SHARP DROP IN COPPER

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29401, 31 December 1960, Page 8

SHARP DROP IN COPPER

Problem Farm At Kaiapoi TT looks as though some progress "*■ is being made in getting to the root of the stock thrift problem on a farm in the Kaiapoi district. This was the farm which was mentioned at the last Lincoln College farmers’ conference. Since 1954 this property carrying 900 ewes has produced on average only about 65 fat lambs a year and most of these have been seconds. A team of 12 Romney wether hoggets from the Department of Agriculture’s irrigation research station at Winchmore was moved to the problem farm when trouble set in again this season. The feed intake of these sheep dropped by half of what it was before they left the station and it was calculated that at this level ewes would be able to provide milk for not more than 2Jlb weight gain on their lambs a week. It was indicated that a pasture palatability problem was involved. A chemical analysis of plant growth undertaken by Canterbury Agricultural College has shown that-at this time .of the year—the trouble generally develops late in November or early in December—there is «a marked reduction in copper levels and at the same time there is a fairly high level of molybdenum. The decline in copper is as much as a half in a matter of weeks. The level of phosphorus in the soil has also been found to be low and it is expected that an improvement in the phophorus status of the soil would also be accompanied by an improvement in the pasture. It is felt that trials along the lines of topdressing pastures with high rates of superphosphate and also with copper and cobalt and oversowing with white and strawberry clovers and ryegrass to improve pasture composition might lead to an alleviation of the problem on this farm. SOIL MOISTURE The soil moisture deficit at the Department of Agriculture’s irrigation research station at Winchmore up till yesterday was 191 points, the highest it has been this season. The rainfall at the station between September 1 and Chrismas Day was 9.60 inches, compared with 6.95 inches in the same period last year.