ON THE LAND

Feilding Star, Volume 7, Issue 2304, 5 September 1929, Page 7

ON THE LAND

NEWS, VIEWS AND COMMENTS The herd sire is the most important, animal in the herd, but is often the most neglected. In England ami Wales the value of eggs and poultry in the year 1934-25 was £93,,799,000 or 43 per cent. greater than the value ol the wheat crop. To be a siiccoswful poultry keeper you iiiubt have) purebred birds. A first cross is no doubt pivfitable, but it takes two purebred birds to produce it.

The first drawn pint-of milk may have as low a fat percentage as 1.0 or 1.5. and the laid drawn milk may contain as much, as 0 or 7 per cent, of fat, ■while the strippings may contain up to 10 per eent.

The operations olj the Opotiki Herd Teet-’ug Association, have been considerably increased this season. To two groups lad year it has been found necessary to add another. The groups will be known as Opotiki, Central and AVaiotahi.

If you imbreed with culls you will get culls, and worsei culls than their cull parent,;. The worst thing about many who are inexperienced in breeding is that they refuse to see that there are any serious weaknesses in animals of their own breeding. What does it cost to feed a horse? Many motorists would think the maintdnane© of a horse was small, Cut, according to a return by the Dunedin city engineer, the cost is 14s 3d weekly for each horse. The department feeds 41 homes weekly.

A suggestion is made in England to levy Od qn 'every porker marketed, toi provide a fund ol £'loo,ooo for carrying on a propaganda, to remove from the public mind such fallacies «5 that- {pork fjsi indigestible, that pigs are dirty animals, and that pork shojuUli, junly be., eaten when there is ati ‘‘r’’ in the month!

When a sheep’s digestive system is deranged through unhealthy feeding, or other cause, it has a strong smell when heated, and the, urine is offensive. The exudation through the skin the' wool and injures it. This smell iy a. certain sign that sheep are unhealthy, and J|t is this same smell of d sense which, attracts the blow-fly with Its consequent disastrous results’.

With tho,exception of those in the back country. Poverty Pay tanners have tho isafsf a ction of knowing that the bulk of the lambing) is now over, and the majority are preparing now for docking operations, while a few have already commenced the work. The results of the* lambing have been satisfactory, and a considerable improvement on tho eondilicfUs existing last year.

Do not drive sheep when bloated on el over, lucerne or other similar food. In many eases the administration of agents, which arrest the fermentation, will be ail that is necessary to effect a .speedy cure. Drench the affected sheep with a teaspoonsful. of bi-carbonate of soda and the samo quantity of ground ginger dissolved ijn half a pint of warm water. It has rarely been known to fail in giving immediate relief.

For dairy stock in Poverty Buy the winter lias been a satisfactory one and most of the herds came through to tho early spring in good condition. There was generally an abundance of feed for the time tof tliq year, and .there was no very severe weather to affect the. animals, but d.uri!ng thq last week or two many of the cattle lave shown a little lower condition, although there, is’ still plenty of feed about. Pcu-lian’i tite recent cold, web weather has had some effect in this respect.

The 'tendency in Poverty Bay during the last few yearn has been to bring the dairy herds to- profit earlier .than in the past so that! the flush of,-tbc season will hare been reached beioro the dry period commence* i. A. further indication of this *s noticed in tlio cream receipts at The Kfai Ora 'butter factory this month, t Tho seasonal t'Vjnditkms have been no better tliin spring than during the corresponding period hurt year, hut despite this. the amount of cream? received at the factories to date is much larger than during Jawt August.

In rearing a motherless foal regular and correct feeding an.-[ clean

are tho main things. Feed from a .long bottle, with a largenipple. For the first few days give him every hour a, pint of warm'milk, with a tablespoon of sugar, and four tablespoon;; of lime-water- added. The milk 'ls better taken from a. cow that gives a low bubterfat test. As tho foal grows, gradually increase the (supply of milk and lengthen the waits between meals. At four weeks discontinue sugar; at six weeks separated milk may he, substituted for whole. At three month;; give .him as much, as lie cares to drink thrice daily. ’ Ay early as possible induce him to eat meal, crushed c-ats, 'bran oilcake and chaff, 'aucU’give 'him access to green fields at nil times.