FARMS AND FARMERS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 March 1926, Page 8

FARMS AND FARMERS.

ITEMS OF INTEREST.(By “Rouseabout”). Coming Shows —March 12,. 13 —Inangahua at Reefton. The ability to pick out good jnilking cows by their appearance belongs to much fewer people than is generally believed. The only certain test of a cow’h ability to milk is tiie evidence of the milk recording dial, and those who start keep milking records for the first time are usually astounded at the disclosures that quickly follow. The cowman may be able to say’ that one cow is a better milker than another, but the milk record sheet will tell him just how much better, or how much worse one cow is than another, and how much money each cow has earned for hlim during the year. We know that the heaviest milking cows are the ones that produce milk’ at the lowest cost per gallon, and there are some poor-yielding cows in most herds that do not even pay for their keep. With the evidence of the milk record sheet the herd-owner hag . the necessary information on which he can weed out his unprofitable cows and by raising his standard year by year, and disposing of such cows aS do not come up to that standard he is in a position gradually to increase the output of milk from the same number of cows. The astounding fact is patent to any ordinary observer that many dairy

[ farmers are quite ignorant of tlie principles cs which herd-testing is foundmen thoroughly understand that the objective is to pick out the cows which are giving remunerative returns. The fact they miss is that if the cows are unprofitable they should be converted into beef as soon as possible, and not sold as dairy cows to depress the industry. A settler recently questioned by an inspector said that the herd was being tested, but that the testing association to which he belonged did not publish any returns, as that would prejudice the sale of culled-out cows to other dairymen. The industry as a whole should profit by testing, not individual farmers nor groups of farmers. It cun only develop by the elimination from the herds of

inferior cows. The plea is often made that dairy farms are only able to exist through the unpaid labour' of their own families. Herd-testing is designed to abolish this form of slavery. At the present ! time a man needs a herd of about 40 indifferent cows to make a living at all. He cannot milk these single-handed, but with very little help he could milk 20 really good cows, and make more profit out of them than from the 40. Good cows take longer to milk than the fair to moderate. performers, but not twice as long.' If butter-fat is the abjective a high-test-ing cow with little more milk may yield twice as much butter-fat. A few years ago on share-farming properties it was the custom to buy up in-calf and newly-calved cows in the markets to

, keep the share farms stocked up. At that time there was an even chance of getting good cows, but at the present time with so many herd-testing societies at work, the market is likely to be flooded with the rejects. There shou’/d be a clause in the articles of agreement of every herd-testing association that every cow which does noFreach a certain standard should be ear marked plainly. There is no use in passing the cow op to some one else. It may even come back in the coqrse of time to the , original owner. After the first season the standard can easily be fixed, and may be raised from year to year. The most critical period in a pig’s life is from four to twelve weeks of age. Too often the handling he receives at the weaning stage dooms him to the lower grades, in spite of his good bacon type. In many cases a violent change in the ration takes place, giving the little fellow his first setback, and one that leaves'its mark in a shortened dide and an over-heavy shoulder. Two varieties of, the turnip family cultivated in this country are the common white turnip and the swede. The dominant requirement of both is for phosphates, and there is probably no crop on which a suitable phosphate manure acts with so much effect. The experimental plots at the Government farm at (Walimaunga give ample illustration of this fact.

Maize is without doubt one of the most valuable'crops a dairyman can grow. It is palatable in its various forms and stages of growth to all farm animals. Green maize is ideal for milking cows. Maize ensilage makes the finest of winter fodders and the corn or maize meal is known the world over for its quality as a stock food. It is as a green crop and for the making of ensilage that maize is especially valuable to dairymen. The solid succulent leaves, when cut into short lengths, pack closely and form a solid mass that not only keeps well, but opens but as a rich and tasty fodder.

If a sow has fourteen teats, thirteen. youngsters can be left with her, provided that none of them are suffering from any complaints. Unequal milk distribution is often caused by a gait having some of her youngsters taken from her. Hence when she farrows. for the second time a certain number of her teats have never'been in ..use, and milk always flow into those teats which: have had the most use. A great point often overlooked in/ rearing large litters is the necessity, of feeding the sow, from two days after .farrowing, in proportion to" the litter she has to rear, steadily increasing her ration, as soon as there is the slightest sign of the youngsters dragging her /down. Plenty of fresh green grass, a certain amount of’ green fodder (beans, ’peas, and tares) and mangolds will be found to help the milk supply trqinendously. The better the condition of a pig, the better ’chance she has of doing her prospective litter justice. A,' great deal has been said of late about sows wi(h an excess of' fat. A sow m reasonably good condition makes a far. better brother than her. thin- and scraggy sister, who is far more likely, to lie. upon her young through awkwardness and : rushing about than her perfectly contented . sister. •

.. It, is only within the lastT few years ..that research work on potash manures in. relation to crop, production has: been, earned out to any great extent, and* as a result it is only now that evidence is forthcoming to show that the use of potash, especially with regard to the prevention of plant diseases, is not " appreciated up to its full economic value. This is all the more disadvantageous as the consumption of phosphatic and nitrogenous manures increases, for naturally healthy growth depends on the proper relationship of the plant food elements. It cannot be claimed that potash alone in additional amounts is all-sufficient for the prevention of plant diseases generally, hut there is a great deal of evidence accumulating to show that the influence of potash in . its special. ef-

feet in building up strong, vigorous plants, which are better able to obtain moisture and food supplies, makes a decided difference to tne resistance -.and recovery which such plants are able to make when attacked by disease germs. The matter is easily understood in the case of animals; when their vitality is lowered through lack of sustenance or through want of a certain element in the food supply, they are much more liable to succunib to disease.