THE LAND.

Auckland Star, Volume 55, Issue 22, 26 January 1924, Page 20

THE LAND.

THE HORSE BOT. So many owners of horses bold the firm opinion that bots in the stomach of the horse are productive of loss of condition and even death of the animal that it may be wise to review our knowledge regarding them. That the hot is the {rrtib or larva produced from the egg ot the botfly is well known, and there 13 little doubt that practically nil our Xew Zealand horses, which live in the open, are infested with bots during the whole of their existence, and do not suffer in health or condition. At postmortem examinations the presence of bota in largo numbers lias led to a. popular belief in their malignity, whereas the actual cause of death has been overlooked. The lesions caused by the 'bot are not sufficient to cause any marked derangement of health. With this view, we concur—and do not advise any internal treatment, though singeing of the eggs from the horse's skin before they are swallowed is a preventive. When a layman opens the stomach of a horse, he finds half of its lining soft, velvety to the touch and pink in colour. Possibly it will be well studded with bots, and the other half being white, hard and coarse loking, he may think that tho bots have eaten away half the lining, and are starting on the other half, as we have heard many a horse-owner say; but this is the normal anatomy of the stomach of the horse. THE HOUSE THAT IS WANTED. Tlje clean-legged typo of horse is rapidly coming into greater favour, and, j moreover, there is the question of activity which must not be overlooked. In this age nothing can be permitted to go slow, and if horses are to remain in competition with motors and steam lorries their activity and power to travel at a sharp rate must be increased. On the farm mechanical contrivances are almost certain to play a more prominent part, inasmuch as everything that can bo employed to reduce the costs of production must be brought into action. At the same time the horse will always be an indispensable factor in the working of our farms, and, although steam and motor power will be increasingly used, there are places in the economic management of a farm which can only bo rilled by the well-triedi horse, and, let it be said of tho horse, that he never fails his owner when mechanical appliances often do. We can always feel assured that the horse will never be entirely replaced by tractor or steam engine, and must always be used in conjunction with his mechanical competitors. THE CUD. The .situation, structure and size of the rumen or paunch of the cow point it out as the first and general receptacle for the food, which receives in the mouth only sufficient mastication to enable the aJaimal to swallow it. When swallowed, it is then received by ihe rumen, and morsel after morsel is taken until this, the first of the animal's four stomachs, is comparatively full. A sense of repletion precedes rumination, during which act the animal generally prefers a recumbent posture. It is not to be supposed that all the food taken is again ruminated; it is only the bulky or solid portions that undergo the process. When the rumen is moderately full it will contract on. its contents, and first squeeze out the fluid portions, which will pass onward into the third or fourth stomach, whilst the solid part will be embraced by the oesophagus, or stomach-pipe, and returned to the mouth. By the term "loss of the cud" is meant a cessation of the chewing of the cud, which occurs as a symptom of most internal diseases to cattle. POINTS ABOUT FIGS. _o animal will keep himself cleaner than a pig if he gets a chance. Young pigs will take' to feeding more quickly and thrive better if cleanliness and comfort are the watchwords of the feeder. When given a chance the pig will convert home-grown feeds into pork at a profit. The digestive organs of the young pig are not constituted to handle coarse feeds to advantage. It is important that the feeds be finely ground. Whatever steps the beginner takes with piga, let his selection be from a pure-bred, pedigree herd. Start with just one good class in pig gilt rather than many mongrels, for pigs are so prolific that the required head will soon be obtained, and it is always cheaper to breed than to buy. Pigs on the open-air system seem to escape all illnesses, are more contented and thrive exceedingly. They can readily be run with poultry without interference, and when given their freedom they find a very large portion of their food. On the question of feeding, any of the meals purchased for P 0 " 1 will do admirably for pigs as well. Middlings (sharps), maize and barley meal, also a small percentage of fish meal, are valuable pig foods, and these can be riven either wet or dry according to whichever suits the individual requirements. WHY BOTHER ABOUT SCRUBS. The history of the various breeds of improved stock are so full of testimony to the practical utility of "'e"-*>red farm animals that it is almost unbelievable that farmers as a whole are so generally indifferent to one of the primary points in good management, Jtnd yet a tour through even the most Important dairy districts will reveal a sad lack of quality in the milking cattle commonly maintained! Not only 18 there an expensive set of unprofitable boarders included in our live stock, but there are vastly too many farms that ■re not vet even kept in reasonable condition "for the proper maintenance of live stock—either good or bad; all of which means that we have not yet bred up an established race of natural dairymen corresponding to those of Great Britain. For the ten thousandth time it may be reiterated few farmers are rich enough to afford the luxury of scrubs around their places. Tbe presence of a miserably inferior type of live stock is a reproach to the intelligence of the owner and to his neighbourhood. It is so easy to get rid of them, t o easy lo replace them by the use of a registered sire, that it is one of the mysteries of the times in which we live ttatso many of our farmers are to-day ••■wi-Uy aatafled with tertvb «toe_L

CORNS. A corn in a horse is a bruise of the sensitive foot, at the inner heel of the forefoot, resulting from uneven pressure by the heel of the shoe. The injury causes lameness, and the corn is stained by effusion of the blood underneath. An open flat foot is most liable to such bruising, and the shoe that is too short and too close is most likely to cause it. A shoe, though well fitted, that is allowed to remain on too long may cause a corn, since the shoe is moved from its safe bearing on the wull to an injurious position by the growth of the horn. In such cases removal of the shoe and readjustment to prevent pressure on the bruised part will cure a corn. Rest and warm fomentations may be necessary, or in severe cases, the discoloured corn may require paring away to allow matter to escape. Where the discoloration is slight and lameness is not very great, it is not advisable to pare away much horn, as it takes time to grow again, and its absence impairs the bearing surface of the foot. In slight cases of injury relief is afforded and a cure effected by cutting off the inner heel of the shoe, forming a three-quarter shoe. CLEANING DAIKT VESSELS. Tiie equipment required for thorough washing and sterilising of milk utensils is not expensive. On small farms there is often a copper for boiling water, and even whero the supply has to be obtained from the kitchen it is still easily i possible to ensure that the utensils are properly cleaned. On larger farms the installation of a boiler is not a very expensive item, and tho 6team may be used for cooking pigs' food as well as for heating water and sterilising dairy utensils. Thorough cleaning will be made easier by using only well-timed utensils with the seams flushed smooth with solder and without corners and crevices. Many farmers, for the sake of economy, use galvanised iron pails for milking, but pails of this material are very much more difficult to clean and are seldom found in a satisfactory condition. It is much truer economy to have the' best make of utensils and avoid loss of milk by souring. The milking and carrying pails and measures are easy to wash, and special attention should be given to corners and crevices at the seams and < spouts. The cooler presents greater difficulties; it should be detached from ite stand and placed in a tub, on its own feet, for washing—if allowed to rest on the edge of a tub the bottom becomes dented and uneven, and is made much more difficult to clean and dry. The weakness of the bottom is one of the greatest defecte of the ordinary farm cooler, and makers might with advanconsider the strengthening of this k part. The folds should be sufficiently wide to be easily cleaned, and no strainer should be included as part of the cooler. Such strainers are usually of wire gauze and are quite ineffective. The receiver or pan of tho cooler is easy to clean, but special attention should be given to the tap. Old-fashioned taps with a cavity above the inlet hole are very difficult to clean, and should have this cavity filled up. Most new taps have no such cavity and no crevices. Strainers should consist of as few pieces as possible. Those made of wire gauze only are not merely useless, but do much more harm than good. Where cloths are used for straining, whether as part of a metal strainer or simply tied over the mouth of a cooler pan, several should bo provided so that a clean one may be available at each milking. Such cloths should be of very fine mesh, and must be most carefully washed and boiled.