Farming Column

Hokitika Guardian, 16 September 1933, Page 8

Farming Column

FROZEN PRODUCE

A COMPAEISON OF METHODS

The following article on present conditions in the fat lamb industry in Patagonia is written .by Air . X. 0. D. Alexander from Tierra del Fuego, South America, ijdr Alexander, who holds a Diploma of Agriculture froin Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, has been working on estancias in the Argentine for 2-£ year*.

The Patagonia frozen produce trade, which handles only lamb and; mutton does not appear to be in the desperate position, sora<* expected to follow the effect of the Ottawa agreements. Its uphill i fight continues strenuously in contrast to that of the beef, trade in the Buenos Aires region, for example, .Although that is much longer and more strongly established, reports state that even in the last season four of the five frigorificos (freezing works in the Bio la Plata area were closed. In Patagonia all 10 frigorifico'S—five in Argentine i»nd five in Chile—as, well, as the ,gre*erias (boiling down works) are working their usual short season of two to 2i months again this yeai. In Argentine .a quota system is in operation whereby only . last year’s suppliers may forward sheep, with a maximum quota of SO per cent, (by Weight) of last year’s killings. The 'now . application of this system in Chile has resulted in increased shipments of Argentine lamb and mutton to Chilean frigorificos . and graserias. It s not clear.how or.where the Chilean companies will dispose of even their normal killings. There has always been a scandalous shortage of meat in Chile—hard to understand in such an exporting country—.during winter months, and it may he intended to use the extra supplies to overcome that shortage by adopting one of the schemes for increasing the domestic consumption of frozen meat. Before the season opened there was a suggestion to close one of the works in Chile. It came to nothing. Also reported were negotiations with .the French Government but they had not been completed when the season opened. It is possible that operations are being carried on at full pressure more in the hone of finding a market than in the assurance . that one is waiting.

Buying is all on the dressed weight basis and all sleep and lambs are delivered at the frigorificos. No freezing is done on account of farmers nor is there buying on the hoof .As everywhere prices are very low In Argentine 15 t 0,25 cents a kilogram (1.4 dto 2.4 d per lb) dressed weight < s'"the” price"'"for lambs"" as "c6mparcel with 25 cents a kilogram at all works last season. Conversion of Chilean money is hopeless at present. In some frigorificos no price distinction appears to be made between first ar.d second grade and there are no weight divisions as in New Zealand works, which. effect the price. Very jew lambs weigh more than 301 b and many grade, under 301 b. The method of drafting lambs for the works is practical and inexpensive but jp’ys no attention to the quality of the carcase. The frigorifico is advised before the season opens of the total number of lambs each c stand a intends tjO forward for killing With totals thus known hi adveumo, the firi.goiiifico makes out its killing time table for the season and forwards to each esiancia a notification of the time de(•vcry i- desired Such notification 1 hows in what numbers the lambs are to be forwarded and at what dates. All but tlie lew small suppliers have huge drafts One estmeia usually ser.ds b ?tw-en. 50'10 and 10,000 lambs enough to keep even the largest work- killing U r one to two days, on one diiaft. The drafting is done by the management of the estaneia, the few so called “buyers”, merely , rejecting, on the place, lambs or sheep quite unfit for killing. Wliqre possible lambs are drafted straight off their mother, hut the number to be drafted, and the date of the drafting, being fixed ahead

means that little account can be taken of the fitness of the lambs for killing. Such wild lambs, unused to handling, also suffer considerably from crushing and over driving, between the estaneia and the killing board. From estancia to killing board is 10 days normally, and even with a night’s rest, before killing, quality is impaired by bruising and fatigue. The operation of the frigorificos is efficient. Many are owned, in part at least, by the largest and best known ■combines—Armour, Swift, etc. —and the management is most often in the herds of men from England o r the 'United States. Generally by-products are rot developed as in New Zealand. Jii the absence of an agricultural community or a practice of concentrated feeding of stock, there is no demand -either for manures or stock foods. There have been ro experiments ■in the use of by-products on the land. This is a strange feature, as many of the big land companies own the frigorificos, and for them the possibilities or by-product development should lie unlimited.

CARE OF THE CALF

HINTS ON BEARING

Now that, generally speaking, the only calves that are reared are the progeny of the best producing cons Of the herd much more interest is ‘being taken in their management. This is as it should be, for no work hn the farm gives a better reward than the proper care and feeding of fhe future members of the herd. It is to be feared that on a good many farms the calves are almost as much neglected as the pigs, and the same mistakes are made with the calves as tiie pigs. Yet cleanliness and frequent feeding are the essentials in tlie management of both these classes of animals. We have yet to. hear of lany reasonable argument for taking the calf from the mother as soon as it is born, while there is everything to be said in favour of leaving them together for at least three days. And when the owner then takes on the care of the calf it is surely wise to .copy even to a slight extent the ways of nature. Certainly the calf should have milk at least three times a day. But the erreat requirement is cleanliness. With all young animals this is the first essential. There should be absolutely clean young grass in, J>f :omrse, a well sheltered field, and urn drinking utensils ' should be well scalded after use. If ’ possible there .should be a concrete platform for the feeding bails.

STUDY NATURE

Feeding can be easily overdone. Tins is readily understood when it is remembered that in a state of nature , a calf obtains its food in very small ,amounts at repeated intervals. Not (more than 51b to 61b of milk a day, increasing to a gfillon at the end of Hie f rst fortnight is sufficient for jersey and grade jersey " calves. Heavier types of calves can do with bather more milk. Some milks are harder 'to digest than others and it lias be® l * advised that diluting the milk with ten per cent, of lime water will correct this. It is now well established Ilia V sonic ' milks have a soft digestible curd while other milks have .a herd, indigestible curd.

CONCENTRATES FOR CALVES

Meat meal is an excellent concern trate for calves. Mixed with bran or pollard it should be given dry after 4 e milk’ Is finished. It is better to give bran than pollard _ unless pollaid of really good quality is available. The calves will take the concentrate yhe'n"‘&i‘red' or four weeks "old. Only ?' very 1 little need be given, about four fo six*, ounces a day, gradually increasing this to 41 b a day. It is always well to have a lick before the calves. This can comprise equal parts of salt and steamed bene flour with ten per cent, of limonite.

WATER FOR CALVES

There is quite a common opinion that where calves are getting skim milk they require no other drink and the same opinion prevails apparently in regard to pigs. This is a bad mistake. True, the only figures we have |on the matter are these of a Sco.itish experiment. In the trial, from the fifth to the loth week, the calves had access to water bowls. The water passed through meters, and in this way the water consumption was ascertained to be per cow, day as follows: Group 1, 1.72 gallons; group 2. 1.78 gallons; group 3, 1.78 gallons. In the loth week- the consumption was. actually wbll over three gallons per calf per day. There is a point, to which due importance ought to be attached. It 15 by no means uncommon to find that strong views are held by calf rearers that in the early stages water shu il l lie entirely withheld or strictly hmu* id as it is blamed for causing scour land for making the calves pot bellied. When it is realised that, the calves under observation in this trial were drinking fully three gallons daily at between three and four months old, it will become clear that on many farms where calves have not constant access to a supply of water they must frequently go short of their requirements.

NEEDED SHOW REFORMS

When, will show executives realise that the utility value of pedigree stuck is of first- importance, and that the awarding, of prices according to the cpinon of a particular judge as to what constitute type may he actually harmful to the interests of a breed. Especially does .this apply to pedigree dairy cattle classes. In connection with these it is not suggested that prizes should he awarded according to the productive capacity of the ,competing animals bub no animal .should be regarded as worthy of a prize unless it carries productive blood. Every mature female should have produced a. minimum standard of butterfat and every male animaZ .should be the progeny of a cow that has given a certain standard of production. This subject Is too serious to, be played with any longer, lhe pedigree cull (from the production ,viewpoint) is the most dangerous thing in the country and yet it may easily via a show championship.