FARMS AND FARMERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 August 1939, Page 9

FARMS AND FARMERS

ITEMS OF INTEREST

(By

“Rouseabout”)

NEW ASPECT OF SHEEP VALUES

IMPORTANCE OF FLESH QUALITY. 1 It. may be claimed that New Zealand is at. least the second or third I sheep-producing country in (he world, having regard to the variety and quality of its flocks. I give first place to Great Britain and possibly second place to Australia, states the writer of a. special article in the annual review for the 1938-39 season of Messrs Pyne, Gould, Guinness, Ltd. In one respect however, we are distinctly l ahead oL Great Britain; that is in wool develop-1 mein as exemplified say in our Cor-| riedale and Romney flocks. As against 1 this we are equally behind Great Bri-I tain in consideration and regard fori flesh quality of our lamb and mutton| breeds. In support of this argument. | I would say that even in breeding sires of fat lambs such as Southdowns,

Ryelands and Shropshires. we have given undue importance in the show yards to wool covering and development and insufficient attention to flesh quality; or coming down to tin tacks, to the proportion and distribution of fat and lean. In pursuance of wool growth and covering on heads and points we have forgotten or never learned that wool growth and fatty meat go hand in hand. That this is so is affirmed by high British authorities. It is particularly evidenced in the long wools, but even in Southdowns and Ryelands, in -which wool covering on heads has been steadily! advancing for fifty years, the growth of wool has been accompanied by increasing fat. Analysis of lamb carcases has recently been undertaken at Lincoln College and already it has been found that some lambs contain as much as 60 per cent, of fat. More will be heard of this in the near future. The present system of fat lamb competitions has at least demonstrated that freedom from waste fat is the deciding factor in judging quality lambs. Side by side with wool growth, breeders have concentrated on conformation of carcase, and conformation is of course of major importance in a meat' sheep though I am prepared to say that it is secondary to flesh quality. To demonstrate this fact it is only necessary to point out that a- chop deficient both in eye and steak is often cut from a sheep of perfect outward conformation. It should not be forgotten that a carcase of meat is merely food, of which the final test is on the plate. Our annual fat lamb competitions! do not sufficiently regard this aspect of quality and until it is taken up as it is in pork and bacon competitions, we shall not make any progress in quality lamb production. In bacon competitions it is very frequently found that the winning carcase judged whole is unplaced when cut up. It may be said, and it is unfortunately true, that under our system of marketing fat lambs no inducement is given to the production of quality; in fact it is discouraged, for almost the same price is paid for tallow-bags and second quality lambs as for the finest quality. Sooner or later, however, competition in world markets will enforce recognition of real quality, it is a pity that no premium is given for super qualities and no encouragement to those who produce them. Nothing short of actual proof will convince me that English retail butchers, who cater for the best trade, do not make pence per pound profit on some of our super quality lambs. Throughout the past springtime in England, home fed lambs have been making 14d to 18d per pound, while our prime quality has been selling at about 7d. In England last year, when home-bred lamb was being forced into the market it was actually sold at a lower price than best Canterbury lamb, and I cannot believe that in recent months, when English has been bringing double our price, that the retailers have- not been making large profits on our best lambs. The apathy shown by the sheepfarmers’ organisations to the foregoing questions is purprising. A year or two ago, when a demonstration of cut-up carcases was held at a local lamb competition, intense interest was shown by the farmers present and 1 am satisfied that a properly organised block test of carcases of our various popular breeds would be mos? interesting and instructive and have progressive results in sheep breedingtor food production. It would be very interesting, for instance, to have demonstrated the relative carcase qualities of Corriedales and Ryelands. In breeding flocks the first consideration is wool and the second carcase, but in a sire to beget fat lambs flesh quality should come first every time. In a ram for fat lamb production (he consideration should be conformation 40 per cent., flesh quality 40 per cent., wool 20 per cent

ami the latter should be related to quality lather than quantity. To assess the relative importance of wool and carcase in various breeds I should place it as follows: —

The lesson to be learned from this is that you cannot get the maximum of everything good in one animal, and this is true, whether applied to sheep, cows or chickens. T.B. IN DAIRY HERDS. ELI MI N ATI 0 N D IFF IC ULTIES Difficulties which faced the Government in undertaking comprehensive schemes for testing dairy herds in New Zealand for tuberculosis were outlined by the Minister of Agricul-. lure, Hon. W. Lee Martin, in an interview. The Minister said. that, a 1 the. present, time it did not appear pra.'titabp- to introduce a l.’umimio’i-wid' - scheme for many reusorm, but that R some nlan could be devised in winch, the cost could be spread emiitabiy over the whole industry and taxpayers generally. Hie Government would be desirous of imating such a scheme. '• ' tic- added, that in the meantime the Department of Agriculture was prepared to co operate with any group of farmers in establishing accredited herds and areas, and that he also

was considering the possibility of establishing two experimental areas where the full costs of eradication and the probable effect on the economic position of the industry might be studied.

“Considerable attention has been centered for some time on a suggestion that determined efforts should be made to eradicate bovine . tuberculosis from the dairy herds in the Dominion. and many resolutions along these lines have been passed by farmers’ organisations,” said the Minister, who added that some clarification of the position appeared necessary.

Three alternative schemes had been suggested:—(l) The complete coverage of tuberculin-testing of all dairy cattle in the Dominion. (2) Tuberculin testing of all herds supplying milk for local consumption, and (3) A cooperative accredited herd scheme.

it was suggested that the first scheme could be completed within three years, and that afterwards a state of comparative freedom could be maintained by adequate veterinary service. The partial scheme covering cows used for liquid milk supply was thought in some circles to be sufficient to safeguard the local position, and also to form a basis for a gradual extension into all herds concerned in the export trade.

1 “The co-operative accredited herd ■ | scheme would depend for its success on the voluntary efforts of dairy-farm-ers,” said the Minister. “This scheme has much to commend it, provided the same co-operative spirit is behind it as that obtaining in the eradication scheme in Denmark. The scheme could be put into operation in selected areas or districts by the voluntary efforts of a, majority of dairy farmers in the area or district. After the majority had carried out the testing on a voluntary basis, consideration could be given to bringing the minority in that area into the scheme by legislation, as is followed in Denmark. Any such areas or districts would become accredited areas in which all the dairy cattle would be free from the disease. Accredited areas could be gazetted and extended from time to time, as obtained in the United States of America at the present time. "It is estimated that scheme No. 1 would cost in the vicinity of £2,300,000 in the first three years, and would entail thereafter an annual administrative expense of approximately £ 150,000. Scheme No. 2 would cost in the vicinity' of £lOO,OOO for the first year, and £25,000 to £30,000 a year thereafter. If scheme No. 1 were put into operation, the replacement of the leading stock might well result in insufficient healthy animals being available to maintain the Dominion's herds'at their present level other than through the retention of cows which otherwise would have been culled. The probable effect of this factor on total production cannot be estimated, and it might well result in considerable reduction for a few years. Under schemes No. 2 and No. 3 there is not the same objection either in regard to cost or their possible effect on the Dominion's production.

“Perhaps the most serious aspect of the eradication of tuberculosis from dairy herds lies in the fact that the disease may be present in a variety of forms, varying from very mild (in which only a few small spots of infection may be present) to very severe forms (in which large areas of tissue are affected). In the mild cases the general health of the animal may not be impaired, but in the severe forms the animal’s health is severely impaired. When the disease is present in the milk secretion system grave danger to human health may result. Minor infection in muscular glands, however, does not present any serious danger to human life. The intracler-J mal test gives reactions in any r stage,' and results in heavy eradication if all reactors are slaughtered. It will be •appreciated that, once a policy is decided upon, the test used must be ac-’ cepted as a final indicator to determine the retention or destruction of stock, and the Government hesitates to impose such a procedure on the industry until its full implications are known? In the meantime the Depart-

meat of Agriculture is prepared to co- ' operate with any group of farmers for the pm pose of establishing accredited herds and areas. I am also giving consideration to the possibility of establishing two experimental areas where tiie lull costs of eradication and the probable effect on the economic position of the industry might be studied. This cannot be done during the curicnt financial year, but, if practicable such experimental areas will be set up in 1910.” PIGS ON LUCERNE, SATISFACTORY RESULTS. It is a practice with some farmers to graze their pigs on lucerne at certain times of the year, when other forms of feed arc short, and the opinion has been expressed by practical farmers that lucerne in combination with skim milk is an excellent fattening ration for pigs. In the United States they have progressed farther than we have in regard to the use of lucerne in the piggery, and for many years this valuable fodder crop has played an im-l portant part in their pig-fattening activities in many States. A report on recent work in connection with lucerne feeding carried out by the United States Bureau of Animal Industry has particular interest for New Zealand, since one of our major problems is the supply, of adequate nourishment at a reasonable price for the pigs which are carried over through the Winter from late litters. The' test showed that satisfactory' results in growth and feed utilisation were obtained in the growing and fattening of Autumn pigs, when ground lucerne hay was incorporated into their diets at levels of 5, 10, 15 and 20 per cent. The data showed that the ground lucerne hay' possessed about 40 perj cent, of the value of an equal weight of a mixture of ground maize and linseed meal which it replaced. This shows that a really good quality feed can be provided from the lucerne stand for the piggery during the Winter months. Grinding of the hay improves its efficiency as a feed by eliminating wastage and assuring that the pigs get the full benefit of the leaftl g O .

There should be an opportunity' here for the development of lucerne growing on a large scale for haying, grinding and bagging for sale as a Winter supplement for pigs. Under large-scale conditions, it should be possible to produce this meal at a price which would make it an economic proposition and to create a widespread demand for it.

DANISH DISCOVERY. CATTLE SCOURGE VACCINE. COPENHAGEN, July 16. The scourge of foot-and-mouth disease may' be stamped out within the next few years. A band of Danish veterinary scientists has perfected a vaccine said to be 100 per cent, successful in preventing the disease. For years the group has been working at its station on the island of Lindholm to find such a vaccine. News of the victory was announced by' Professor Fogedby, director of the island station, at a conference at Copenhagen ’this week of 800 Scandinavian veterinary surgeons. The vaccine, he said, can be kept in stock for more than a year. The normal dose 1 is only five cubic centimetres; enough vaccine to treat 5.000,000 cattle could be produced at 'the station in a year. Cattle must be treated before they are infected with the disease. Immunity lasts a year or more. The vaccine is a preventive not a cure, declared John Morgan, M.P., a well known English agriculturist, when he heard the news. All cattle will be required to be vaccinated in much the same way as human beings are vaccinated against smallpox. It has been known for some time that! the Danes were hot on the trail of tlie j vaccine.

Fleece. C arcase P.c. r.c. Merino 75 a Lincoln . . . 70 30 English Leicester 55 45 Corriedale . . . 55 45 Border Leicester . . 50 50 Romney . . . 50 50 Ryeland . . . 40 60 Southdown . . . 30 70 Suffolk .. . . . . 25 75