FOR BETTER PASTURES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 19, 15 October 1937, Page 48 (Supplement)

FOR BETTER PASTURES

Overstocking.is the greatest contributing faetor in pasture deterioration. Sown pastures may often be stocked at the so long as they are removed or the ntimhers reduced, before rate of 10 to 15. sheep per acre without being overstocked, and the plants are nibbled too close, no harm will be done. If, howevfer, this rate of stocking is persisted with, it will not be long before the most palatable species disappear, followed in time by the less palatable species. As the grasses and clovcrs become eaten out, unpalatable plants and. weeds will obtain a hold, nntil finally they will assume control to the detriment of the area in stock-carrying capacity and drought resistance. Overstocking with sheep prevents the natural development of renewal shodts, and heavy grazing, followed by dry, weather, will invariably resuit in many plants dying. On the' other hand continued. understocking of sown pastures is likely to lead to the stronger growers becomifig dominant to thal exclusion of the finer types, and to loss of feed on account of the grasses seeding and becoming more or less harsh, unpalatable, and innutritious. Also weeds and annual grasses grow. and seed unchecked, aiid may assume controL

Getting a Good. Start In tbe life of a dairy cow, as in most otber things, a good start is half tbe battle Thus tbe calf born under clean, hygienic surroundings has a much better cbance of developing eventually into a profitable producer tban bas one dropped among dirt and filth where tbe possibilities of disease infection are so mucb greater. 'A. smas, clean pasture sheltered. from tbe weather makes an ideal. birtbplace for tbe calf born during the warmer months of the year, )>ut sometimes a stall or loose box must be utilised for the purpose. In such cases particular care sbould be taken to sea tbat the place is properly cleaned up aud disinfecttld before the calving — otherwise tbe young calf may suffer from navel infection, scours or otber trouble picked up from tbe unclean surroundings. Next comes tbe important question of feeding. The first feed for tbe young calf must come from tbe mother since tbe colostrum, or first milk of 'tbe newly-calved cow, contains' certain substances essential for the digestive system of the calf. Some breeders prcfer to take the calf away -from its dam immediately, while others leave tbem tog'jther for tbree or four days, after which tbe youngster is reinoved and fed by hand. Occasionally the calf will take readily to the bucket, but, more frequently, it must be taught. This usually is fairly easily accomplished, particularly if the youngster is really hungry througb having been kept without a feed for J2 hours or so. To teach tbe calf to drink, put into a clean pail some fresh warm milk straight from the calf's mdther. Baek tbe calf into a corner, straddle ber, and after dipping two finger-s into tbe milk let tbe calf suck tbe fingers. - Tlien gently direct the calf 's head into tbe bucket and spread the fingers so that tlie milk will go into tbe calf's moutb as sbe sucks. After a minute or so remove tbe. fingers slowly. This opera-

en only as - mucb bay tui it will clean up. To start tbe calf on grain fceds, rub a little ground oats cm its nosc an it has finisbed its milk. Whole grain should be fed until tbe calf is five or six months old, after wbicb all grains should be ground; At first tfia calf will eat only a handful of grain a day, but tbe' amount may. be increiased gradually until at tbree months of age sbo will be eating li lb. to 2 lb, a day, .Silage is not a satisfactory feed for the. young calf, but may be ineluded in its ration after tbree months ef age, At that stage 2 lb. a day will ,be sufficient, but th§ amount may be increased by 1 lb. for eacb additional montb. Any change in tbe ration of tbe young calf should be made gradually, as sudden cbanges give rise to serious digestive disorders. If ample skim milk is available, it may be fed to tbe calf for as long as six months, or even longer. Clean, fresb water should be available to tbe calves at all times, and salt also sbould be provided. Tbere is a mistaken idea prevalent among farmers tbat foam on skim milk fed to calves will produce ill effects on the youngsters.- Tbis widely held belief has been proved wrong by carefully eonducted experiments, wbicb bave sbowu tbat calves fed skim-milk foam along witb skim milk just as it came from the separutor 'wero just as healthy as tbose fed skim milk from wbicb tbe foam bad been removed.