Plans For Ashley Dene Field Day

Press, Volume C, Issue 29638, 7 October 1961, Page 7

Plans For Ashley Dene Field Day

Has Canterbury Agricultural College’s Ashley Dene farm gone about as far as it can go? There have been some suggestions this year that the optimum stocking rate has been exceeded. Farmers will be interested to come and see for themselves on Tuesday, October 17, when Lincoln College is holding the annual Ashley Dene field day.

The college has taken the risk of stocking up heavily —covering the risk in a business-like manner by having large reserves of hay and silage. Professor A. H. Flay said yesterday that the field day

will follow a similar pattern to previous years. Visitors will be given morning tea at 9.45 a.m. and the tour of the farm will start off at 10 a.m. Farmers- will be able to have a look at the pastures, the lucerne and the stock and judge for themselves whether the heavy stocking policy is wise or not. Talks After lunch there will be a series of talks and discussions. Dr. A. E. Henderson and Professor J. W. McLean will give their views on pre-lambing shearing—a topic which has caused a controversy during this inclement spring. Whether or not a “buying in replacement policy” might not be better than a “self-contained breeding policy” on light land will be dealt with by Professor I. E. Coop and Mr D. K. Ower. Finally the leaders of the farm management department—Professor Flay and Mr H. E. Garrett—will discuss the pros and cons of intensive fat lamb production from the economic standpoint. The college staff members look forward to the cut and thrust of discussion /during the afternoon session, which has been a feature of previous meetings.