr-bred bull of pronounced dairy type, and a nondescript herd of cows. a. fen- generations would e\olv t . marked changes in the productive powers of the animals; but here again, lvrrn'i .• i '.'i" , * ~,10, , ,J h "»S in nuothVr breed ot bull wlicn l.lie herd began to manifest fixity i u respect o f the Brst sire. FEEDING COAL TO PIGS. At;.STB.\LIA.V EXPERIENCES. The use of coal as a regular article of diet tor- pi ? ? kept in confinement has some warm advocates, while others repaid \t H P a r Ufl "' ln « u ■■>■ ,ilej)ravcil appetite. • "'f i' d" p! 1 "* 1, ?"' Ollr o f 'he most sucj ,r. ,"' -nerkslure breeders in New South »»lp>. is among the thorough believers in. eivinsr coal regularly to" method is to gi-o it at the rate, of a. mod handful once a day to each pj*- with iU. food. . His experience is that nis ni»s have done noticeably better sine* be he has.sivon. them the coal slack, that they, look for-it, and will cat it in preiOjduco to charcoal, a.shns, or coal cinders.. A? a matter of fact, maav will pick it out first before touching. th« other food. '4r,b>irn. one of .the foremost American authorities on swine, it mar be mentioned, says that "when coal is eaten too lan>elv by it tends-to constijintion. but the consensus of breeders' j opinions is that in moderate amounts it is beneficial rather than harmful, and as a corrective tonic, or condiment, its use should be commended." The South' eastern Agricultural. College (England! too. claims n, value- for coal in the fatteaius of piss In some experiments conducted, at t.hnr collecrc it is stated c.ialslack gave o. decided ad'yantasre when f('..l along with meal, as compared with fewlingmcalwithout.it, adding as much a.s 1* per head, to tho value of the. pi« t>, * deduetion .frpin these lest,s -vL' t j t ™ abpnt 31b. per lieadper week should not be exceeded.

15UTTBR FAKING. views of wxnoj'.i.'s I!Kl'i:ks);nt\tivi;. A psn-aqr.-ipli which \k\> l>ooll ?oi!i;r Hie round:, at t,!i,> country pupor- to tin- effect tint iatormatioir Inil li-.w rm-ivftl in ;i certain quarter that the inar<;ari:i<' dftil- ■ cr* anil otbi-r faUwi ■>'.-;' butler at IU::ni: | are making thr: rnnst uf (ho prevent liiph prices ami income ea-e> »ro plucinp l)iitter 011 Ihe market lli-.il i» not .■ikaywliut it i< rcprrventrd to hi; was referred to the Christchureh representative of ! Messrs. WeiiJel . and Co. by a ".l'rc.-=" report?! , . The repreiontalivo in question ! staled .that lie had v.ot hojtd anything with resard to tho subject. Ccrtainlv I the fuct that butter n.' a hish price, j would seem to bu on iiulucoineiit for | a f:ikcr to put hd adulterated or -purious I article on (lie market as the spuniuc stuff, ami no. doubt such actions were continual- I ly being done. Tin. , penalty was n .--crpro one.' but he supposed that provided tbo possible profits were bijj enough anno unscrupulous men would ulnars be found ready to take the , risks involved. How- j ever', it was quite wrong to class margarine makers and butter i'akorb.in the same category. . Tho margarine trade. wa3 an ! cuormous and perfectly legitimate bu-i----ness. The makers of margarine and other butter substitutes placed their product? upon the market, not as butter, but a≤ margarine, etc., and there wa.-- absolutely liothin-; illegal in such a transaction. The article was labelled, and was bought by tho consumer, who did or should know what he was btiyinz. Un the other band it was an undoubted fact Unit a good deal of Now Zealand butter lent itself very readily to the purposes of I'akinj. The Dominion product hail a reputation for dryness or low water content, and no doubt'in some eases retailers blended water, milk, or butter with a liisli water content, with tho Xciy Zealand article. There wa* a legal limit of the moisture that might be contained in butter that was nlaced on the market, and if the blending did not rai-.r the waler content of the article, above this limit, 110 1110"iility was involved, though to soil ?uoh blendod biiltor as Ne.v Zealand was «r----tiiinly doing a wrous to our product. Directly the water content ot a butter l rci-e above tho legal limit Uien the ytn--1 dor had to look-out. The prosecutions that had taken place with re-iirit to "milk-bli-.udcd butter" at. Home showed the ojiiiiion , of the authorities upon that .übieol, and now he believed >ui-h an article had to be distinctly labelled and not wld as "butter." as s-ueli a term i..pnerallv accepted. In a great many eases tho butter-makers of Now Zealand worn now umkiiv- a moister article, and coiiswjucnUy Our butter, thd .not lend itsol to suoli "safe" f f , :,s ' V'l'tilV In horel- restaurants, etc.. a rtiH. »aici butter mixht be blended to make ,t easier to suraad ami "se peiierally. but .suil Practice was lcsritimatis enough, a= it va> .Sol KCtnnUy stitutions. BUTTER AND CHEESE EXPORTS . l-i'-urc? compiled up (o DMciuber 20. "ivinr the season's exports ot encese and b'ltU there bas bwn-fl S2 p6r i-.t>iit. dcerea-e in the bultor expons. U wpV'cxiiMtod iiV some quarters tliat. the ailditioiial.nmoiint of.dioo ; c r .wil oyl. of-Hit- '(.ouutry .would about make un toi the Mibrtaio that wii=. : lcho\vn t" rust in l)itli«r, but tliis is not to. Oi«s<i i'i- , ''- tainlv shows an inc-reaso over last .-ra- «..,'•■;■■ I'u-ures, hut tbo oniy luimuiits'to 1:1 per fent. I-is . season ll!ilO-m 150,556 cwt. <it butter had hi , ™ sported uv, to Docomber 20. .but In? var'": fi"t.res arc only cvrt.. a fall- • "f SWW-cwt.. or HiSn tonj. The chln?o export up to December 20 i.-t ' year amounted to 111,373 •.Mvt vrli-.W I M* year".- diuves to ppeemlx'r 2fl are IJj.WI 'cfelvan.increase °f '''• lons '

• /LIVE STOCK SALES. \le<sr=. Dalgotr and-Company. Xjiinijed. Pamer£ton Xoiih. report:-At. out- ijMlams sab of Friday last a very fair yarding ot cheep find rattle carae to bond, nnd sold us Aged shorn pwot. wj J lambs 10i. iOd.; raiMil-aec;. w«. *J™ small pt-rccntacn ol lambs, Us. '!«•: a of 611-Wooth ewes ,-oH on n.cratint. of Mr. , D. U.TotluEcr. Cinder Hill, met will Bood , competition., and .realised If;, .'I- U» ; ls: Veaner steers, to 6d.; small yearly? hHir-i to .EC 35.; Jersey oro-s heifers. X» <»>.-:'fwall 15-montlis fleer? £2 14=.: tv.o-vcir-nld steers, to £4 95.; !>!r!it cojvs. £.i 15s. \tc«r-. Abraham and Williams, litd.. report :--At-Levin on Friday we had food vardinss of both sheep ami cattle, sheep "m-t nilii a hrLk sale, hut rati'o v.tit hard to f|»il- r/uoti , :-- Iwo-toruli wet here. 12s. 3d.: two-tooth c\ve=. toi.: ewes and lambs. 21s. sd. and 21?. CO.: slio-n civcs nJl'J'lnjnb;-. Us.: woolly empty_nr,-c?. 10« lid.', 15?.. lo 16s. t'J.: tilt cw?:i Isnoni!. 11=' 9d to 1"?. 9c1.: fat woolly lihccp. .-■Cs.: fat bullock?, £i 19?.; fat cow?. X 5 10?., £5 lif.. £5 17?.. £6. £6 5,.; forward £2 17=.. £3 5a.. to -C) 65.; springinsr .licifors. £j 17s- 6(i. to £5 10s.; bulk, ->2 Ms. to £3: wcaiicrr'. 21s. to oi:--■•ile-sr 3 . DalgeSy and Co., litd., report haviiiK lipid a very surccsstnl ileßrinj ?ulc on amount of Mr. K. (,'. Cook, of .\garaoko, on Jtaembnr 19, when they orterod liis herd of S3 eows, which fo\i from £1 17s 6(1. 'o ~5 Us., and averted X 7 JC-a. 6d. Jersey bull. 11 guineas vreancn". I , !?.; srey cobb, X 18: s-ix-ycar bay marc. Xl 4: 'on 3CL-o';nt of olber vendors l , .t-iO 10t and £20 10s.: gip and harness, £4: pics 1!-. to Hi.; fowls. 25. to 2s. 7d. cm'j: iJiic'te, 2>. rach: milk-cans. !4s. On D?;?m----her'-M Mcssr?. Dalgely beld their monlbly Mnkotultn sale; when the nntry comprised cattle only. Cows in r-air. lo £3; empty raws to £3: I'fifcrs. £! 9s. to £t 55.; heifer? in calf, £5; empty hrifei=, £2 Ha.; Holstein bull. £4. On Kridiy. the .firm held I heir usual DanncOrke =ale. when the entry again wa« comprised mainly, of cattle. 'They (iiiole:— Steers, £3 2s. to £4 10s.; emptv store cow;, £3 l=. to £3 11s.: fal con-s. £3 11=. to JE3 18s. 6d.; hcifera. .£2 Us. 6d. to £3 10s.; fat bullock. £7 fc.; other bull s , 575. 6d: to 4 guineas; two-year bnlloeks. £5 18s. Cd.; cows in mil!;, £2 ICs.: Ehorn mixed two-tooths, Us. 3d.! Uvo, four. a.uil six-tooth wethers, 13s. .4d.; owes and lambs; Us. 2d.; empty sHo-.-n •wcei,' 11s. Id.; mixed woolly hoggets, lls.; woolly ewes, 14s. 6d. . ■ • Jlessri. A. H. Atkinson and Co., Ltd., Folding, .report hnviDg sold on. Friday a eood entry, of pigs, prices all.round.b:ing •vorv much hotter thfn for tome time past. Fair weight store pigs made-up to. £2 si. A very large .quantity of poultry was janned, and values were a little easier tli.au la*t week. Quotations:—Jfaito, fe 6d. bushel; wheat, 's. 6d. to 55.; new potatoes. fi.t. to 7s. ,6d. cwt. . Vis:-: Wcaners ajid slipt, 3s. 6d.. IU.. 125., 155.; light porkflis (Mid stores, 17s. 6d., 19s. 6d., 225. 6d. to 45a.: aged horses, 265. to £3; .horse, gir: and harness. £26 ICs.; cow am! calf. £6 Its. Poultry fat per pair), hens, 2s. 3d., 2s. 9d.. 35.. Js. 3d.. 3s. 6d., >?. 9fl, 4s. 3d.; <-ock,;rsls •iiUtt roosters. 2s:. 6d., os., lo 3s. '6:i.j tur■kevs. 10s., lit-:., 165., 175.. 18s.; pceso, 55.. 55." 3d.. 65.: chicks. Is., Is. 6d.: ducks, 3s. 6d., 3=. Pd., '1;.. fe 3d.. 4.i. 6d., 5.-. 3d., ss, 9d.; nioscovy, <fe. 9d.; ducklings, K Id. to 2s. ' ■ '