LOSS OF DAIRY COWS

Evening Star, Issue 22147, 30 September 1935, Page 2

LOSS OF DAIRY COWS

DRY WEATHER INTERFERES WITH FEED SERIOUS CONDITIONS IN SOUTHLAND For tlie last few weeks the dairy farmers in Southland have found themselves in an unenviable position as a result of the unavoidable loss of their stock. Many of the cows have been steadily on the downward grad© in recent months due _ to the absence of necessary feed during the winter. The : general position was outlined this morning by Mr C. V. Dayus, District Superintendent of the Live Stock Division of the Department of Agricul- ' ture, who told a reporter that dairy cows, especially in tlie eastern districts, '' have suffered severely, a large number having died. Ho explained that a oontributary 1 cause dated back to last summer, when the pastures were burnt up and a very 1 dry period was experienced, the result ■

being that it was not possible to save any nay as winter feed. The dry conditions continued i,n the autumn months, and in many cases the root crops were, unusually poor. The crops were too long in growing, and were badly affected by club root and dry rot. Consequently dairy cows wore in poor condition at the beginning of the winter. There was a definite shortage of feed, and the pastures, were very bare, even the ruffage having been eaten out during the dry period. Their loss wag accelerated by the toxic effect of turnips and swedes, with little or no supplementary feeding, such as hay, open straw, or ruffage. The roots were really fed too late in the _ season to cows approaching the calving period, and, unfortunately, the supplementary feed was too dear to buy. Many of the dairy farmers, therefore, were nothin a position to purchase the amount required to materially alleviate the conditions. During August and September some fodder had been railed to Southland from as far north as Timaru in an attempt to save the position. _ Late frosts have been pronounced during the last fortnight, and have appreciably retarded the recovery of the grass pastures. “ Steady rain is now wanted, ns the district is very dry,” said Mr Dayus. “ Warm sunshine, with an absence of night frosts, is also needed. It is necessary that the dairy farmers should have the full advantage of a favourable season this year to enable them to make provision for next winter, so that there will not he a repetition next year of the conditions that have existed in the last two months.”