FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1922, Page 11

FARM AND DAIRY.

OVERSTOCKING THE PASTURE. AND INTERNAL PARASITES, Many sheep farmers do not realise the injury that is caused to a flock by persistent overstocking, particularly is this so on land that is never turned over by the plough. Not only is the herbage ruined, but lung and stomach worms are more easily picked up by the sheep when the pastures are continually closely grazed. The first symptoms of the presence of those parasites are a dry harsh wool, and persistent scouring. The only effective remedy is a change to clean, dry ground, if possible, and to provide an allowance of dry food, such as a small quantity of oats, good sweet hay or chaff. Low-ly-ing damp pastures are particularly prolific'breeding grounds for those internal parasites; it is a remarkable fact that sheep in a wild state instinctively cling to the higher ground.

In jome localities it has been considered impossible to rear strong stud sheep profitably, on account of the ravages of internal parasites, but healthy good animals are now bred as a result of preventive measures. Lambs on such land should be taught to eat dry food —good sweet oat chaff, with a small addition of oats or chaffed lucerne hay—immediately they are weaned, and be provided with a lick consisting of two pounds sulphate of iron to ten of salt. Frequent changes to clean ground are in every way good, and close grazing should be avoided. This is, of course, referring to comparatively small flocks; there is naturally a different condition in dealing with very large numbers of sheep on high, rough country, but much may be done, even on such land, by abandoning the policy of persistent close grazing, and by resting the paddocks in turn, to make it possible to regularly change the flock to clean ground. STORING AND FEEDING THE MANGEL. Harvesting the mangel crop is a work that should be carried out as early as circumstances will allow. In some districts, mangels are fed off in the paddock where they are grown. Even when this j.-i the case it -will be found advisable,. from the nature of thia root, to pull them out of the ground at least three weeks before the stock are allowed on to them. When labor is available the old English method of pulling and storing is much the better practice. First pull up the mangels, cut off the tops, leave the roots in rows sufficiently wide apart to allow for a dray to be taken between them and loaded from both sides. The mangels should b« carted and built into a V-shaped row. This should be nine feet wide at the bottom and about five feet six inches high. In districts where frosts are frequent it will be necessary to put a much better covering over the mangels than will be required in the milder part of the country. Some farmers cover their mangel clamps with raupo; others consider rushes satisfactory, but the best method of all is to cover the mangels over well with either of these or with straw, then dig a trench round the clamp, throwing the soil from the trench on to the straw. Mangels stored in this way will remain sound well on to the end of the year. The advantage to be gained by this method will be readily appreciated later in the year and in the preparation of stock for shows. Stored mangels are a. great help in carrying pigs through the spring. It is well to remember when selecting a site for the mangel storage that paddocks will be very wet and cartage difficult when the mangels are to be used, and so arrange that it may be as near where the bulk of the roots will be required as possible. This will not only prove a great convenience, but it will avoid cutting up the land. THE DUTCH COWSHED. On the general farm in Holland clean cows and clean milkers, clean sheds and receptacles are the only things that are observed. Tn summer time, the cows are milked in the pasture. The Dutch clean the sheds—they are really good buildings—in such a way that it is often occupied by the farmer’s family. It is a fine cool place and the farmers’ wives ornament the cow’s residence so as to make it look like a parlor. The cows are never housed during the period from May to October. POULTRY ON THE FARM. In fitting up a poultry house the nest boxes must be regarded as one of the most important details, and in making these it is desirable to put them in the darkest and most secluded corner of the house. In the case of open-fronted scratching sheds, they are generally fixed to the f out just below the wire netting of the open portion. 1 have heard it remarked that some laying failures were due to the nests not being sufficiently attractive, but it would be misleading to accept that as an influential factor. If a hen is ready to produce eggs she will find some place to lay them, though in most cases a well-built nest in a dark, quiet corner will appeal to her as a desirable place to resort to. If the nests are raised a foot or two above the floor level there should be an alighting board along the front, whereas in the case of outside nest boxes there is no advantage in having them more than a few inches above the floor level. Commenting on the quality of recent arrivals of Australian and New Zealand butter on the San Francisco market, the Pacific Review says:—“Butter makers and creamery men, and we might also include dairymen, who get a chance to examine some of the butter that is arriving from Australia and New Zealand should not overlook the opportunity. We might as well admit it, our Antipodean brothers have it on us when it comes to quality and uniformity of product. When butter can make the long eight-thousand mile trip, which requires about thirty days in a steamer refrigerator, and arrive in the excellent | condition that this butter is in we are prone to wonder what it was like beI fore it started on the journey. The fact lis that at least 25 per cent, of the 1 butter made in this country in one week after it leaves the churn is not up to the butter from New Zealand and Australia affcer it arrives in this country. It seems to us it is high time we sent some of our butter makers and teachers of butter makers down there to find out how they get the quality. Out leaders in dairy education have labored under the idea that their education is not complete without a trip to the dairy countries of Eu’-upe. They should include New Zealanu and Australia. for . those countries evidently ■