DOMINION PASTURES

Hokitika Guardian, 20 September 1929, Page 5

DOMINION PASTURES

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH REVEALS VALUE. (From a London Correspondent). Pasture may be described as the natural raw material of all the important animal products, smh as milk, meat, wool, hides and tallow, and the greater part of the. world supply of these primary necessities is obtained from animals whose food consists entirely of pasture. In other words the pastures of the great agricultural and pastoral countries, such as Australia and New Zealand, represent to a great extent their national wealth. Pastures being the raw material of many of tut e primary necessities of life then, their improvement and their better exploitation is ope of the surest methods of securing the stable prosperity of the Empire.

The above facts form the foundation of, and,' are the real basis of, the recently published work on “Minerals,in Pastures,” by that eminent scientist and great Imperialist, Dr J. B. Orr, of the Rowett Institute of Aberdeen, who quite recently made a world tour, which included Australia, Africa, New Zealand and Canada.

This publication marks a great step forward in the knowledge of a great economic problem. To the scientist it should prove a stimulus to greater research, which will no doubt solve many problems affecting our future prosperity. . .

THE IDEAL RATION. The accumulated knowledge of research into the problem of nutrition shows that the ideal ration should consist of protein ,carbohydrates, minerals and accessory factors. In other words, flesh-forming materials in the sist of protein carbohydrates, minducing substances in the form of carbohydrates minerals in the form of calcium, phosphorus, and in a multiplicity of other elements to form the skeleton and assist in the efficient metabolism of the body and certain accessory factors in the form of vitamins which according to our present knowledge are necessary for efficient growth. MINERALS—ONE OF THE ES-

SENTIALS The fundamental importance of the presence of minerals in pastures had not been sufficiently realised until the intensive research carried out at the Rowett Institute and elsewhere. These researches have shown indeed that some pastures are so poor in one or other of the necessary minerals that the deficiency manifests itself as a disease in grazing animals. Such deficiency diseases have been discovered by Theiler in South Africa, where a lack of phosphorus causes hamsiekte (l;\me sickness), and in New Zealand where the important work of Mr B. G. Aston has shown that bush sickness is due to a deficiency of iron.

The general importance of thus question of minerals in pastures resulted in the setting up of a powerful com-, mittee in London to consider from an Empire point of view the means to be adopted to investigate the problem systematically. As a result of its labours a recommendation was made to the Empiis Marketing Board for a grant to defray the cost of the work. Work supplemented by grants is now in progress in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and East Africa.

It has been estimated that one quarter of the total exports into the United Kingdom is represented' by grassland products. On the other hand such products form a large proportion of the total exports of the overseas Dominions. This can be expressed in percentages as follows: —Irish Free State 55, Australia 60, and New Zealand 94 per cent.’ Thus the future application of the knowledge, already 'obtained on this subject by the farmer through the medium of competent authorities is of fundamental importance to pastoral countries and New Zealand in particular. „it l TTTfmT'nm\T Tvmr TO

STOCK MALNUTRITION DUE TO MINERAL DEFICIENCY. Stress has been laid so far on the widespread presence of diseases which are definitely due to deficiency of one or more minerals, because it is obviously the prime duty of the investigator to i cure disease. Actual manifestation olf disease,;however, is happily not predominant arpongst our herds and flocks. But although the elimination of disease due to deficient nutrition will be of incalculable benefit it must be remembered that there may be deficiencies which are not yet so marked as to cause disease, but yet limit the rate of growth and the rate and amount of productivity. The importance of this newer knowledge of nutrition has only comparatively recently been realised. The information is waiting to be applied in our great Empire. Indeed, a start has already been made, and New Zealand whose future prosperity depends more on grassland produce than any other country in the world, is tackling the problem of bringing home this information to the actual farmer with eneigy. It is to be hoped that the ‘small beginnings will soon he extended and intensified.

It requires but little imagination to realise that our ability to compete successlfuily in the intensive world competition of the future will depend largely on increasing the productivity of our herds and flocks by the application of present knowledge and that which w jll result from the intensive investigations now being conducted in many parts of the Empire.