ANIMAL HUSBANDRY.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 301, 15 August 1929, Page 8

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY.

(JBy the Department of Agriculture) ' The seasonal production of milk in the dairying centres of New Zealand is at a low ebb at the present time. The majority of the dairy herds are dried off ahd the cows are enjoying a much needed rest from production. There are several methods of drying-off cows, some owners preferring one method and some preferring another. The main object should be in all cases to leave the udder in such a condition that the tendency for inflammation in the organ is reduced to a minimum. The usual method is gradually to increase the time between each miiking. In the case of some h gh-producing animals, difficulty is experienced at times in dryingoff the animals. It would appear that nothing short of starvation in these rare cases is sufficient to prevent milk secretion, and in such cases it is more desirable to continue milking throughout than to deprive the animal of a sufficient food supply. The pregnant cow. whether producing or not, has to meet the demands of a developing foetus besides' maintaining her condition, or as is more to be desired, the building up of a deficit as a result of the last season's production and also a reserve for the subsequent, production. When these points are considered it will be seen^ that the maintenance of" the food supply during the winter months is of first importance. As the growth of grass in the winter months in many cases is not sufficient to meet demands auxiliary supplementary feeding is necessary, in many cases roots and hay only supplementary foods available, b~t of later years there is more and more ensilage Doing used for winter feeding. Good ensilage as a foodstuff is superior in feeding value to roots aloiie, and about equal to roots combined with a liberal allowance of good hay. Inferior ensilage on the other hand has a low food value, due. to the effect of harmful acids of fermentation. In connection with the winter feeding of dairy cows, especial ly where roots or chou-mollier form the major port, on of the ration, there is a danger of the trouble known as ‘ ‘ redwater ’ ’ occurring. This trouble is apparently due to too much bulky watery food and can I\3 prevented by combining hay with tne root ration. Moreover, the cow is more benefited and maintains better condition when roots are not used to. excess and whipn fed in conjunction with a quantity of weil-savcd hay. Lucerne hay or clover hay is more ’ valuable on account of its containing a higher percentage of calcium and protein, very necessary elements in the development of the unborn calf Frosted roots are dangerous as they may cause severe indigestion and bloating. Occasionally trouble is experienced when feeding ensilage to cattle, ami here again the excesswc use of ensilage alone is in many cases the cause of tne trouble. An attempt should be made to comb ne hay with a watery food such as ensilage, roots, and chou mollier. In far too many cases no attempt is made to‘balance the cow’s winter ration on account of a universal shortage of concentrates, but whore available a small daily, ration of a concentrate rich in protein such of the recognise^ cattje enkes should be used. From expopjqetits whiph have .been carried out it has been shown that the extra return ip taijk yie]d from cows receiving a concentrate ration has more than paid for tjie increased cost of feeding. Tliere is also the satisfaction tjiat'ari attejhpt is Lfteing’ made to bal : anco a ration wh}cb is otherwise much too bulky wjfh an excess of water and It is a noteworthy fact also Rjtka’l? in town supply herds where concentrate feeding in winter is necessary to maintain the milk supply, many troubles to which dairy cows are are not so prevalent.

connection with mangold feodSnrr of cows occasionally, it is forgotten these roots require to be stored rfor some weeks before feeding in order to prevent, loss from an otherwise valuable root crop. If the above points ire borne in mind a considerable reduc ;ion in winter mortality of dairy .cows from digestive troubles should be -effected. ,

Alinost' evdry winter'cases are reported of cows dying fronTparalysis before or after calving. After investigation it i s quite apparent in some case s that the animals have not received sufficient food during the winter. If cows are worth, keeping it always pays to feed them well. A scarcity of winter feed is merely a question of mismanagement of the balance between summer and winter requirements. It is always safe to provide a quantity of hay in excess of apparent requirements. Any excess may be held over, or may be fed w th advantage during the spring months. A saving of wintef feeding may be effected by the provision of shelter and warmth. During the digestion and absorption of food a certain amount is required to repair waste, to maintain condition, to provide for the developing calf, and to maintain the heat of the body. If then the heat of the body which will occupy four months. When ter from ground hedges, or by the use of cbver.s for the cattle, less food is re quired for heat production, with a consequent improvement of condition in such animals. Tn certain bleak districts or areas 'subject to flooding during the winter months enough attention has not been paid to the provision of adequate shelter. In many cases, also, the method adopted of feeding out liav in the paddocks is a jvasteful method. A portion is lost through being trodden into the ground and destroyed by rain. Hayfed out of movable hay raclc« would be an advantage over the usual broadcast method. The feeding of dairy cows over the dry period is, therefore, of some importance from the point of production in a subsequent season. Particular attention should bo paid to this season as the time to build lip condition and reserves, with a view to warding off attacks of disease. . Th(» animal’s resisting powers are reinforced by good food, and ns a consequence one expects less trouble from paralysis and other ills which occur about calving time,.