FARM NOTES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 129, 28 February 1940, Page 7

FARM NOTES

AUTUMN SHEEP MANAGEMENT

(Contributed by C. 11. Taylor, Local Organiser. Primary Production

Council,. Whakatane)

The autumn is a busy time for the sheep farmer. After the weaning of the lambs and the (lipping of the whole Hock, preparation* have to be made for flushing the ewes, fattening the remainder of the lambs, culling the ewes and disposing of surplus stock, turning out the rams, avoidance of and treat ment for blowfly ''strike/' and crutcliing. North Island farmers depend almost entirely on pasture for the flushing of their ewe flock. This explains to some extent the seasonal variation in lambing percentages, the autumn seasons more favourable for green growth giving a higher lambing percentage in the following spring. Where green crops or pastures newly sown in the spring are available these may be utilised for flushing the ewes. Frequently small nTeas of red clover, lucerne, or temporary pasture, or even specially treated grassland paddocks may be growing suitable feed for flushing the ewes. The second growth o£ rape is not commonly used for flushing in the North Island but it may occasionally be feasible to use it for this purpose. The treatment of the ewes at this period largely determines the size of the; ensuing crop of lambs next spring. Before the rams are put out, light crutching, or at least a daj£ging, should be given to the ewe flock. At the same time the cull two-tooths, cast-for-age ewes, and cull ewes of all ages should be separated from the main flock and disposed of as circumstances require. Wethers and lambs for fattening should be got away by the end of April so that stock numbers may be reduced to their winter quota. The rams must be put out. t in good condition and among other things care should be taken to see that their feet are in good trim. Rams suffering badly from foot rot are of little use on hill country. Throughout the time that the rams are out, a daily supervision should be made with a periodical rounding up of the ewe flock and the inclusion or substitution of extra rams as deemed necessary. Hoggets should not be neglected at this time. Drenching should be carried out periodically. Attention should be paid to the feet of the whole flock throughout the autumn, some degree of footrot treatment being necessary on practically all farms. In some districts also watch still has to be kept for blowfly "strike," and scouring or dirty hoggets should be brought Some time in April, lh° mam crutcliing commences, though those farmers who give a light crutcliing in March will not crutch again till May or June.

THE SOWING OF PERMANENT PASTURES In the North Island grass is normally sown down after rape, or after green feed cereals or after oats grown for chafT, or after a summer fallow following a root crop. Occasionally pastures are sown from grass to grass after a fallow period, The summer fallow after a root crop allows ample opportunity for the preparation of the soil and the sowing of the seed at the right tim 3 Under most North Island conditions March sowing gives the best results, the warmth and moisture of the soil being such as to make for the rapid and strong establishment of seedlings. The sowing of grass after rape frequently involves a later sowing than is desirable. It may be wiser not to wait for a second growth of rape but to prepare the soil for pasture immediately the first crop l\a? been fed off. After rape, discing rather than ploughing gives bettei results for preparing the soil lor grass seed. Whatever the preceding crop or the method of preparation, the objective is to obtain a fine firm seedbed . Clovers in particular require a firm seed-bed as is evidenced by I experience in developmental work in pumice areas. I-lolling at time of sowing is advisable under dry conditions, but except on very dry light soils it is not advisable if there is a probability of a heavy downpour. Agter the seed is sown, one stroke of the tine harrows should be given. The sowing of phosphatic fertiliser with the seed is also highly desirable. Superphos-

phate being water soluble is ideal for this purpose and it is immediately available to the young seedling plant. To obtain a good well-balanced pasture, the establishment of clovers is essential. In the first place it should not be necessary to emphasise the necessity for sowing clovers, but many farmers rely on 'selfsown' clover appearing in the pasture, as a rule the results are poor to indifferent. Certified white clover at the rate of 21b per acre should be sown in all permanent pasture mixtures. Secondly, for the proper establishment of white clover,, and of timothy and the sowing date must be suffi-i ciently early to ensure that these pasture plants are well grown before the frosts and! Vrill not be crowded out by the; more robust growth of ryegrass.

Under normal conditions the sowing of oats or barley with grass seed is not beneficial and may even be harmful. Only in exposed situations or at a late sowing should this method be adopted, when a light sowing of % to % bushel of oats per acre may be added to the seed mixture. The first grazing of pastures new iy sown in may often be obtained in the late autumn but it must be in sufficient time to allow recovery before the frosts. The "topping" of established grassland areas in March, and harrowing as soon as good rains occur, are two methods for fostering the production of leafy feed in late autumn.