STOCK STANDARDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 February 1939, Page 5 (Supplement)

STOCK STANDARDS

HON. W. LEE MARTIN ON FARMERS' RESPONSIBILITY Importance of Rational Feeding and Management DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SERVICES X During the past twelve months increased attention has. been focussed on the problems of animal husbandry.

Many owners know the danger of red-water in cows from an excessive use of roots or chou moellier, without a reasonable ration of hay; of the danger of excessive use of mouldy or badly saved hay without the addition of some roots or succulent feed; of the danger of salt in the food supply of pigs; of the danger of scours and indigestion in calves through the irregular feeding of excessive quantities of skim milk or whey; but how many owners pause to think whether they are feeding and managing their stock to the best of their ability in accordance with the laws relating to (lie health of stock.

Thus when the early spring feed appears the dairy cow is all the better for a small ration of hay to balance the soft nature of the feed, the young calf will respond to the addition of some meal supplement to the skim-milk or whey, and the weaner pig will require some supplement to make up the loss of nutriment previously obtained from suckling the mother.

All along the line from birth to adolescence, and throughout the period of production of each class of animal, there is abundant evidence that the best use is not made of a of the fundamentals underlying the best standards of animal husbandry. The standard of animal feeding and management has not improved in proportion to the demands of the classes of stock which have been evolved or in proportion to the development of other farm features. When one deals

(Signed) W. LEE MARTIN. Minister of Agriculture

While the Department under my control has considerably strengthened its research and instructional services in an organised effort to meet the new situation, the farmer also has responsibilities in the care of stock, and. I would like to emphasise the importance of the rational feeding, housing and management of all classes ol animals at all times. It is essential that the farmer should ensure that an adequate balanced ration is available for his stock throughout the year, and that the health of the animals under his care docs not suffer from either an under-supply or feed or an over-supply of a deficient or defective ration. As a practicall farmer I realise that this is not easy to arrange, but. every effort must be made to carry out this primary duty if the production of the Dominion is to be expanded.-

with diseases of an acute or chronic nature such as tuberculosis any breakdown in the plane of nutrition allows the disease to gain an ascendancy. The same principle applies to other diseases and diseased conditions, and particularly to all parasitic diseases in all classes of stock. The undermining effect of parasitic disease in young stock tends to impair or weaken the constitution of these animals at a later date, and may allow any bacterial disease to supervene, thus beginning a vicious cycle.

A higher standard of animal management and feeding, if put into operation and faithfully carried out from the birth of the calf right through to adolescence, and during the productive life of the cow, would result in the attainment of a better constitution, or, in other words, an increased resistance to disease generally. With the increased resistance to disease there would automatically follow a decreased incidence of culling and the present heavy overhead charge in herd maintenance could be materially reduced. If any farmer is in doubt as to whether he is pdopting the best methods of animal' husbandry, he should consult the local officers of the Department of Agriculture. The farmer’s problems are the Department’s problems, and if the two work in the closest collaboration the greatest results will be achieved.