VISIT TO A SANDON FARM

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 135, 4 March 1941, Page 10

VISIT TO A SANDON FARM

A Rye-Grass Anomaly

On a recent inn about the Manawatu 1 went up the main highway alojig lite Xandon tramline from the Kongotea siding to Bandon. The strength of cropping in this area surprised ale and it was also of considerable variety. The most noteworthy crop noticed was a paddock of some four to five acres in peas, which I presumed to be on "Wyncourt.” This was a really splendid crop, even, dense and well-podded, and should yield a great harvest. Apart from cropping, fat lamb production appeared to be the main concern, and for such a well-fanned area we were rather surprised to see so much dry, stalky roughage on so many pastures. Very few cattle were seen and probably this lack of cattle is the cause of the trouble. That, in •turn, may be due to difficulty of water supply. A feature of this road was the number'of old homes, of- a vintage architecture and impressive in quality. Such bespeak old and prosperous settlement. In contrast to this reininder of age was the continuous roitr of planes overhead from nearby Ohakea' ■ - Parsing through Saudon 1 travelled some two miles toward Mt. Stewart, on the main highway, to call at the farm of Mr. <>. C. Ellerm, where dairying, grass seeding, rind pedigree pig breeding is conducted. In a discussion on grass seeding, Mr, Ellerm referred to an anomaly under the present rye certification scheme. “Hundreds of acres in the. district could be sown in seed from a paddock certified as permanent pasture, say, 10 years ago, and the yields of these sown paddocks would certify as mother seed—yet seed of the parent paddock, perhaps 30 or 40 years old. would not be so certified.’’ This does appear a most surprising result from regulations.

The pigs bred here are the favourably ,kuown/‘‘Nikau” Berkshires, a blending of English and colonial blood. In addition to a satisfactory show record, these have made a remarkable showing for litter recording. The senior herd matron Ims bad four or five litters record as Grade I’s, with 13 piglets born of all the last three litters. “Nikau’s” latest champion sow at the last Feilding show recorded for her maiden a litter of 11, a 5141 b. weaner weight, an average of 46tlb. From a.|

long and interesting conversation on breeding principles, 1 was impressed with Mr. Ellerm’s knowledge of these and was in agreement with him as to the importance of line-breeding. As should always be the case, there was' here an ideal in mind, one we felt to be soundly practical. The aim here is Io breed a pig of sound constitution and a good doer, that can make full use of a maximum of grazing—to be low-set. well hammed, of sufficient length and tine in the shoulder. Ideal Pork.

We saw here some representativbs of English Berkshires which impressed as ideal pork, and. the importance of pork is inclined to be overlooked tn the Dominion of recent years. Quite probably there has been a great endeavour made to raise the standard of our bacon. At the same time it should be recognized that there is a jdace for pork in our pig-farming. New Zealand consumes IIMIO pigs a day. and we estimate requires quite 2(10,000 porkers per annum, whii'h represents a trade of half a million a year. Such a trade is worth catering for and. properly to do so. specially bred pigs -should be used. Of necessity these would be of quite another character than the ideal bacon type. It would really appear so.und policy to provide distinct classes at our shows, not only for baeoners and porkers, but also the breeding pigs which would provide these.