FARM AND STATION

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11009, 23 January 1926, Page 8

FARM AND STATION

(BY “SETTLER”)

LOSS IN-SEPARATING

of the gaseous properties are evaporated and then there is practically no danger in feeding the animals. If the farmer desires the easier method of grazing the crop, then on no account should the cows be allowed to have unlimited gorges. According to j.the state of growth of,the crop from I half an hour to an hour is all that ! should be allowed them. Of course, i if the crop is practically’ eaten down, j then they can. be given a longer spell j without doing any harm. I One danger that should be watched iis that of the “poking’’ cow. Cows ! are after all not unlike many hu*- ; mans, inasmuch as they are never ; satisfied and no matter where they ! are, are always looking for something ■ better. They can always been seen with their heads through the fence endeavoring to get their tongue around, what-to their mind is a sweeter bite in. the next paddock. A weak gate is this animal’s Specialty. If the i fences and gates surrounding the crops are not in good order, then this class of, animal is a source of danger ito the rest of the herd. One cow lias ' only to poke its head through a gate with a defective fastening, push it open, and the whole herd will, follow. Should this happen in the night, then the cows can feast indiscriminately with the result that the farmer next morning may have reason to wonder why his tally is short. , ( Feeding cows on lucerne or clover that has just had a heavy shower of rain on it should also be avoided if possible, as it is almost as dangerous as unrestricted feeding

AN IMPORTANT FACTOR

TEMPERATURE OF THE MILK

Probably one of the greatest causes of loss of butter'-fat is separating the milk at too low a temperature. An experiment where the morning milk was heated to 45deg. Fahr., and the evening xnilk separated at whatever temperature it was when brought from the yard showed that the skim milk from the former contained .11 per cent, of butter-fat, while that from the morning milk which was heated contained only .03 per cent. Similar experiments carried out some time ago by Mr. R. T. Archer demonstrated the necessity for warming- the milk before separating. Turning the separator at a slower rate than specified in the instructions given by the maker will also cause a loss of butterfat in the skim milk, i Figures given by Mr. Archer in the bulletin on Dairy Farming in Victoria indicate that increased speed, unless at a."very high rate, docs hot cause any loss of butter-fat in the skim milk, but slower turning results in a loss. The loss is usually greater in the autumn when ".milk is more visr cous and contains a higher percentage of butter-fat. The addition of a bucket of warm water to 10 to 12 gabions of milk will decrease this condition,/ and will improve the skimming. | A skim milk test reading .02 per 'cent, butter-fat means 2-100ths of a ! pound of butter-fat in 1001 b of skim { milk—lo gallons. Thus for every 10 I (rations put through the separator when the skim test is 0.2 per cent. 2-100ths of a pound of butter-fat is lost. This may seem a very trifling quantity, but even at this minimum the year’s aggregate loss is considerable. For a herd of 30 cows averaging 500 gallons per year the value of I butter-fat lost with a .02 reading would be £2 ss. On most dairy farms the loss would be far greater.

THE RAM FAIR

.Judging by the number of rams that have arrived in Gisborne during the. week from all parts of the country, the ram fair next week should bo almost a record one for Matawliero. Consignments have come to h*nd from, all the leading breeders of Wairnrapa, Wanganui, Manawatu, Canterbury and Otago districts, so discriminating buyers should at least have a wide and varied selection from ’which to.satisfy their requirements. | The entries 'for the sale include Romneys, Lincolns, Soutlidowns, Corriedales, Border Leicesters, and a new breed of Cottle Downs sent up by Mr. A. B. Cottle, of Masterton. I The sheep already to hand all appear to be in good condition and few of them have that unkempt and scraggy appearance typical of some of the sheep ottered at the Matawhero yards throughout the year. .""

BIG COWS MORE PROFITABLE THAN SMALL ONES.

! A good big cow is the superior of a 1 good little cow in both the production of milk and profit, according to recent studies of the U.S. dairying experts. This is not true exclusively of one •breed; it applies to all the leading dairy breeds. Occasionally a small cow is a plentiful and profitable producer, but for the most part the milk makers of small size are greatly ex>celled by their larger stable mates. These are the conclusions which Uncle Sam has reached after carefully i tudving the records of more than 13,i 000 animals tested. - The results of this novel and interesting investigation to ascertain . whether the large or small cows are the better workers and wage-earners were set out in a recent issue of “Hoard’s Dairyman,” and show that the large grade Holsteins (Friesians) averaged 75221 b of milk as compared with an individual production of 65651 b an anr imal for the small cows of the black-and-white breed. The large grade Jerseys yielded’ 61571 b of milk apiece, whereas the smaller cows of this breed produced 54541 bof milk a cow. The big cows of the native class gave 6226 lb of milk; the small cows of this class and type 52781 b an animal. The large grade Guernseys yielded 61401 b of milk a cow, and the smaller individuals of that breed 52571 b of milk an animal. The large grade Shorthorns averaged 59071 b of milk and the smaller grade Shorthorns gave 47161 b of milk an animal. The outstanding feature of the survey was that the average showed that the large cows among the different breeds produced 9361 b more milk.as an individual than did their- smaller associates in the herds. The average of all the big cows was 63901 b and that of the smalt or animals 54541 b of milk.

BUYING RAMS

! POINTS TO, BE REMEMBERED

! The recognised predominent factor with tiie majority of farmers in this district when purchasing rams has been the name and reputation of the breeder. The established breeder of recognised good stock has always had an advantage at any local ram fair over the breeder who is not so well known. This may be a good policy to adopt, but other points should receive consideration and a farmer should be able to rely on his own judgment as to whether a ram is worthy of a place in his flock or not. In other words, he should, if lie is to be successful, be a judge of stock and be able to pick the good from the bad. > The most popular breed of ram in Poverty Bay and the East Coast is undoubtedly the Romney Marsh’, and following are some of the points to be looked for when buying the new sea>son’s quota: I Constitution is the main point in any breed of ram. The general appearance of the sheep denotes constitution good or bad. The masculine head, width between the • ears with the nose not too long, are some of the points to be looked for. , A good even fleece of correct character is also necessary to make up the perfect sheep. ( Good shape and heavy bone also go to make up the type of Romney Marsh required by the modern breeders.

WONDER HARVESTER

A harvesting machine used by a Pincher Creek (Alberta) farmer cut and threshed the crop in. one operation. Operated by two men and drawn by eight horses, it covered daily 35 to 40 acres, and affected great economies in labor, twine, and power, amounting, according to the owner, to an average of 3d per bushel.

HINTS TO DAIRYMEN

The following advice is offered to dairymen by an inspector of dairies: i Wash your own hands before starting- to milk and after milking each cow; also wash, each cow’s' udder with Uondy’s crystals. added to colour the water. i / Use plenty,of lime around the bails ' and dairy. i Keep each separation of cream separate until conveyed to the factory. You cannot stir it too often. Do not mix fresh cream with stale; it pays to send the fresh cream to a separate container. (The mixing of fresh, witli stale cream.--results in second and third tests.)

A CROP OF FARM PESTS

RESEARCH IN AMERICA.

£8,000,000 FOR INSECTICIDES

A twenty-three acre farm which includes insect pests among chief crops', is operated at Vienna, Va., by the United States Department of Agriculture. The American people ..pay some £B,OOOXOO a year*for insecti-cides-and fungicides ’ with which to combat crop pests, fungous growths and household vermin. Most of these preparations do the work claimed for them, thanjes to the Federal Insecticide and Fungicide Act, but there are still many so-called remedies which are food and drink for the pests. A staff,, of inspectors who go about the country sampling the preparations found on the shelves of retailers is maintained by the Department of Agriculture, which is charged with administration of the Insecticide Act. The samples are sent to Washington where they are analysed by chemists.

Flush the separator with warm water—not skim milk, which appears to be the.general practice. ' - During the summer months—October to March—liever separate below 38 per cent., preferably around 40 per cent. The winter months, 35 per cent, to 38 per cent. Cream should be delivered at least three times weekly, and should not be held for a longer period. Do not leave cream exposed ,to the son’s rays. Place a clean wet bag around the can when going to the. railway station or factory by road. Always open your cans on return. Wash your dairy utensils first with warm water and soda, and then immerse them for five minutes in boiling water. Allow to drain and dry.

GREEN CROPS FOR COWS

DANGER OF UNRESTRICTED

! Do not put your cream in a can un--1 til it has been* thoroughly scalded and rinsed with clean rain water. Never use creek or dam water, unless/it is quite unavoidable. . : The use of a cream cooler is most important, for it not only helps to cool the cream quicker, but also takes away a good deal of the weed taints. Do not grudge the time you; spend in your dairy and bails. The more care you take in the handling of the cream the better your factory return and the dairying industry generally.

FEEDING

Farmers who made provision for the summer months by growing supplementary fodder for the stock are now reaping the benefit of their forethought. In this district to-day there is hardly a dairyman who can boast of a daily supply of cream that is equal, in quantity to his output of normal years, and it is only the men who have supplementary crops of lucerne, maize, millet, etc., that are making any profit out of their herds at all. \ In feeding green crops to the cows, all practical farmers realise the need for care and the absolute danger of allowing the cows to become gourmands and eat their fill of such fodder as green lucerne or clover. Not ! only is their danger in allowing un--1 limited “gorging,” but farmers who allow it are only looking tor a heavy mortality list. .Lucerne, when freshly cut. or if it is ■ grazed by the stock, is highly gaseous, and eaten in tcio large quantities the gas generates inside the _animal with the result" that not being able to get away it blows the beast out and finally, if not relieved, causes too much of a strain on the internal organs and the animal dies. Such has been found to be the case by several farmers in this district. In fact, be-‘ fore the utility properties of lucerne as an economical proposition for a summerfodder became widely known,' summer fodder became widely known, it on account of : the trouble of having cows blown on it. , Undoubtedly the best and most economical method :of feeding/ a- ' dairy * herd on 'lucerne is ■ to; Cut it. and cart' it out to them. The Tuceriie;'shonldr. threo or fopr hours'before it-js ; ■fodto tli© cows, -and lying m the suil : during that time, a■, certain amount,.

It is reported that a well-known Taranaki Jersey cattle-breeder has' received an offer for the whole of his herd, involving a sum reaching into five figures.

PICKING GOOD COWS

ONLY ONE CERTAIN TEST

The power of picking out good milking cows by their appearance alone belongs to much fewer people than is generally believed. The only certain test of a cow’s ability to milk is the evidence of the milk recording dial, and those who start keeping milk records for the first time are usually astonished" 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 him during the year. Wo know that the heaviest milking cows are the ones that-prb-:dUce -milt 'lft'fbhgrlpivcSt *per-gal-lon, and cows .in not pay ’for the' • ;evi<A •denoo of-.the

"tibn on. which he can weed out his unprofitable cows and by so raising his standard year by year, and disposing of such cows -as do hot come up to that standard, he is in a position gradually to increase the output of milk from the same number of cows.

CARE OF PASTURES

-MANAGING SHEEP COUNTRY.

SECOND GROWTH PROBLEMS

There are many who advocate the early consolidation of the soil of grazing lands in order to prolong the life and increase the nourishing qualities of the pastures. On bush burns, such a consolidation of the surface soils is very desirable and even necessary, and this can only be accomplished by stocking with both light and heavy cattle and with sheep The combination is necessary to secure a good sole grass, and that as quickly as possible, yet even with these aids, it is well-known that time plays a great part in bringing lands into good pasturage, because time is necessary for the decay of the rich humus which is so plentiful over all our busli lands, and a great part of any heavy timber land that has been cleared by felling and fire has a false surface, based on rotting roots and spongy mosses and vegetable matter which even the fiercest fires fail to consume.

The process of' settling down new. pasture should not be unchffy hurried, as in the earlier stages of growth the grasses have but a precarious bold where the deposits are deepest. The conversation of humus, together with the early breaking down of fallen branches and holes is worthy of considerable thought, and it is on this question that the selector must exercise his observation and common sense, for it should be remembered that men greatly experienced were mistaken in estimating the value of certain bush lands and in their early hopes of establishing permanent pastures by the first sowing of English grasses and mixtures that had been found suitable to other areas growing the same natural vegetation. Yet the natural timber has almost invariably proved a good guide to fertility, although the various belts vary in degree. It is probable, says “Rnstieus” in the “Otago Daily Times,” the Auckland province does not furnish another such example as Waioeka, of lands whose bush covering promised well ard performed disastrously, yet it is well this example should be remembered when the unsettled bush areas come into the market for first selection.

There still remains this to be said. In all probability the management and configuration were jointly to blame, and that, owing to the precipitous nature of the country and the consequent difficulty in evenly distributing stork, successful management became almost impossible, so that now the most of the settled area could be purchased for less than the value of the improvements. It will be very difficult to bring back such country. Those settlers who were absent at the war and whose holdings “went back” as a consequence, have reason to know in what a short time pastoral lauds can deteriorate and how difficult it is to reclaim them, after the invasion of “water fern” and “second growth.” There are thousands of acres of good lands that have greatly depreciated in value through being allowed to come into a second growth of soft woods that are difficult to dispose of by clearing and burning, after which a second sowing is necessary. This may not be much noticeable in Auckland, but other provinces are seriously affected, and that through inadequate subdivision and stocking.

HOW THEY DO THINGS IX THE U.S.A.

10,000 PIGS A DAY

Speaking at the annual meeting of the Farmres’ Co-operative Distributing Co. of Queensland, Ltd., Mr. McWhinney made some interesting comments on the conduct of the pork and bacon business of the United States. He said that, returning from his recent trip to Europe, he had travelled througli Canada and the United States for the special purpose of studying the conduct of the bacon business in those countries. He had secured a lot of information which he was putting before the Queensland Co-op Bacon Association. Througli the courtesy of the Hon. A. J. Thynne, who had provided him with letters of introduction fo Messrs. Swift and Co., of Chicago, he had been able to see the work of that company’s great organisation. Things in the hog department were done on a huge scale. The capacity of the Swift works was 1000 1 pigs per hour, and as they worked 10 hours a day, they put through 10,000 pigs per day. , Australia had a lot to learn in the way of doing things in, a big way, but he was very glad to be able, to'6hy that the quality of the American cure did not appear to him to approach the quality of the best bacon in Australia.

MARKING THE LAMBS

USEFUL HINTS BY EXPERT

THE MOST SUITABLE AGE.

PRECAUTIONS TO BE TAKEN

Lamb marking includes car-mark-ing and tailing, and the operations usually are carried out when the lambs are between three and six weeks old > .. Mr. F. Hinton, sheep and wool expert, New 1 Sojith Wales, recently "gave some' useful advice on these matters, and’ a summary of his remarks are subjoined. There is considerable diversity of opinion among sheep-breeders as to the most suitable age for performing these operations, some claiming that at a fortnight old there is less ’ risk to the animal through loss of blood, while others prefer a later age, even up to three months, claiming that the lamb has then grown sufficiently to withstand the check. In cold districts and. severe seasons the additional warmth nr.d. protection.afforded the hindquarters is a reasonable argument for delay, hut under average conditions it is generally conceded that from three to six weeks is the safest age. /W: Where the lambing season tracted there will naturally be considerable difference between the age of the lambs dropped first and those dropped last, and it may .he .necessary to mark the drop in two portions with an interval of a month between. The choice of the site for the operations is important. It should he perfectly dry and well away from dust and dirt, so as to minimise the risk of losses from lockjaw and blood-poison-ing, and if the flock is not too large it is best to use temporary yards, made of movable hurdles or wire netting and stakes, in a fresh paddock each year. With large flocks this is, perhaps, impracticable, and the following treatment of the yards is recommended:—Remove the surface soiLof the. yards to a 'depth of about 6in aridplace it in a heap, where it should ho thoroughly mixed with quicklime; then saturate the fresh surface exposed with a strong solution of nonpoisonous sheep dip. The sheep should he mustered some time befort* and' the lambs allowed to settle down before the operations commence. There should he no rushing. about, and .dogs should he used-ns little' as possible, as deaths from hemorrhage are very common when lambs are "iff arid overheated condition. /-Both sexes; may" bc 'treafpa-; at/and j» useful be jobtalned' of thei -hum-; -and'sexes hiarked If the tails or tbe male fajnd'vTemalp.. •la.trfte; - are /thrown

The knife used for docking and tailing calls for special attention. 1 most suitable type has the blade an handle all in one piece,- but, in, any case, it should be as plain and as sharp as possibic, since germs may be harbored im joints or corners. and even in cracks; in the blade, or. m slight irregularities m the cutting edge. Prior to the commencement of the operations the knife should boiled, and it should .be earned to the yards in. the liquid in "hich it was boiled. Throughout the marking the knife should be dipped as fiequently as possible in a carbolic solution or other disinfectants, and whenever it is out of the operator s hand it should be allowed to remain in the disinfectant. This point is stressed, as it is essential that every means of preventing the germs or d ease from gaining entrance into the fresh cuts be adopted and although many farmers who have taken no p cautions have not suliered losses, there is always the grave risk of the knife becoming infected and trails mitting germs to every anima.l oper ated on The order in which the op orations are best carried out is earmarking and tailing, and m both cases the lamb is held securely wita its back firmly placed against the body of the holder, and its rump upon a suitable structure (usually the rail of a fence), which should be at a convenient height for the operator.