DAIRY HERDS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1640, 6 January 1913, Page 8

DAIRY HERDS.

AN EXPERT GIVES ADVICE. i: " c In the course of his latest report, Jlr. C C. J., lieakes, head of the' Live stock o.nd s Meat Division of the Department of Agriculture, gives'somo useful advice to dairyfarmers. According to- t the last .-returns, 0 there ore 033,733 dairy cows in New' Zea- 0 land, and the demand for good dairy n stock continues: 'In view of the continual t development of tho dairying industry, this' t demand ds likely to continue for 6ome " time, to come. J "In this connection," 6ays Mr. Reakes, c "it .is a matter for concern that many r ulairy-farmers do not'adopt better methods i in some of tho most important points con- 3 lieeted with' their operations. These may ';.}' );o sumniarised as .'.follow:—(1) Better ? breeding'methods, especially , as . regards j; the.use of go,od;bulls;j(2) more.,general :'i testing of- the yield of .dairy cows, with e a view of culling out' unprofitable ani- j better 'of winter, feed l for dairy cftws and .young stock ; (4); better 1 ■methods of'rearing calves. f .. "A nuriiber .of animals of, good class and ( of. : great ; ;valuo'..for ";;breediiig7dairy.'stock r have been' imported of late, arid, their -j progeny,'und the' pure progeny of' other t purebred 'dairy:stock, already in the' count 'try, have sold readily at ..high, values. Tho ( prices, these: animals indicate c an' : appreciatioti,of .the-value. ,of;"sto(lk;pf. 'j 'tho right/class on the. part \of- at least . n'portion of the dairying.community ;'but,; ; in view, of the-laxity: of many others on' *. this' and .'other' points; enumerated above, ■> j it is evident";that- dairy-farmers need to, s vastly. improve their methods, especially. t ill view of the high value' of properties i suitable for dairying:: Many of the bulls } ' seen upon, dairy farms are inferior, under- ' j bred animals showing a variety of crosses, ' I and-the bad effect '.of theso must remain ;j tor many generations'; to come. During ] tho past two years a much greater; num- ( l:er of calves have 'been: saved than was i the caso previously, and a. proportion of 1 these,', many of.them .'heifers, must have j been the progeny of 'inferior bulls of this t olass.' The figures' furnished-by tho black- ] leg inoculations in Tarahaki afford a good ( indication of the proportionate number; « ;of calves reared each year;- In 1909—10 ; the figures were 35,215; in 1910-11, 64,828; < and- in 1911-12, C0,«1. , ' : "The ; matter'of ; feeding young. calves, Mr,: ißeakes adds,, "is one • still badly in need of .improvement; Toq many aro im- !■ properly; and insufficiently fed and cared : for,'ana as-a'result not only is' the irior- i tality high, .which survive ~ .'many..;have, their;'.'constitutional powers permanently impaired. From returns furnished by, inspectors of .stock throughout 'the country, tho. mortality 'among.i.calves..; is ishown to average about 10' per cent.:, in the North and 8 per. cent.'ittthe eoutliIsland. This "should not' be,and . bad , feeding , methods 'are . largely- responsible for 'it. - ;;"■•■ "In many dairying: districts a scarcity. ; of; winter feed Existed;,is' a result of file, uhu'sually dry autumn weather; and dairy- ( • farmers who ihad - neglected' to-- provide tv - proper 'supply of,'other: winter : feed', suf-- > fercd Jieavily in consequence, , a 'number ; of 'cows,.;dying-from-;actual .starvation, • while many otherswere so reduoed in i health and condition that their milking- , coiiscquently their value,' Vas seriously impaired.-' In view. of .tile' :rapid expansion of dairy-farming in the • j Dominion, and the consequent increasing demand for good milking-cows, it is esSpecially necessary that every; possible effort be made to "conserve the health ,ar.d -the profitableness of .oiir existing-dairy itock. and also; .to ensure;that ea<ih year|s crop of ;calves. especially heifer calves, is ;reared. properly. -. r - ,