DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 August 1938, Page 9

DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

ANNUAL REPORT.

[I’EB PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON. August 9.

* "IL has been my policy since assum- ’ ing office to build up the advisory scrt vices of the Department. rather than L promote fresh regulations and increase the inspectorial staff,” stated 1 the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. W. ‘ Lee Martin), in the annual report of 5 the Department of Agriculture, preseated to the Hou,se of Representa- * lives this afternoon. “I realise,” he 1 continued, “that regulatory action is I often necessary, but guidance and. in- , struction are more potent forces in the furtherance of. agricultural and pastoral efficiency.” ’ The Minister went on to refer to . the long-term programme of research aud experiment undertaken as a sequel to the facial eczema epidemic \ in the North Island. Studies were . also being made of farm practice in : both affected and unaffected areas. Over £ 10,000 had been voted for this work—the largest single vote of its kind in the Department’s history. Extensions costing more than £15,000 , were being made to the Wallaceville Veterinary Laboratory. A ragwort, campaign in the North Island had cost £74,000 in wages and material and £13,000 in sodium chlorate subsidies. The continuance of the scheme was being considered. The Government had been able to ensure adequate supplies of superphosphates for topdressing while maintaining the price of £3/16/- a ton retail, and had met the persistent and warranted request that farmers’ organisations and dairy companies should be placed on the merchants’ lists. This meant a rebate of 4/6 a ton. For the year 193738 the Government subsidised the carriage of fertilisers to the extent of £189,626, and the subsidy on farm produce freights amounted to £58,329 during the same period. H DIRECTOR’S REPORT. Problems confronting New Zealand agriculture are discussed by the act-ing-Director-General (Mi- E. J. Fawcett) in the annual report of the Department of Agriculture, which was presented to the House of Represenla- ( lives to-day. | The growth of New Zealand’s prii niary industries had outstripped the development of animal husbandry, said Mr Fawcett, a stage of intensification having been reached when problems had been raised which called I lor greater attention than had been' paid to them in the past. Losses in decks and herds were too heavy to be disregarded. Recalling that last year’s annual report stressed this aspect of Lanning in the Dominion, Mr Fawcett ' said that the need ior intensified investigation, both into disease and the more positive side of maintaining flocks aud herds in a healthy condition had become even more urgent. “The outbreak of so-called facial eczema in various parts of the North Island, and the heavy mortality among shep in Canterbury, have focussed atention on specific problems which are being specially investigated, but there are a number of other problems, not individually as pressing, but seriuaus collectively, which must also receive immediate attention,” lie continued. Perhaps the greatest of these is animal nutrition generally, as this factor enters into a number of our present livestock troubles, including facial eczema. This problem in relation to New Zealand pastures in dificrent seasons or in various stages of growth or in relation to hay anu silage or the common supplementary crops lias yet to be thoroughly investigated. Generally, the greater the effort towards the breeding of animals o.! high production, the greater is the problem of nutrition, but because ot the abundance of fed, little attention lias been paid to this aspect of animal husbandry. “If the progeny of our breeding stock is to be constitutionally vigorous and the vitality of breeding-stock maintained, it may be necessary to aviso the feeding procedure now generally practised. It is unfortunate mat there is a tendency to neglect animals not in production, and when the period of gestation is in the Winter this neglect frequently results in malnutrition, affecting both mother and progeny. The care of calves after weaning is not always sufficient to maintain healthy growth. In some cases the faulty pasturing of ewes and lambs has led to avoidable mortality, and in the pig industry there has been widespread neglect of sow and litter. Basically the problem from the nutritional angle is the measurement of the requirements of the various types of cur stock population in relation to the common feeding practices now operating in the Dominion.” Coincident with the problem of nutrition, adequate attention had to be given to breeding and management, lie continued. Here the geneticist could play a valuable part. The State could not afford to neglect the services of the geneticist, and the breeder without the help of genetics could not hope.-to achieve the highest success. The extent of the usefulness of genetics to the breeder would be decided by the amount of support the breeder gave to research in this direction. The proper management of animals could not be divorced from adequate attention to feeding, but there were also several non-nutritional factors which must, be considered if stock were to be maintained in a healthy state. The provision of shelter or housing, the necessity for hygienic conditions, and the maintenance of clear pastures by rotational grazing were some of the points which had been emphasised by the instructional services of the Department.