FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 254, 26 April 1912, Page 8

FARM AND DAIRY.

FEEDING COWS FOR MILK. The daily work! lias exercised for tlic hist vi ar or two. .-ays Mr. Primrose < MeConmll in the Farmers' Gazette, over ■< the question of producing milk at the lowest cost of food per gallon, and has to some extent lost sight of the question of how to produce the largest quantity of milk per head irrespective of cost. There, are a very large mtnibor of fanners who feed their cows for beef the whole time they are milking, and when the. yield of milk ceases to pay the animals are sold fat to the, butcher. They are never kept to come round into work again, but are forced by high feeding to I yield the utmost amount of milk, and to lay on fat at the same time. liven where, the herd is kept on from year to year, however, fairly heavy feeding can he followed for the purpose of getting a big yield of milk without enquiring into the lowest possible number of pence per gall, nit may cost. The greatest quantities 'of milk—where quality is not considered—can be obtained from cows fed largely on brewers' grains and mangolds, tog: ther with a minimum of fodder, or any other foods similar to these, such las other kinds of roots, cabbages, soups made with meal, etc. An ordinary dairycow, if fed with a bushel of maiit golds, a lmshel of brewers' grains, and 1011) of hay will probably yield her utmost in milk, though it will he of poor quality. We cannot increase the quality of a cow's milk by feeding, but we can very easily reduce it by the use of super-succulent foods like brewers' grains and mangolds, while fresh grass in spring has the same effect. A little cake ov me*l added will help to counteract this lowiring tendency, and quantity up to 01b per head daily' to each one in full milk, and others in proportion, will give good results. Forced feeding, however, has other drawbacks besides the , expense. Where the animals are killed off at the end of their season the evil effects are not seen, but ordinarily they will wear out in about three seasons and • break down if fed too heavily, while run- ; ning a risk from milk fever. ' It is better to feed moderately and be satisfied with ■ an outlay which brings in the best total '< results. NEWS AND NOTES. A large white sow is reported from ■ Wrexham (England) to have given birth ! to a litter of 27 pigs, 'nil born alive. ) This was the sow's third litter. Tares, cabbage, kohl rabi and man-' 1 golds are all of great use as adjuncts to ; the profitable and healthy rearing of - young pigs. Do not forget a daily l shovelful of coal slack. Denmark in 1884 had an average production of 1121b of butter per cow per year. To-day it is 2321b. In 1878 Den- . mark was bankrupt. To-day the nation . stands as the second in the 'world as to j per capita worth, and dairying has done s that of Denmark. r Towards the end of the cheesemaking . season a pound and a quarter of cheese , Und sometimes more can be obtained from a gallon of milk. Sheep require salt with their dry food t as a preventative against fluke. ) It is stated that Dr. Siegel. of Berlin, has discovered the bacillus of food-and- . mouth disease. i It depends mainly upon the individual temperament of horses whether they are r temperate or hot-headed and excitable or 1; lazy junipers. In some cases a youri" . horse becomes a hot-headed and intenfj perate jumper through being spoiled in L his training or being"badly schooled. ,_ An Irish farmer from' the county of e Kildare claims a record in prolific calvl( mg. He has an Irish hornless ; cow, .six years old, and has had six t calves m little over 24 months, viz J twins, bulls, October 20, 1000; twins' 1 bull and heifer. November 15, 1010'' twins, heifers, November 17, 1011. j A small plot of lucerne, well manured, will produce, a succession of cuttings for ,' several years. " In Denmark the marketing of eras • has been reduced to a science. Each e<™ } society employs a collector, who visits . every farm in his district once a week ;' ? n 4 5° Hecto the eggs. These societies • insist upon compliance with rules as [ stringent and arbitrary as the bacon- - curing and butter-making societies. s "nee a farmer joins he is compelled to - conform to the society's rules. For in- , stance, no washing of the eggs is allowed • as it hag been found that washing inter- > feres with the keeping quality. The ejr»s 1 must be perfectly clean, and in order to r Becure cleanliness the fowl-houses and 1 nests are constructed on the one general principle Non-compliance with rules - lea<ls, in the first place, to a caution, and ; in the second place to expulsion. All r the eggs are tested in a dark room, and ) passed over a very strong light. If any - old or stale eggs are discovered, the far- . mer from whose farm they came is fined and if the offence is repeated, he is . struck off the list of member*. All comf plamts as to inferiority or breakage af- , ter they have been sold are also inquired . into by the societies. T'-e federation controlling the collecting has 35 000 members. The eggs are purchased'by weight irrespective of size.