Good Season Ahead

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 424, 4 August 1928, Page 27

Good Season Ahead

WAIRARAPA AND MANAWATU

Pastures in Great Heart

THE SUN) MASTERTON, August I. es in the southern portion of ery indication of an excellent pecially during the flush of lambs, when "go slow” tactics were being pursued in the Wellington works. There is now no suggestion that these Wairarapa works should be closed down. They have more than justified their existence even in these hard times. In the lower portion of the Valley, foot-rot is prevalent this year, principally due to the amount of rain earlier in the year. Every effort is being made, notwithstanding, to satisfactorily clear up this trouble, by no means a new complaint among farmers. On the whole the feeling in Wairarapa and Manawatu, both naturally extremely wealthy areas, is distinctly optimistic. This feeling is more pronounced in these districts than it is in some quarters in the North. With a good season ahead, it is realised, they have every right to look for that elusive silver lining of which our politicians have been so fond of seeking. TREATING “BLOWN” COWS AN EXPERT’S ADVICE (From Our Own Correspo)ident) MORRINSVILLE. Friday. A complaint which has caused loss to most dairy farmers was touched upon, and a remedy given, by Mr. C. V. Daynes, Government veterinarian, in a lecture to the Morrinsville branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union on Saturday last. The ailment was gas in the rumen (first stomach). The causes, he said, could be traced to the cows lying prone, eating succulent wet clover, or roots, or getting a sw r ede or turnip stuck in the throat. The danger in the use of the usual drench was when the cow was too tight. If the cow was drenched when too tight, it was possible that the beast would die. The life could b£ saved by puncturing where the distention was most marked. A pocket knife could be used, but it was necessary to turn this in the wound to allow the gas to escape. A drench could then be used to check further trouble. A good mixture was a pint of linseed | oil and two tablespoonfuls of oil of I turpentine.

THE condition of t lie pastur the North Island give ev year ahead. Wairarapa and Manawatu producers, in particular, are delighted with the possibility. In common with members of the farming community throughout New Zealand, they, too, have passed through a strenuous period. Profits of war years were soon exhausted in the days of slump that followed. The possibility of a return to more normal conditions is, therefore, particularly welcome. The pastures in both districts are in great heart. The cattle in particular are in good fettle. As one farmer remarked: “The outlook could not be better. We are looking forward this year to recouping some of our past losses." “BONELESS VEAL” Masterton, the centre of the fertile Wairarapa, is also anticipating not a little profit from the expansion of the “bobby” veal industry. All the dairymen in the district are anxious to secure a portion of what must eventually be a source of substantial remuneration to the producer. The “boneless veal” industry is likely to be parried on on an unparalleled scale in the Wairarapa, particularly this season. Lambs have already made their appearance in both districts. In some quarters this is not regarded as the •mst of farming, but with the more or less mild conditions now prevailing there should not be any great danger concerning losses from early lambs. It is more likely that stormy weather will be experienced somewhat later. There appears to be some unnecessary competition among dairy companies for supplies, which is not economically sound, and the consequent result has been overlapping. This eventually, however, may yet be obviated. Better beef prices is also very satisfactory news to producers in this part of the island. It is stated, on good authority, that there is every prospect of the Waingawa works reopening this season. This news is particularly important to Masterton, which has suffered quite naturally during the period that the works have been closed. WAINGAWA WORKS . Waingawa proved extremely useful in handling a good deal of stock, es-

AUSTRALIAN FARMERS’ WANTS COUNTRY PARTY’S PROPOSALS The annual conference of the Primary Producers’ Association of Western Australia will be opened in Perth on August 14. The Federal Treasurer (Dr. Page) will address it ou the following day as leader of the Federal Country Party. Proposals which will be considered include: (1) Abolition of selection ballots for choosing candidates for Federal election. (2) Extension of residential qualifications for enrolment undtr Federal Electoral Act from one to three months. (3) That as the Government allows Southern Europeans to land in large numbers, they should be eligible for employment on work where agricultural bank loans are used. Cl) Protest against high tariff generally, and particularly that on agricultural machinery. ('») Conference to be held to consider the establishment of bulk handling of (6) Legislative Council elections to be held in March instead of May_ and increased representation of farming - community in State Parliaments. (7) Co-operative insurance. (S> That as primary production is the foundation of all wealth, no further awards be made by Arbitration Courts, without first taking into consideration tb*sir effect on the cost of production. HIGH-PRODUCING HEIFERS WORTHWHILE WAIKATO HERD (From Our Own Correspondent) MORRINSVILLE, Friday. One of the best records of the season in the Waikato, taking all things into consideration in connection with dairy farming, is that of a number of the herd of Mr. J. A. Sanders, of Piako, Morrinsville. Quoting the Herd-testing Association’s figures, six heifers averaged 295.421 b. of fat, while six secondcalvers averaged 370.051 b. The 40 cows’ herd average was 367.051 b of butter-fat. The best individual records were a heifer, 3911 b in 309 days, and a cow, 543.461 bin 310 days. So much is thought of the herd in the district that all this season’s heifer calves have been sold at the drop at two guineas each. CAUSE OF SOFT PORK WRONG FEED BLAMED Pig feeding tests recently conducted at the Central Experimental Farm at Ottawa with such single feeds as ground oats, ground barley and middlings, and compared with mixed meal rations, indicated that single feeds as a class are more conductive to soft pork than well-selected mixed meal rations. Also it was found that the addition of buttermilk to these feeds decreased the percentage of soft sides. Previous tests at this farm indicated that maize or beans when comprising all or a major part of the ration, had a tendency to produce softness, while on the other hand the use of good grain mixtures and the supplementing of the ration with milk or succulence in some form counteracted in a marked degree any tendency toward softness. There also appears to be an intimate relationship between the stage of maturity or the physical condition of the pig and the firmness of the fleshing. Pigs which are unfinished or not carrying sufficient fat are frequently soft when slaughtered. Evidence also points to the fact that unthrifty or poor doing pigs are fruitful sources of soft sides j