SOUND FARM PRACTICE

Feilding Star, Volume 5, Issue 1130, 18 June 1927, Page 7

SOUND FARM PRACTICE

SPEND TO MA KH MONEY HAITI! A KJ .PLAINS METHODS There is ,a dairy farmer on the IJaurnki } Mil ins whose- aim is a net income of £2OOO a year from his one hmulred-odd-acre farm, and the iudi cations arts that it will not he long before it is attained. At the present time hci is probably making more from nis cows than any other fanner hut every penny lie makes, and more besides, is spoilt in improvements, to 1 1 is farm or on Inis cattle. He believes, and has demonstrated quite beyond any shadow of doubt, hat Hie 'only way to make money is to spend money. Tims, for instance lie has spent during the last threeyears over £IOOO -on. concretes He ha« a concrete road lo every paddock, concrete feeding plates for his cattle and pigs, concrete floors in the sheds and yards. Having► this ho was able to bring his cows into profit; early in the season, when huttcifat was at a good price. His biggest return for the- season wan August, last, -when his iijerd gave over 20001 b. and the factory was paying out Is -I<l a lb. There is no necessity for him to wear gumboots, and be- can bring his cows in 'to the yards all the year round wearing carpet slippers. Naturally,, he keeps*good cows. .Doing able to keep the ‘stock on his farm all the year without detriment, be can buy and sell when prices are favourable . A good judge of cows 3m goes outside to make his purchases and recures only big-1 rained Shorthorns and Friosian.s . The herd is culled rigidly, and rejects are fattened for beef in such a manner that lie has secured a reputation for topping the .-market at the local sales Last season Ids herd returned him 1 D,o(K)H> of hutterfat, and there, are few farms of little more than 100 acres, even on the Hiiuraki Plains with such a record.

Experiments ini propping have proved to him that ensilage is the most suitable supplementary feed., and ijj is his intention U> erect a large concrete silo. Machinery will he used wherever possible, and at the present time this farmer is experimenting to ascertain whether a motor truck will haul agricut.lira! implements when fitted with special grips for the wheels. If the .experiment proves satisfactory lie intends to dispense with three draught horses, which have to l.e fed all the year round though required only to work during a short period.. A truck was purelm sod instead, of a tractor, so that it could lie used, for the. cartage of shell and gravel for concreting, and large quantities of fertilisers. and lime which lie intends using in the near future;.