What “Sundowner” Hears

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 19 November 1927, Page 12

What “Sundowner” Hears

The average yield of all cow* test* ed in the Dominion during 1926-27 was 240.481 b of butterfat. The high* est herd average "as 5111 b of butterfat and the lowest herd average 651 b, The highest yielding cow gave 7951 b of butter-fat; the lowest cow gave 171 b. These figures showing the astonishing discrepencies in the yields of our cows not only demonstrate {he need for increasing testing, but the possibilities of increased returns from dairying if the lessons taught by testing arc taken to heart.

A few years ago the average production of all cows in New Zealand was about 1051 b of butter-fat and the average carrying capacity of the land over o acres per cow. To-day it i‘s estimated that the average production of all dairy cows in New Zealand is 2001 b of butter-fat and the average carrying capacity of dairying land is a cow to 1} or 2 acres. This shows a considerable improvement in a comparatively few years but it must not be forgotten that it is as easy to reach the 3001 b butter-fat standard as it was to reach the 2001 b average aud much the same can be said with regard to the carrying capacity of the dairying land.

One pig for every producing dairy cow, to tynsume skim milk; one per farm, to consume table waste; and enough more to clean up waste from the grain field, is about the right proportion to be kept in most areas wher e raising swine is a true issue to dairying.

Internal parsites in lambs and pigs cause unthriftincss and in some instances death. doling stock running on old-pastures are most subject to infection.

Consumers when they go to the ratailer find everything just as dear as ever to buy, while the produces is losing heavily on everything he has ,to sell.

If we had as many pigs per cow as Denmark it would mean the Dominion could sell ten million pounds’ worth of pork every year, a by ao means impossible figure.

For spring topdressing the more soluble manures like super are more suitable, and super gives best results when used with lime or applied oa limed land. The opinion held by many that it is not lasting in its results it fiot borne out by experiments.

I/andamentally, farming and manafar tiring h vo much in common. Both use raw materials, labour, capital, and management to turn out a more or less finished product. Both are obliged to meet competition; and both have marketing problems to solve.

There are three cardinal points which the flock owner must keep in mind if he desires to make tho maximum profit out of his sheep. These are: (1) Sound constitution combined with a shapely, well-fished carcase; (2) uniformity of type (according to the breed favegred); and (3) an even growth ot good-quality wooh

“Clothing” is a term applied to any wocl in which the fibre, although long is tender (has a break in it), or any wool which is too short in length of fibre to be combed. In respect to the tender wool, the break is due mainly to either shortage of feed or disease.

It has been found that the administration of calcium salts to cows which may have failed to breed on a ration deficient in calcium was followed by the birth of healthy, vigorous calves.

Hand-fed calves are frequently affected with indigestion and scours. This may be due to overfeeding, drinking too fast, milk low in temperature, or irregular feeding. Some claim that if the feeder would follow Naikire’s plan or “little and often” the calvfis would thrive much better than when fed the same quantity at two feeds.

I am told that the chief occupation of Hawke s Bay farmers at the present time is discussing the probable price of wool. This takes a lot of time and does not materially alter prices. How about spending some of this time getting the shed ready and studying How to turn out a more attractive and valuable clip!

Ten years ago the number of eows in Great Britain whose yields were officially recorded was in the neighbour hood of 13.000. This figure has now risen to 154,000. With it there has been a considerable rise in the average yield—from 599 gallons to 687 gallons, which is the final proof of advantage. In the annual report of the testing organisation, quite a number of instances are given of the cash value of increased yields (reckoning the milk at Is a gallon)—£623 a year in a herd of 42 non-pedigree Shorthorns; £603 in a herd of 22 Shorthorns, mainly by pedigree, and £319 in a herd of 17 British Friesians—and so on, all brought about in the eif irse of five or six years.

Alberta is tho premier sheep-rais-ing province in Western Canada, and shows constant growth there from 133,592 at the 1922 census to 476,009 in 1926, the numbers at the intervening census years being—l9l6, 294 ■ 690; 1921, 431,479.

Nature does all her breeding by the ruthless method of culling. Darwin called it natural selection. Culling alone, purposefully followed as a practice through the years, will result in a great herd or flock.

Top-dressed areas remain green for a longer period than those that are unmiiX-iied, thus providing succulent feed for a longer period and dimiuiching the danger of lire.

A writer in Farm Feeding says.— We know many of the immediate reasons why acid soils are relatively infertile. A sufficiency of lime is necessary for example to enable the anil to perform its natural function of “digesting” organic materials such as the duug added to it. This is on- J tirely a function of the soil bacteria, as is also the process of nitrogen fixation by the nodule bacteria of leguminous crops or by azotobacter or other free-living nitrogen fixing bacteria.