DAIRY CATTLE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5017, 23 August 1926, Page 1

DAIRY CATTLE.

AN INTERESTING LECTURE. PROFESSOR RIDDIT AT NGATEA. An address of interest to dairy farmers was delivered by Professor W. Riddit, Professor of Agriculture, Auckland University, to a small meeting of farmers in the Ngatea Hall on Thursday evening. Mr A. Ole.aver, president df the local branch of the Farmers’ Union, which had arranged the visit, presided.

Professor Riddit said tha,t there was no doubt that a good dairy cow was the. foundation of success, but good cattle were difficult to obtain. A 'cow was a delicate machine, but, unlike machinery, could not be ouilt up of assembled parts, which had proved satisfactory, except by a very long process of breeding. It wa.s first necessary to fix an ideal. Breed mattered little, as there were greater differences within the. breeds than between the breeds. It was difficult to combine the dairying and the beef types, and foolish to attempt it. An idea] dairy cow was triple wedgeshaped. It had long, deep, and tortuous milk veins and a big bag. A large body indicated the capacity to feed well. Health was equally as, important as the milk yield. This was indicated by girth and the circulation of blood, which was shown by the rkin and eyes. The condition of a cow’s feet was important. Minor points, were the length of neck, angular shape, and good teats. A good head indicated health, and a large muzzle the capacity to eat well. To secure a herd o£ such cows it was necessary to pay attention to breeding rather than endeayour to purchase them. Breeding was a slow process, but it was, much more satisfactory. High-producing cows mated with a bull from a high-producing cow tended to produce high-produc-ing offspring. The bull should be better than the best cow in the herd, and he should be pure-bred, a distinct ■ representative of his breed, and have a high butter-fat backing. The value of, the pedigree was that the ancestors could be traced, and if a fault developed in a herd it could be traced to whence it came. Old, proved bull s i were to be preferred to young unbroken bulls. The securing of a bull was the easiest, cheapest, and purest way of improving a herd.

The speaker dehit at length on the importance and benefit dt herd-test-ing.

Breeding and selection would ensure success up to a point, but feeding was very important. A high-pro-ducing cow gave more milk during her season than the food she ’consumed would produce, thus it was necessary that during the dry period the cow should be fed specially well. Dealing with the question of the effect, of feeding oil the. percentage of >fat, the Professor said that alterations, of feed did not produce a permanent effect, but if a cow came into profit in a fat condition its milk would. have a higher fat percentage throughout the season than if she had been starved during the winter. Successful feeding required a, 'regular supply of uniform quality. -It should be ample, succulent, of high food value, and of sufficient variety. The speaker then dealt with the relative feeding values, of various crops,. Dealing with pasture grasses, he pointed out that young grass was very digestible, and this-'quality lessened 'dis the gl ass matured, until, when its ?eeds were ripe, it was only half as valuable.

The speaker explained the need for a variety of 'foods and the preferable method of feeding to ge.t the best results, There was no feed to beat pasture, provided it was used at the proper stage. It was a faji'ly well Dalance.d food, was succulent, of sufficient bulk, and readily available. The feeding value otf pasture depended ijargely on the top-dressing given. Manuring determined the kind of grasses that grew, and also affected the quantity of mineral matter content. It-was very difficult to. advise what top-dressing to use, as the soil, climate, and previous, treatment had to be taken into consideration. Local experimental wCrk was essential. However, there were certain fundamental features. Plants required certain ingredients in the soil, and it was the purpose of manuring to replenish those ingredients which were consumed, namely, phosphates, lime, and potash.

Nitrogenous manures were seldom necessary, as it was cheaper and better to utilise legu’minous plants,. Practically all sobs were, deficient in phosphates, some in lime, seme in potash, and some in combinations of those. Local conditions largely determined the class of phosphoric manure which should be used. Phosphates could be ■used at any time, but super-phosphate, was usually used in the spring to bring on a big grbwth, and in the autumn to prolong the growth. Reck phosphate was usually used in the autumn or winter.

Speaking oif the potash content of various manures, the speaker said that sulphate of potash gave the best results, and it should be- used late jn the winter unless put on with other quick-acting manures. Lime had ause in affecting the composition of soil and making feed available. The speaker advised very thorough and deep harrowing of pastures. The surface should be well cut up with heavy implements and then rolled. Answering a question, the lecturer stated that as pasture was the best summer feed, so hay was a good winter feed, though it was, somewhat dry. Soda water, if not given in excess, was not injurious to cattle. Hay had a greater feeding value than ensilage, but was not so succulent.