A NUMBER OF THINGS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 20, 3 November 1938, Page 8

A NUMBER OF THINGS.

BRIEF ITEMS FOR THE FARMER. FAULTS IN MILK. From time to time 011 c bears complaints about milk being tinged with red, lias blood in it, or develops some time after being kept, yellow, blue or green colours. Blood in milk is a very common bccurrence and is due to the rupture of a small blood vessel. In mostcases it is noticed on the filter when straining the milk or as a sediment. As a rule, a few of the following powders given twice daily in the food will soon stop it: half a dram of powerful camphor, one dram of powdered sulphate of iron and one ounce of powdered licorice root. If the cow will not take it in her food mix with a quart of gruel and give as a drench. Red milk may also be occasioned by red colouring matter in the food, or by the action of microorganisms after milking, but these cases are very rare. -'ln most instances the food, or some medicine which has been given to the cow, is the cause of bitter milk, although micro-organisms may be responsible. This can easily be ascertained by tasting the milk when taken from the cow, and again when twelve hours old. Should only the latter taste, the trouble is due to micro-organisms and not food, etc.

Farm Water Supply. The fact that milk contains over 80 per cent, of water should alone he sufficient reason for making sure that there is an ample supply of pure water for the dairy cattle. Yet -it is still a common sight to see cows drinking from muddy pools and ditehes and other unwholesome sources. It is a curious fact that some cows will often prefer to drink from dirty ponds even when there is a clean water supply at hand. Sometimes they will even pass by the latter in order to get to their favourite pond or ditch. When such a tendency is exhibited immediate steps should be takeu to fence off these places. There is, in fact, no more serious cause of trouble on the farm than sewage poison due to the soaking of drainings from the stables, piggeries, etc., into ponds and ditches. He is a wise man who periodically inspects all drinking places to which his stock have access, and on the least suspicion of contamination takes proper measures to restore them to a condition of purity. Tariffs for 1 Agriculture. That a. system of direct tariffs would he the simplest, most effective and least expensive way to help home agriculture was stated at Aberdeen when the Chamber of Commerce passed a resolution for submission to the Association of British Chambers of Commerce urging the Government to assist. A Matter of Outlook. | Wherever I go to-day labour is one of the burning problems discussed (states a writer in au English journal). It is difficult to find men, but more so to find one who is really up to his work. Lheie seems to be a subtle difference in the attitude of the farm hand to-day which was crystallised for me by a friend recently. He points out that, veais ago, even when talking to his employer, a man would always refer to ‘‘my horses or “my cattle.” To-day it is simply “your.” Is that our fault or theirs?. Value of Green Crops. There must be something radically wrong with agriculture if, in spite of the abnormal drought, this mainly grass country cannot grow even enough grass for its'stock (states an English agricultural writer). The trouble is lack of balance between arable and grass. Seeds and young leys and also silage mixtures have stood up well, even to the most severe drought, perhaps, in living memory. Those grass farmers who have had the courage and the means to break up an odd held and take a green crop of some kind will have grown at least ten times more fodder than if the field had been left in grass. From Public Works to Farm. A farmer informed a meeting of dairy company suppliers at Palmerston North that 13 of 19 men who answered an advertisement of his for a farm worker had come from public works jobs. He h a d always thought the men preferred the public works, but apparently farm jobs were attractive to married men

(all the 13 applicants were married) where good accommodation was available. Value of Prevention. Preventive measures against disease, if successfully applied, will leave the animal that lias been protected in a strong, healthy condition, while the patient that has been cured of an actual attack of disease will be more or less depleted and weakened. The advantage derived from the maintenance of a strong, halthy condition throughout the entire year will be appreciated at once by the stockman who has had experience in coddling and building up an animal that has been reduced by disease. The man having live stock in his care should profit by the experience of those engaged in medical research, and as a means of preventing disease should give careful attention to the feed, water and stables or quarters provided for his animals.

Fat Lamb Championship. A progressive move made by New Zealand’s oldest A. and P. Society—the Bay of Islands A. and P. Society—is the establishment this year of a North Auckland fat lamb championship. At its Waimate North Show last year the Association conducted a fat lamb competition judged in the yards and on the hooks at Moerewa works. This proved most successful and interesting, and it has been decided to raise the event to championship status, with largely increased prize-money. All iambs will be trucked to Moerewa and sold. Dairy Heifers. Dairy heifers are developed successfully in several different ways. The pssential point is that the bone must be nearly grown at the time of dropping the first calf. Some dairymen simply give large amounts of hay to heifer calves during winter after weaning from milk. In this way the frame grows, but little fat is put on. Other* give some grain, and this assures the heifer being in good flesh. When pastures are abundant the first method is right, but when pastures are only good to fail - , better results me obtained .by feeding some grain. A well-developed, growing heifer gives more milk than one poorly developed, since she requires less feed for growth. In rearing heifers for the dairy it is a good rule to keep them growing without allowing them to become too fat. Keeping to the Land. Grants and loans are being ottered to the farming population in Germany in an effort to arrest the flight from the land. By a decree recently issued', the present marriage loans are turned into rewards for people who remain on the land lor ten years, and new interestfree loans are offered for equipment and live-stock. The leans need not be repaid if the recipients stay long enough on the land. Laud and forest owners are entitled to write off for taxation purposes the whole of the cost of workers’ cottages built doling the uext four years. Dairying in America. Twenty-five million cows are milked on about three-quarters of the United States 6,000.000 farms. About 200,000 workers are employed in the processing and distribution of dairy products. Milk is the principal source of income to one out of every 16 families in the United States. Care of Cows’ Feet. At all times the deft of a oo\v's foot should be watched to see that no foreign substance gets lodged therein, and should lameness at any time be noticed the first thing to do is to examine the hoof cleft. At times cows in the pastures pick up a scratch from a briar and such scratch, if left alone, entices fiies and so irrigates the cow. As soon as discovered, it should be washed clean and -covered with Stockholm tar. To dust with baracic acid is also good, but the tar is much the better dressing of the two. One dressing is usually sufficient, but should the scab he knocked off later any rawness may be .treated as in the first place.