FARMING NOTES.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 262, 27 March 1917, Page 4

FARMING NOTES.

The Months Work

Dairy work is now easing off, and perhaps the most important business on hand is that of keeping cows up in their milk, or perhaps to be more correct, trying to do so. To the writer it has long since been questionable whether profitable results can be obtained from hand feeding cows during the autumn months, and probably this matter has ..frequently been given expression to in this column. So far as one knows we have had no guidance from our Government Experimental Farms relating to this ; so it becomes purely a personal matter as to what is to be done; personal at least in this respect, as to whether it will pay to utilise all the supplementary food we have on hand at the present time, or whether it should be retained for the use of those cows giving the greater quantity of milk, to the exclusion of others. The writer, after some years of observation, came to the conclusion that it was practically a waste of food to give an abundance of green stuff to cows which were nearing their time of drying off; for it must be remembered that the dairy season opens much earlier than it did at one time, and the early calving cows will soon be earning a well-deserved rest from attendance at the milking shed. Observation also showed that March and April were quite the two most difficult months in the year in which to keep cows up in their milk ; almost independent altogether of extra liberality in their food supply. This points to other causes acting on the production of milk, quite distinct from any question of feeding. It would appear as if the conditions regulating a full and extended milk supply are not yet properly understood, and

iliis is Ura out very uuteiially when we peruse the recorded daily ratiou and its result ng miik yield of the various cows which have made, or attempted to make, woild records Theoretically we understand the relation of food to milk production, but although we may supply an abundance of suitable food yet our monthly registration of returns vary very considerably, and, as a matter of theory, they shouldn't do so. This goes to show that Nature herself has something to say in the matter, and that if we require fuller results, we must, as near as possible, follow the seasons of growth. Practice shows us that we can profitably anticipate this season by the use of roots, hay or ensilage, but what isn't so clearly shown is that supplementary green feed will serve us equally as well in the fall of the year. This looks somewhat if Natuie is against us in this respect. Following up this argument, we may safely at this season sow certain seeds for crops of a much more profitable use later on, such as rye, wheat, oats or Cape barley, or Italian ryegrass or red clover, also crimson clover the latter a crop much thought of in the Old Country, but one apparently not very popular here.

If land is inclined to be sour, it may now be skimmed and allowed to sweeten for winter sown crops. For next year's root crops a ploughing much later on than this will suffice.

Grass seed sowing may be done now, care being taken that the soil be in suitable condition, neither too dry nor too wet A very light covering is all that is necessary, either by chain, or brush harrowing, Failure to .obtain a good down is very frequently caused through the seed being too deeply covered.

Push off the last of the bacon pigs before the milk supply falls below requirements, even if it entails a larger expenditure of grain or pollard. It doesn't pay to keep halffat pigs on hand too long.—"NZ. Dairyman."