SCIENTIFIC FARMING.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 August 1922, Page 12

SCIENTIFIC FARMING.

INCREASING THE YIELD. THE .VALUE OF BREEDING. If New Zealand’s output of dairy produce could be doubled what would be the effect on the financial stability of the country? Already it is probably the most important industry in New Zealand to-day. Is it possible to double the yield from the same number of cows? Mr. Frank Ranford, the well known and practical farmer, of Cardiff, on the Strat-ford-Opunake Road, says this can be done, and to a Daily News representative he recently enumerated some of his ideas and experiences in increasing the productivity of a farm-

“Last season,” said Mr. Ranford, “taught one important lesson—that abundant feeding is an essential to heavy production from a herd. The climatic conditions of last season brought forth a record growth, with the result that the production of dairy produce also constituted a great record. The phenomenal increase was due entirely to the plentitude of feed. The day of turnips is nearly done, and the fodder of the future will be ensilage, hay and green crops.”

A field of turnips was inspected to prove the havoc wrought to turnip crops by dry rot. The crop had been an enormous one, but was attacked by dry rot and almost entirely destroyed, the cattle being turned on the field to make the best of it.

Another point emphasised was the need for shelter, and Mr. Ranford’s farm is an example of the benefit to be derived from protection from winter winds and storms- The cattle snugly graze behind warm belts of trees, while those out in the open bear an unmistakably miserable appearance, indicating that the return from the protected ones must be greater. The fencing of farms into smaller paddocks was also alluded to as an essential, as it not only provides opportunities for better shelter, but also facilitates more thorough cultivation, a feature which, in Mr. Ranford’s opinion, was too sadly neglected in Taranaki, where, he said, heavy rolling proved a great advantage owing to the light nature of the soil.

That Mr. Ranford’s statements are not theory alone is borne out by an investigation of his operations on his farm, a holding that is not of exceptional natural richness, but which is farmed to the best advantage. “Willow Bank” is a model that might be copied by many farmers with advantage. Consisting of sixty acres of gently rolling land, of which about 10 acres is taken up by shelter bush and the homestead block, it wintered last year 30 pedigree Jersey cattle and two horses. The area is subdivided into 12 paddocks by hedgerows of shelter trees, and. although highly situated, these enclosures, in comparison with exposed farms, are as springtime compared with winter. The farm buildings are up-to-date and convenient, being electrically lighted throughout, and providing ample storage for hay and other fodder. It is more essentially a breeder’s farm, although on the facts and figures submitted it is evident that on a butter-fat basis the scientific methods of breeding and farming make a good and practical proposition.

The average production per cow for the whole Dominion is 163 lb of butterfat. while for Taranaki the average is about 175 lb. Mr. Ranford has attained an average of 347 lb from hia herd of 12. consisting mostly of 2 and 3-year-old heifers. It must not be supposed that this average is reached by forced feeding or any of the other methods sometimes adopted when a record is sought. The conditions are absolutely herd conditions and the tests are taken over periods considerably less than 365 days, the cows coming into profit again without detriment from the system of testing. During eleven years of breeding and testing the average of Mr. Ranford’s herd on other land has been steadily raised from a trifle over 200 lb to 302 lb per cow. and this from 47 cows. With the present average of 347 lb for a herd of 12 cows it would seem that the doubling of the productivity of the dairy cow is possible of attainment.

The importance of using the best possible sire in a herd was stressed hv Mr. Ranford. who said that this, combined with the selection of females, was an essential factor in improving a herdSpecial attention to feed ins’ produced the quickest results, but it should be combined with the breeding to sret Mm beef return. He had been breeding for eighteen vears. and had never been out of the prize monev—a fact which lends weight to his opinions. It is popularly supposed that the Jer*ev cow is not a heavy milker, but Mr. Ranford quoted the record of the cow “Willow Bank Wonder.” which gave. ?it her third calving. up to 594 lb of milk per day. being milked twice daily. This cow’s return of butter-fat was 409 lb in 350 davs.

“Willow Bank Delight..” gave up to 561 lb of milk per day this season and to date her record is 430 lb of butter-fat. the cow having till October to complete her te«t. This was given as an indication of what could be done by breeding to increase the yield of milk. It was pointed out that the records of some of these cows were not particularly high nwin? to the fact that they were made under the most ordinarv conditions. When disposed of by Mr. Ranford and placed under (he most favorable conditions many of them had returned records up Io 700 or <9OO lb. An indication of the value and interest in scientific farmin" 5s provided hv the collection of trophies—medals, prizetickets and ribbons—in Mr Ranford’s collection, and perusal of hi* neatly kept registers. Tt proves that the drudgerv of a farming life can be lightened with interest and profit if the proper lines are followed.