A Year On A Mixed Farm At Lincoln

Press, Volume C, Issue 29680, 25 November 1961, Page 7

A Year On A Mixed Farm At Lincoln

(~)NE of the features of the v annual field day held at Canterbury Agricultural College this week was the details given of the financial results of the first full year’s operation on each of the mixed cropping unit and the town milk supply dairy farm. The 400 acre mixed cropping farm is located on country ranging from heavy soil with a stiff clay base to medium soil over shingle. Mr J. H. Oldfield, who is supervisor of the unit, explained that the fundamental aim was to secure the maximum net returns while still maintaining the asset and to that end the farm was growing a full range of cash crops and small seeds, carrying a fat lamb producing flock and doing a certain amount of winter fattening of wether hoggets. For the period from July 1. 1960. to June 30 this year. Mr Oldfield showed that the net profit was £3922. returning aboht 7.5 per cent, on a capital of £52,320 after allowing for full expenses and wages of management. “I think that this is a fairly good average return where a true assessment is made.” said Mr Oldfield. “It is not a very good return. I think that a very good return would be 9 to 10 per cent, honestly constructed.” For the next period he said that they were forecasting a return of 6J to 7 per cent. The basic facts given about the 1960-61 period were: Land use: potatoes 10 acres, peas 36, wheat 62, barley 21, greenfeed-summer fallow 23. ryegrass seed 54. white clover seed 41, lucerne for hay 23. and grazing 127. Income: sheep sales £3858 (323 ewes. 964 lambs and 447 wether hoggets', wool and skins £1515, wheat £2029, barley £707. peas £1396. potatoes £1763. ryegrass £1252, clover £l7OO, hay and grain £420, other income £5OB. total £15,148. Expenditure: stock purchase £2135, rates and insurance £214, administrative expenses £425, wages £2BOl, crop harvesting £686, cultivation contracts £678. freight £342, hay baling £396, lime and fertiliser £412, seeds £BB4, weed and pest control £214, general expenses £B3, vehicle £364, repairs and maintenance £647, depreciation on buildings and plant £945. total expenditure £11,226. Capital involved: land (1960 valuation' £37,730, buildings £7360, motorised plant £5430. other plant £ll4O, stock £2660, total £52,320. Stock Purchases Mr Oldfield said that stock purchases were high, reflecting the high ewe prices last autumn and the purchase of extra ewes to build up flock numbers. Against the return from potatoes he said that there could be put cultivation and seed expenses to the point where it was doubtful whether they should be grown at all. Replying to questions, Mr Oldfield said that the farm was not paying land tax. but as it was only 12 miles from Christchurch the capital involved would be higher than in many cases. The area available for grazing carried eight ewes and their lambs in the “pinch” period, and the general policy was to lamb early and draft off lightweight lambs closing extra areas late for small seeds. Thus in the period under review it had been possible to save an extra 26 acres for white clover, which had contributed materially to the healthy returns. This year, on the other hand, it did not look as though there would be extra clover, and in fact one paddock of white clover might have to be used for lamb fattening. Since last year ewe numbers have been increased from 800 to 1040. The farm manager, Mr D. J. Botting, said that these ewes, with replacements bought in as four-year-olds, had clipped 9Jlb when pre-lamb shorn in July, and had netted 30s a fleece when the wool was sold at the August sale. They had started lambing in early August to Southdown rams and at tailing they had

given a 130 per cent, lambing. Since early October he said that 550 lambs had been drafted at an average of 27.21 b, netting 40s a head, and only about 3 per cent, had been seconds. Since then all lambs had been weaned. In addition to the ewes 250 hoggets bought in April at 40s had been wintered. In August they had shorn 71b of wool, returning about 23s a head, and all but 20 had since been sold at an average of 575. giving an overall profit of about 40s a head, which was the same as in the previous year. It was aimed at selling as many ewes as early aa possible and up till weaning last week 120 had been quitted. All ewes had been mouthed since weaning. Discussing the winter feeding pattern of the ewe flock. Mr Sotting said that better recovery had been secured from grass saved for winter feeding when it had been electric fenced in larger blocks, that in the previous year and not completely bared down. This was in contrast to complete baring when recovery had been found slow. Thus on a paddock part moderately grazed and part ungrazed in the winter, the recovery on the moderately grazed area had been so good that it was carrying about as much growth as the ungrazed area.