CAMBRIDGE FARMERS CLUB.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1282, 16 September 1880, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE FARMERS CLUB.

- .; A mketixo of the Show Committee was held at the Club wt noon on Monday. Present — Captain Runciman (vice-Pro-sideut, in the chair), Messrs R. 'Reynold*, Jno. Fisher, O. E. Clark, and Hick's. The minute* of tlio previous mooting having been confirmed, A Tetter was read from Mr R. H. D. Ftrgu£soh stating that the cup offered' by I him. would .be^i^u for- the beat fpal got, by Fevc last season, and not as advertised tp the best maro in foal to, or with foal at foot to the same horae. The Secretary ttuted that the error in the advertisement was not hi>, "but Mr FergussonV Mr Fisher suggested that tho Secretary should write to Mr Fergusson to know whether the prize was for yearling foals, or for those of the coming season. This was agreed to. The vice-Preaidenfc said it would be well to send slips of the advertisement notifying tho alterations to all places whither posters had been trantnnitted. This was also agreed to, and the matter was left in the Secretary's hands to arrange^. After nominating judges for the various classes, the Committee adjourned till the noxt ordinary meeting day of the Club.

Ordinary Meeting. The usual monthly meeting of the Club was held, in the name place at half-past 2 o'clock in the afternoon. There were present —Mr E. Maclean (President, in the chair), Captain Runciman, Messrs Jno. Fisher, F. Hicks G. X Clark, li. heynolds, F. J. Brooks, Fantham, Kallen'der, and John Kunciman. The minutes of the preceding meeting were confirmed. A ballot was taken for Mr R. E. M. Campbell, nominated for membership by Captain Kunciman at last meeting 1, with the result that the candidate was unanimously elected. A letter was read from Mr J. P. Campbell expressing the writer's regret that he had not been able to devote more attention to the duties of Treasurer, and, owing to the demands made upon his time, tendering his resignation of that office. Mr Clark said the annual election would shortly take place, and Mr Campbell might be induced to hold office a few weeks longer. No one would care to occupy the position for so short a time. Captain Kunciman, while he was sorry that more attention hatl not been devoted to the Treasurership, was sure that Mr Campbells reasons were Found. He moved that the resignation be arcepted. After some discussion, the motion was earned. The President then called upon Mr R. Reynolds, who read the follo\viug essay on

Rearing and Management of Young Stock. The subject I am about to bring 1 before you is one of great importance to every farmer in Wsikato, and it is only through shame for not contributing anything of this sort before to this Club (although being one of the first members), I take upon myself a task which I am altogether unfit for. I can plant a tree, plough a furrow, or do anything else that an ordinary man can with little brains, but when it comes to pen, ink and paper, with the object of compiling comprehensive and instructive sentences together, I give up. What I should like to say, and what I am going to say are two very different things. What I shall attempt to lay before you today will bo facts that have come under my immediato notice. When we first came to Waikato (about twelve years ago) the few head of cattle that were on the run looked exceedingly well, and the butchers in many cases took their cattle for slaughter from off it, and were by no means a disgrace to their shops. As year by year passed away land became enclossd, and owners of cattle had to make provision for them within the limits of their farms. Very visible signs of inoreased care and attention manifested itself to us. When a great deal of available land had been ploughed and laid down wi f h grass, and the remaining portion thoroughly cleared of its natural herbage by cattle, more legitimate farming (if I may so speak) had to be commenced, — which brings us up to within the last two or three years. As my remarks are generally understood to be on the rearing of young stock, I commence with the

Rearing of Calves for ordinary purpobcs. Cows, when calving, should be kept in a necure paddock, with only a limited amount of (*crub (for cows invariably make for cover at such times), so that the herdsman, or whoever else, can find the cowa that have calved without fail. The reason why I btate this is, the first week, beginning with the first day after calving, makes more diffirence as regards quieting the calves than almost all its life afterwards. I do not think anyone in Waikato has had more to do with them at this stajje than I have. I have also had to do with them when they have not boen handled or yarded until weeks or months old : and what are they like then ? They will kick and roar like mad things, and continue to do so under whatever treatment for a long while, and in some ca»<es are almost like the " Hyena." "What I have found to be the most successful method, is to bring them into the yard as soon as able to walk, and keep them tied up between feeding times for at least a week. The cows should be brought into the yards as long as convenient, I would say a mouth at least. After which the calves can run with the cows, and will never again, get &o wild as to be unmanageable. In many instances cows will rear nwo calves. In such cases calves from cowa intended to be fattened, or from ones required for mil If ing can be taken. Very few will let a strange calf suck at first, consequently the cows would have ro be tied up at feeding times for awhile. I have known some take to the strange calf in a few days; especially if they have reared two before. Large runholders perhaps wjll say .this mode of treatment is impractiable. I think only as regards putting two calves with one cow. They being wilder than those on smaller farms would cause a great deal of trouble and expense, more probably than the benefit would compensate for. But where there are a large number of cows kept, a man has to be (or should be) kept to look after them at calving time, which ought to be managed to come a certain time of the year. If no yards are available (which is only in extreme cases) the calves when young are easily caught and tied to a peg with a small chain or rope (take the preCBiition to have a swivel to prevent the tether twisting) and should be looked at and handled every day for a week or more if convenient. Before being again let loose with the cows, all bull calves should be made into steers, this alone would almost compensate for the expense, and we should see fewer staggy-horned cattle in our district. I have repeatedly done this, when short of yard-room &c.

Weaning time. This is a very important period and every possible care should be taken. I would recommend that the cows with their calves l>e kept ou short pasture for a day or two before weaning, as it helps to dry off the cow's milk, and the calves would not feel so much, the sudden change. It would take very strong fences to keep the cows and calves separated at a distance. I have found it saves a great deal of trouble, to wean them the opposite side of the fence to the cows, as tney can see

each other aud dp not fret half so much. lu'this case only one good fence is require!]. The calyes should have the best feed at this time' that cau be procured, to compensate foy the loss of milk. I have found that calves checked at this stage tike a great deal of good feed to bring them to their former condition, the frame work in the meantime has been at at standstill, and in many cases I have found it impossible to recover them, but have pined away and died through the ensuing winter. When wo had' plenty of rough feed on unbroken land, it "seemed" to act as "a preventative again *t scouring 1 , but now mo^t of us liavo to depend an "what we sow, and cultivate. I would not only advise cattle breeders to grow roots, but would say it is absolutely necessary to do so, for I find it next to impossible to rear healthy calves without them. Ido not say ifr is necessary to give them as many , as they can eat, to keep them thriving 1 , for I have ample proof that a good cart load per day will keep 50 calves in good condition, provided they have a sheltered grass paddock to run on. I would far rather have a carfc load of turnips than one of loose hay. You will all agree with me that cattle in winter, (I mean healthy ones) through having to eat a considerable quantity of frost-bitten and withered grass, frequently get constipated, consequently food containing a great deal of moisture, aud a certain amount of purgative matter is very beneficial. A little hay is very useful in many ways, but is very costly in harvesting, a great ri^k of getting it damaged with rain, promotes constipation, and is not so thorough a change of food us roots. Great care should be tak<m in the spring to provide suitable pasture after discontinuing 1 the turnips or other roots. I once turned calves that had been accustomed to have roots every day into an old grass paddock that had been eaten bare with sheep, and then left to spring 1 until there was decent feed, and as I thought very suitable for them. But instead of my provision being a benefit, it ruined two-thirds. I think the young shoot from an old paddock was too strong for them. Had the same quantity of food been given them on newly broken land, I believe an opposite result would have been experienced. This year I weaned my calves on turnips and they are all I am pleased to pay doing well. I will now try and point out the difference between good and indifferent feeding. Two yeaivs ago I picked out a pair two year old steers that had been well kept; up to that time, gave them as much grass as they could eat in the summer, turnips and what grass they got mixed with them in the winter. I gave them a little hay, but soon found they cared nothing for, it. The turnips they icA themselves with in the paddock, and had not even a shed to run into. They took first and second prizes at Cambridge as three-year-olds, first and second when four years old as oxen. One of them got second in Auckland the same year, only being beaten by a bullock about twice his ago. They were sold on the 13th November at Mr A. Buckland's sale for £22 10, and £20 10 averaging £21 10 each, or a trifle over five guineas each per year exclusive of prizemoney, which is generally not much profit. Weighed respectively 1050 and 1000 lbs. Gentlemen, there is no reason why this should not be the rule instead of the exception with our herds, as the only difference in these two cattle and those generally sold at that age, is, the former were well-bred, and had as much as they could eat all the year round, with very little more labor than the latter which average about half the money. Last year I only weaned two calves on turnips, and instead of falling off in flesh as in most cases, they continued to improve rapidly. I kept them on grass all the summer, and late in the autumn I put them on turnips again. They have been sold in a low market at Cambridge for beef at £7 17 6 each, being barely two years old. The remainder of my calves I weaned in the usual way, on grass, but instead of thriving rapidly, they were almost at a standstill for three or four months, did not grow halt •as much as they ought through the summer, and the best of them now is worth little more than half of one of those that were put from the cows into the turnips for weaning. I think calves reared on cow.s need much more care after weaning than hand fed ones, they have to experience a much greater change, especially if the cows are good milkers. Hand ted ones get weaned off more gradually, and this is the reasson why I advocate keeping the cows on short feed for a feM r days before the calws arc finally taken from them. Ido not mean to say that turnips only will promote the healthy growth of our calves, more than any other root, it is the only one I have tried, aud I am glad 1 to say it has had the desired effect. Rape, Mangolds, green oats, &c. I have heard are very good, but I think turnips are the cheapest crop to grow and most beneficial to the land. One thing is clearly proved to me — we must give them a thorough change from gr.iss. Then on the other hand I am certain we can grow healthy cattle, and get them fit for the butcher under three years of age.

Rearing Young Sheep. The procedure I brinsr before your notice to-day, as regards attending 1 the Limbs when dropped, is very well known t > many here. Ewes when lambing should be kept in a convenient and if posiible sheltered paddook, and looked at at least three times a day, a dog in many in - stances is useful, as I have s>een owes that are careless about their lumbs take to them much quicker than they otherwise would. But it .should be one thoroughly under command and in my opinion have a twenty .shilling- collar around its neck. If the flock of ewes is valuable, such as pure-bred &c, a twin lamb (I mean ono of two) should be taken and put with any ewe that has lost her lamb, they will be reared better and the ewes kept in a more healthy condition. The mode I adopt is skin the dead lamb and put it on the living one, then rub any moisture there may be on the dead one, over the living 1 . If properly done, the ewes in many instances will not know but that it is their own come to life again, and take it without demur. This may seem ridiculous to some of you as it did to ageDtleman I mentioned it to a few weeks ago, who told me I might teach my grandmother to suck egg", but would'nt stuff that down his throat. Some of you gentlemen here may be able to suggest a method that would be easier swallowed. Once or twice a week those that have lambed should be drafted out and put into a paddock by themselves, with the best of feed ; the lambs thrive much better, and the ewes left to lamb easier looked after. Sheep require a change of pasture, er food, much oftener than cattle. In lambing time, and when changes of convenient paddocks are unavailable, tunjips carted to them in the paddook will have the desired effect. I once Lambed about 400 of our ewes in the same paddock with one good cart load of turnips per day. I have heard, and I think it very reasonable that ewes just before lambing should not have as many turnips as they can eat, especially of the early" kinds. I know for a faot that mangolds fed to this extent before lambing is very injurious. I do not think ewes can be too well looked after whilst the lambs are with them. I^st year I put my ewes and lambs into a paddock that had been unstocked for some time. After being- there for nearly a month there was still plenty of food, but I noticed I a few of thq lambs looked sickly. I shifted them to another paddock imjqjedj..

ately. but the mi-chief was clone, and at that time uf the year, having nothing bat grass to feed them on, nearly all that ftrat srot sickly died, nnd .several ofhey-i got like trained greyhounds in shape. Later in the autumn I dipped the whole flock, and pickvd out the worst lookiug 1 of the lambs, and let them run over « p.iddock of turnips, but it did them vety little •rood. They gradually kept dying through the winter, which I rind has reduced my list year's lambs fully ten per cent. I believe it all happened through not giving them chango of food oftener. A* I said before, there was plenty of feed when tnc , lambi commenced to fail. The paddock was about three huudred aoren in extent ; the ewes and lambs numbered 900. It has been a lesson to mo that I shall never forget, and ,perhaps, through my stating thin, may ptfevent home others from neglecting to provide sufficient changes of food for their young aheep. These facts perfectly convince me that a preventative is better than trying to cure. Salts and senna are very useful I have no doubt, but we want something more substantial in this case. I believe if I had weaned my lambs in February, and given them a thorough change of food, such aa rape or turnips, I should have had few losses, and the whole flock would have been in a healthier, condition. I have every reason to believe this, for a few odd ones I picked out for killing, &c, were weaned on young grass with rape sown with it, and they have done well. If lambs when weaned were fed on rape or turnips, sown either by itself or mixed with spring- sown grass, for a mouth or two, the system would undergo a thorough change for the better, which could be easily carried on with attention. I have ddne this With a few, but am sorry to say it has been the exception, but I hope for the f riture to make it the rule. I have of tpn heard it remarked that young sheep in Waikato do not look what they used to. Very likely it ia through the same cau««e, and for the want of what I have mentioned. lam afraid, if this rambling of mine is printed, people at a distance Avill think land in "VVaikato is goinjr backwards. This I deny. I think a great many people in it are not going forward, fast enough, myself amongst the number. You all have good reason to say — Why does ho not practise what he preaches, I confess, gentlemen, I have' been unsuccessful in many cases with the young stock I have had charge of, and this is the reason why I have chosen this subject to bring before you, that tho misfortunes I have experienced may be guarded against by my fellow -settlers. I have quite as much yet to learn as anyone here, therefore I do , not wish, in any way to dictate, but have simply given incidents and facts that I have been personally connected with. I hope gentlemen here that have had long experience in such matters will, without favour to me, express their views on this subject that we all may be benefited.

Manures. Tho undermentioned manure* I have tried *ide by o-irrots and mangolds, with exactly the wme preparation, not lb. for lb., but erju.il money value, which amounted to 7ld worth of each sort in rows of equal length.

OAEBOT6. Lbs. Lbs. 66 l t Calif ornian Bone-meal, yielded 250 7 Victoria ditto . . 373 61- White SuperphOftphate of Lime 42G (i\ Bone-flour 28G 7-\ Grey .Superphosphate . . 11l 11 Lo « sr L>laud gutmo „ .. 364 Without manure . . . . 2 1G

M IXQOLDS. Lbs. Lbs. G\ Calif oi*niati Bone-meal, yielded 561 7 Victoria ditto 814 6} White Superphosphate of Lime 841 6} Bone-flour .. .. .. 61 1', 7V (Irey Superphosphate .. .. 771" 11 Long Island gu;mo .. .. 988^ Without manure . . . . 58 The President after expressing 1 a wish that the t-übjcot treated by Mr Reynolds should be discussed seriatim, proceeded to biiy that the whole essny, brihtled with practical experience. It was a pity th.it the discussion on the papers read at the Club did not tako place at the meeting following that at which they were read for i imself he confessed th.it he could Lot carry the \Vfc>ole matter in his head and would like to have time to look over the paper quietly The question-* dealt with in the essay were of vit.d import moo to them as tanners. More especially was the question of wtMuinsr calves one of serious import. Mr McHirdy a 1 usre bleeder in the Napier distiict usiully reared 700 or 800 calves a year and 11kmethod lie adopted w.is to tie them up foi about six weeks in a house. The .sooner they were captured the bettor after having 1 beau tied up they never became wild. He did not think it would be po«>iblc to deal with the whole number together in this manner, and he presumed they were separated itito herds. This was a point to which he was atpros>ent giving much attention. His linn wore not at present rearing a largo number of calves in auy one pbire, but by-and-bye they might attain to 100 or 000, and he w\Uj extremely anxious to obtain all the information he could upon the subjeoS In the latter part ot the essay, Mr Reynolds in speaking of his f,it cattle forgot to mention that the two aniimls which attained such enormous proportions were the best bred in the held. (Mr Reynolds: No, no.) He had an impr ssion that the general cattle of the district would mt be so Avell as those referred to. He had al<o forgotten to state the cost, and whether in his opinion the food necessary could be grown with profit with the present high price of labor. After some remarks by Captain Runciman and the President regarding 1 the advisableuehs of postponing the discussion, a motion to th.it effect was made by Mr Fdnthum, seconded by Captain Runciman, and carried unanimously. The discussiou will, therfore, come on at the next meeting of the Club. Mr Brooks hoped that members would use their individual endeavors to secure a large attendanoo at the next meeting. Mr H,ioks stated that ho had canvassed the storekeepers in Cambridge, and they had promised to give cups for the best 200lbs. of salt butter in kegs, none to be exhibited less than three months old ; for the best 1001b. cheese ; and for the best 2001b bacon. Mr Hicks also stated that he had been promised a prize of five guineas for the best wheat— the oompetiliou to take plaoe at the time of the annual ploughing* match in July. Mr Fantham said July would be a bad time for butter and bacon, and it was decided to f utlier consider this subject, the matter for the present being left in the handsjof the Managing Committee, Captain Runciman detailed tho notion taken regavdin^ the Domain land, and said tho Committee had been obliged to take steps without calling a meeting of the Club. The action of the Committee was con. firmed. Mr Brooks wished to know the conditions upon which the land would be granted. Mr Fisher as a member of the Domain Board could not give any definite information, but he could assure them that the oanditions would be as favourable to the Club and Cavalry as it was possible to i make them. Captain Runciman gave notice to move at next meeting that tho members of the ' Club send in to the Secretary a memo of the datjes upon whioh they sow their turnips, He, also £a.ye notice, to move

that steps be taken to utilise the essays now in the possession of the Club. The Pceiident said, regarding the samples of soil that had been sent in, that they were as complete as possible and suggested that they be at once forwarded to Messrs Ham mond and Byron, who had offered to send them home for analysis. Agreed to. The Club then went into Conflfiittee on finance.