Page 24 Advertisements Column 1

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21707, 14 February 1936, Page 24

: v a WATSON, AND COj SHORTHORN- ANGUS', CROSS. LESSONS OF SMITHFIELD, TI«TH the great Smithfleld Show past : VV and the fat Stock season now nearing a close, it may be of some interest to examine the results and to see what the ordinary farmer, who, after all. is the backbone of our agriculture, can learn from them. . ' ■ *■* „* +v,„ An examination of the awards at the Smithfleld Show brings home in the most extraordinary success of the cross between these two great breeds, toe Shorthorn and the Aberdeen- Angus. This cross must now be acknowledged the finest blend for beef production in the world. Whichever way the cross is taken, both of these world-famous beef breeds can claim great successes. The success ofytne Aberdeen-Angus bull on, the Shorthorn cow is well known, but that the highest awards am be gained by the use of a Shorthorn sire on the Aberdeen-Angus cow is brought out in the first-cross seclion, where the best animal in this section was sired by the well-known Shorthorn bull Collynie Bar None. Also two other prize winners in this section were sired by the Shorthorn bull Marden Eagle. Actually, in the first-cross section there %vere 22 prizes awarded, 19 of which went to the cross between the Aberdeen-Angus and the Shorthorn, and one South DevonShorthorn. The same story is told in the second and third-cross classes; the success of the amalgamation of these two great beef breeds. At the Edinburgh Scottish National Show and at Birmingham this cross again carried all before it, and it would seem fitting, therefore, to repeat what a very-well-known authority said in a report of the Smithfleld Show: "These animals com- - bined the quality of the Aberdeen-Angus with the wealth of flesh of the beef Shorthorn." If farmers wish to imp cove their cattle and produce first-quality beef for our markets, the lesson of the fat stock is a very plain one. SUBTERRANEAN CLOVER SUBTERRANEAN CLOVER SUBTERRANEAN CLOVER STOCKS NOW TO HAND. STOCKS NOW TO HAND. STOCKS NOW.TO HAND. SUPPLIES LIMITED SUPPLIES LIMITED H. MATSON and CO. have supplies fqr prompt delivery, When these are sold there may be no more seed available for one month. SEASON FOR TOP-DRESSING. From reports to hand many graziers and dairy farmers are now top-dressing their pastures with superphosphate. This is an opportune time to carry on this work in the coastal areas and slope districts. 'ln most cases it will be found advantageous to use lcwt of super, per acre. Top-dress-ing may be carried on from nov* until the end of May, but the earlier this work is done the better, as the recent rains hav,e put the soU in good tilth. In view of the increased interest now being taken In the production of fat lambs and beef, it is being generally recognised that the top-dressing of pastures is essential if the best-results are to be obtained, both in quality and financial return. LIFE "DOWN ON THE FARM." Has "The Oracle" ever been on a dairy farm? I'll say he has! The dairy farm he was on had a couple of mortgages on it too. "The Oracle," of course, left years ago, but they are still there. ■ ■ ■ Anyone capable of lifting them is not onjy entitled to the farm, but the title of world's strongest man as well. Although it will not be found irt the dictionary just this way: A dairy farm is the habitation of a number of cows, where, they congregate for their mutual benefit, ■ and the mental distraction of anyone sufficiently optimistic and courageous to have anything whatever- to do with them. Every thong on a farm, working hours (24), leisure hours (nil), pleasure hours (ditto), and sleeping hours (when the boss is not about), is bounded and hounded by "cowtime." The men and women who.are permitted to wait on the cows are called "cockies," although what they have to be cocky about heaven only knows. Clocks are unnecessary. When it is not cowtime in the morning it is cowtime at night. The beginner will not be able to tell the difference, anyway, because it is nearly always dark. On a farm anything that interferes with the well-being or content of the cow goes undone. In fact, a dairy farm is so designed that everybody has a cow of a time except the cows, who enjoy every minute of it. When everybody is thoroughly miserable, that is the time that the cow is most happy.. You have only to look at a cow to see that it is nearly always perfectly happy. Its smug complacency and serene hauteur are positively sickening to any man of spirit. MILKING METHODS. Frequently discussion arises regarding the merits or otherwise of wet milking and dry milking, but there can be no doubt that, the wet method, that is, the continual moistening of the hands of the milkers and the teats of the cow with milk, is a dirty one. On the other hand, dry milking is-not advocated, as the friction between the hand and the.dry teat is uncomfortable for both the cow and the milker. Small pieces of dry scurfy skin from teats and udder are continually dropping into the bucket. When the teats and udder are washed, as they should be, before milking, there will be just the right amount of moisture to enable the operator to work cleanly and without friction. Cows milked by the wet system are more likely to suffer from cracked and sore teats. If washing.alone does not keep the teats in a soft and sufficiently supple condition during milking,. a little vaseline containing 2 or 3 per cent, of boraclc acid may be used upon the hands o£ the milker. No infomfation regarding bacterial counts of milk drawn by wet and dry methods is available, although it is generally recognised that a purer sample is obtained by following the methods of dry milking recommended.; , BOTS IN.HORSES. Veterinarians agree that bots in horses are capable of giving rise to severe diseases, and this being so, horse owners should do what they can to prevent the ravages of the fly. Horses which are being constantly handled and worked are more easily protected than those "turned out" for the summer. The latter should be caught occasionally and given a thorough brushing down, some one of the preventives mentioned below being afterwards rubbed on any part where the animal can easily lick himself, such as the base of the neck, the shoulders, and forelegs. It is a good plan also to apply a singe to the long hairs of the lower jaw, between/the legs, etc.,- for it is there and upon the chest and shoulders that the female bot fly deposits her small, white, cylihdro-conical eggs. When the maggots emerge they cause an itching sensation, and the horse licking the place, they are thus conveyed to the mouth. Once in the stomach they feed upon the host for. eight or more months, attaining a length of three-quarters of an inch and about half that width. Towards the ensuing summer they release their hold and are passed with the -excreta. Then, boring under" the droppings into the ground, the larvae proceed to transform into a pupa. After remaining in this state for six or seven weeks, the winged hot fly emerges from the ground a mature insect. With regard to preventives, good groOm'Jng and perfect cleanliness should never, when possible, be neglected. In a busy time* ot'it hands are short, run the horses into the yard twice a week and look them over; If eggs are found, wash the shoulders and other par,ts where they,may be with soap and Warm water, To prevent the egg* being deposited, Smear the parts that the fly'most favours with a dressing of castor oil or some fatty substance: This should be repeated at frequent intervals. Another dressing is linseed oil and oil of creosote, in the proportion of 10 of the former to one of the latter. A mixture o* tar;;and grease is iwmetimea used with good effect. '■■■> Whatever is done should be done early, •before the flies have made headways It is use to defer treatment until they haVe worked their cohered the horse i» places the too familiar/ and :a«cfdeiyAuWigh^ 2ot*»bui be of dlscomfortto the. i