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Hokitika Guardian, 24 November 1921, Page 2

Tn the course of a lecture oil the economies of dairying, arranged bv the Canterbury Progress league, given at Christchurch, Mr A. TT. Cockayne, Government Biologist. in introducing the subject said that in most countries the value of dairying was recognised, and that from an economic aspect the scientific raising and fattening of pigs had very profitable features which should command attention, and that no doubt this industry, lielcre long, would lie considerably increased. In returning to the subject- of dairying, the lecturer stated that “herd improvement” was licit so much a matter ol concern, provided the “robber cow” was eliminated, as the adequate feeding of the dairy herd in season and out of season. This lie emphasised, as it was found that the milking cow was not genmally in Canterbury or elsewhere, fed to the maximum of her producing power.. This omission, or negligence was obviously a serious stake. ms each ton, over and above the ten tons of grass necessary for maintenance requirements, was capable of producing 301 bof butter-fat until recently of a monetary value of £2 Ills. Comparatively speaking a well-fed cow of high producing qualities returned £lB, against a poorly-fed cow’s return of L'l2. Therefore, a well-fed high-pro-ducing cow was a potent factor in the economy of dairying, and consequently the avoidance of over-stocking demanded earnest attention. The improved results during what was commonly termed a good year when feed was abundant, amply demonstrated this. In the conservation of soil potentialities dairying came an easy first, as it removed from the soil less fertility than any other class of fanning. A thirty-five bushel crop of wheat, for ■ instance, deprived the soil of 851 b. of nitrogen, 251 b of phosphoric acid and 201 b of potash, whereas a dairy herd producing the same monetary results j abstracted only 1 -51 b of nitrogen. Jib of phosphoric acid and Jib of potash. During tile first four months of lactation and when adequately fed, various breeds and grades of cows did m 1 differ much in results, all improving in the second month of milking, and infiintaining n fairly even average during the third and fourth months, but j sharply declining afterwards with the ' exception of the Jersey, with milking ! , Shorthorns a good second. An ill-fed cow. however low in condition at calving, did not improve in results at all during the successive months of lactation, except, singularly enough, au-tumn-calved cows. As regards climatic conditions, mild weather made feed more efficient, and December was the peak, or maximum producing mouth of the year. The harvesting of hay of which comparatively little was saved, should lie taken more into account. Tn this c on

hexion it was stated that wherever soil conditions suited, luerrne should be grown as a hay crop. In some districts it might be found mors profitable to grow oats and tafes, or wheatand tares. A good average crop, of cither would yield 3J to 3ii tons per acre. Italian rve and Western Mol tbs sown even as late as April, would provide a surprising quantity of spiring and early summer fixal. and a nvuinieiulation was to sow 201 boi Italian rvo-crass with 3 or 41b. of red clover and optionally, ball' a bushel ol oats as a. mixture. Wlierc. maize bad been grown, Japanese millet wa, now superselling it. To rape there was an ■ jection from the factory managers point of view, and the same objection applied to thousand-headed kale Soft turnips too. for similar reasons could be fed to cows up to calving time, when thoroughly matured mangolds whioli bad been lifted for some time should take their place. If potatoes were fed to dairy cows, very small quantities should be given, unless boiled as the starch contained in raw potatoes was in a peculiarly indigestible form. Maize | was considerably inferior to lucerne for milk production, as by itself it did not form, as the legume did, a balanced ration. The lecturer also stated that at the Weraroa experimental station, where every attention was given, great milking cows like the Friesian, not i> frequently in the early stages of lactation were below the Government standard in butter-fat contents. The standard of milk was also sometimes r ilurcd through irregularities in feeding. The indigestion thereby arising caused milking cows sufficient discomfort and uneasiness to reduce their natural standard, although the off-colour symptoms were hardly noticeable. In tbe matter of “herd testing”, thousands of semi-official records in the North Island showed cows producing 14 lb of butter-fat per week, while there mno others the “robber cows” - which consumed an identical amount of food \ct in their prime of milking did not produce more than 811) or even less. I