FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 220, 10 September 1908, Page 4

FARM AND DAIRY.

Farmer* who visited tin* Momohaki Stat** Fur in with the Taranaki Agricultural Society last year were shown the value of maiZe oi' sorghum an fodder. Tlie " sorghum saccharatuiu" variety is known here as being a prolific producer of green teed. Mr. \Y. Arnburv being amongst those who have testified to its value. Fivmi South Taranaki comes actual proof of the suitability oi' maize as a food for dairy cattle, during shortage of grass. -Speaking at the annual meeting of the Kiverdale Dairy Company, the chairman of directors, Mr. T. 11. Collins, referred to the fact that last year, owing to the drougnt, Hhere was a decrease of (J0,4201b5. »f butter-fat. He did not think it- would l)i' out of place, although he did not offer advice to shareholders, but on this particular occasion he was going to do His advice was to go in for gfrowin# .maize for autumn feed for coAvs. Two years ago he put in oiktliird of an acre of maize, which kepi his cows going for twenty days. Last year he put in two acres, and he milked exactly the same uumber of cows as before, but in spite of the drought and two points less in test his returns showed 5451>bs. of butter-fat more than previously, and he took it that this was entirely due to the maize. The loss to Kiverdale suppliers owing to the drought "was about CIUOO. but the man with the maize lost nothing. He suggested that all the shareholders should endeavour to put in a bit of maize. Anyone with an acre of maize miglit reckon on having six weeks' supply of feed for .sixty cows, and could shut up the other paddocks. The loss last year at Kiverdale would amount to something over .150 to each supplier. This wa4 a big item for each individual supplier to lose. Jn drought >easons there are various 'ways of keeping lip the supply to the factories. One way is by adding water to the milk, and many [dairymen contfud that the dilution improves the test! Perhaps it was in search of a high test that the suppliers \to Kiverdale company watered their milk last year. The question was brought lip at the. animal kovero ol' shareholder*, and. suggestively enough, the matter .was brought up by Mr. Washer. The chairman said the company did not pay for water; all that was paid for water was the cost of working it into the cheese. There was not miu-h butter-fat in water. It had been a common thing in tin* past, but Kivrdale was (plite safe tn»w. as next season the lactometer te-»t would be used, and each supplier could see lor himself the result of ihe test. Keplying to Mr. RitterMin. the chairman was nol prepared to say whether mure water vva-> put into milk than previously. The secretary pointed out that the increase of pounds of milk to one pound A cheese compared with the previous year was .30.