Farm & Station

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10473, 31 December 1927, Page 5

Farm & Station

FARM STOCK

POINTS FOR BREED FiR Si.

PROFIT IN ALRF.iI ANIMALS

We have for so long looked upon maximum s,ize in our domesticated farm animals as contributing considerably to their perfection, that apart from v jntentionallv dwarfed examples of breeds, such as ponies, bantams, etc., we have elevated maximum size for the breed to an entirely unjustified pedestal. Great size is frequently associated with grossness and the more discriminating consuming public of to-day, having discovered this for themselves, it would be well for the breeder to thoroughly study those natural laws of breeding and feeding whereby lie can regulate his product to meet with the public approval. The preference of the British consumer lor small .joints of beef, mutton and lamb, is based on a dislike of a continued diet of one class or meat which accompanies a big •‘oldfashioned'’ joint, and to a greater extent on a determination to have the best meat. This is generally and rightly believed, to be found in the smaller and younger animal. This preference costs the consumer at least 10 per cent, more than would the same class, of meat in a heavier grade, while at the same time it might be so produced as to cost the farmer actually loss than the heavyweight.

LAWS GOVERNING SIZE.

In asserting that small fat stock might be produced at a less cost per pound than heavyweights, the following facts have to lie taken into consideration : A greater number of smaller stock can be depastured on the same area; although for each pound of meat produced they may require an equivalent amount ol grass to the larger animals, they can thrive and fatten on pastures where the growth is not sufficiently good for the bigger animals; they h quire, individually and 'collectively, less nourishment to provide for bodily warmth and motion; they are less adversely affected by weather conditions which affect the pasture growth, and the offal, at slaughter, is move valuable from the larger number of smaller animals. Even where the cost of production per pound is equal in both instances, it is, surely worth the farmer’s while to secure the added price for prime lightweights, and at. is, therefore, worth while considering what natural laws govern the matter ot size in the animal world. dn the first instance, it. is held that the female is the chief factor in determining the matter of size of the offspring, not only at birth hut when it reaches maturity. The big female lias greater capacity to allow of development of the foetus. She also can supply a larger . quantity of nourishment to her young , both before and after birth. It has been proved from close experiment over long terms that animals as a rule inherit size and constitution from the female, and conformation, temperament, etc., from the male; while many other characters are a blend from both sexes.

RESULTS OF TESTS

All farmers who have done much breeding will have noticed that a Merino ram put to a. Lincoln ey e will produce a bigger hall-bred than wlkui a Lincoln lam is used on the Merino. Tests with individuals prove 'very little, but when these two crosses are tried with a large number of sheep on the same country, the difference in size of the offspring is verv noticeable, and is a proof that f . a „" be accepted. Similarly in crossmo- Romney and Southdown sheep, the Romney ewe produces a bigger offspring, when it is mature, than does the Southdown ewe. In poultry, the Peking bantam cock mated'with the big Pekin hen, not of bantam stock, produces stock little smaller than the mother, while in the reverse mating the progeny are still of dwarf size, in fact, tins mating is frequently used when the miniature breed shows signs of losing the true type of the larger stocks from which they were originally dwarfed. Of course, where botli. male and; leinale mated are unusually hig, the offspring nre likely to surpsiss either of I lie parents in size. Similarly, sni'all will produce small, hut will only produce smaller still when the lemale is smaller than the male-

INTENSIFYING OHAR AOTER- . ISTICS.

Rapid growth and , propensity .to fatten are ,bv no means confined to, or even more pronounced in, the bigger-framed animals. As a matter of ""’fart large-framed, loosely-built-animals are usually slower in fattening than smab eompactlv-built stock. It would therefore appear that, so far as the export meat trade in beef, mutton and lamb is concerned, it would pay us much better to keep bigger numbers oil smaller-framed breeding animals, and thus, .when these and their progeny are converted into prime meat, secure the premium which the consumer is prepared to pay. ; . ,Tn actual practice it is not suggested that the fanner should strive to rear midget stock; that \vould. be as foolish as the'attempt of the past generation to breed “out-size” .animals. The happy medium is what must be aimed at, and this- is indicated by the 'sizes, £2es and weights most in demand at Home. Another method of reducing the average size of the animals m a flock or herd is to stint them of the abundance of food necessary for perfect development. Nothing could do 'more harm than this. To be profitable, animals must have abundant feed to develop thorn rapidly to their normal size. Weakness, disease, ina.l-forma.tion and a. hundred other ills-, await the stock of the man 'who underfeeds •or over-stock s„, Regulation of size can only he achieved satisfactorily by intelligent lured followed by proper, liberal feeding to maturity. ’ Only then will the breeding be made profitable.

Good green feed clean and fresh lias special virtues for either old or young calves, and every, endeavor should be made to have it made available for them. There is nothing better than good pasture. This and a clean water supply, especially m summer, are two accessories which, next to a. supply of slcim milk,, constitute the greatest boon to the call rearer. Closely grazed pastures, are dangerous, to calves, particularly during wet seasons, as they are .Habib to pick up the eggs of parasitic worms which may he the cause of heavy mortality in young cattle/

PIC CLUBS

TEAGHTNG THE YOUNG IDEA

MOVE EXPANDING

The pig club movement in Queensland has made marked progress, and it is playing a. prominent part in the agricultural and school life of the State. There are. over 40 pig clubs in operation in different centres associated with upwards of 60 schools and including between 400 and 500 members. In organising the clubs special attention has been given to impressing upon members the importance of keeping records and noting the various happenings connected with their pigs. The children are required to write an essay entitled “How I Selected, Fed, Managed and Exhibited My Rig.” In a wireless, lecturette recently broadcasted by Mr. E. _J. Shelton, H.8.A.. instructor in pig raising, io whose energy and zeal the project owes much of its success, members of pig clubs are urged first of all to secure really good pigs, whether purebred or crossbred. The. necessity for comfortable accommodation fer the animals—a nice warm, dry sty, with a nice grass run attached so that the pig can have room to move about in the sunshine and enjoy some succulent grass and herbage—is emphasised. One member who was able to purchase a purebred pig (and there are a number of members who have purebred pigs) wrote that his pig was a purebred Berkshire sow of good tvpe and quality, one of a batch selected for the school club, by Me. Shelton. Other members of the same club secured purebred pigs of different breeds, and it was the intention of the parents to see that the pie club was the medium through which more and better purebred pigs were introduced into the district. The children are taught that the secret of success in pig raising is the production and utilise cion on the farm of an much of the too I supply as possible, for there is little or no profit in the indue,try it pin chased food stuffs have to he solely depended upon. The experience of pig chib worn ui Queensland shows ;lmr, the pigs liave been exceptionally healthy—this is because they have boe T » chosen Ivmp clean, vigorous, roPnble In.ids and well looked after and judiciously fed). Quite a number of extracts iioni essays could be given in which children report the rapid growth and early maturity of their pigs. Many of the animals gain more than one pound a. day. "Indeed it is common for club pigs to increase in weight by more than ljlb a da v between the ages, of, say three and six months. Many valuable prizes have been won in keen competition at club contests consisting of gold medals, trophies, and cash prizes, as well as purebred pms donated by .enthusiastic breeders in Queensland and other States. The principal objective of the pig clubs, however, is not to stress the value of the prizes offered, although they count for a god deal. Tt is to demonstrate that the pig. if adequately eared for, is a profitable animal on the farm, and that if it is possible to keep one nig and show a profit on the transaction it should he possible, as the members grow older, for them to keep more and better pies and to make greater profits. I lie Department of Agriculture and Stock supplies, copies of the essays ot the pie club members and it is obvious from the demand that widespread interest is being evinced m Ibe project.

COLOR IN SHEEP

BREEDING EXPERTMENTS

A paper on '‘Mendelian Breeding with Wensleydale Sheep” was recently delivered by Dr. I'. M. Dry, a well-known British textile expert. Color inheritance in the 'Wensleydale breed, lie said, had proved to be very simple. Mendelism, although a Mendelian' factor, could not be treated merely as ail algebraical symbol. The rate of progress with slojvbreeding animals like sheep was the reverse of rapid. ' It had been found that breeders keeping black Hocks obtained all black lambs. From white Wensleydale flocks, rams were reported siring none but white lambs, and most, of these rams, had been light in color inside the ears. From a statistical analysis of the Underley flock records it was concluded that black 1S “ simple recessive to white. Tn the experimental work it had been nocossarv to devote a good deal of attention to the silver-grey type. Silvergrey animals had been described as bearing a fairly even mixture, ol black and white fibres. Blacks bad smaller numbers of white fibres, even the darkest fleece examined containing about 1 to 1 per cent. Six per cent, was a common figure for mask animals. . . Those classed as silver-grey had from about 25 per cent, to 8o per cent, of white fibres in a representative part of the fleece, the extremities of the body being darker. As blacks and silver-greys become older they frequently 'become lighter. Lambs silver-grey at birth remained so, but animals which appeared black when born might be silvergrey in a few weeks ox- months owing to the cessation of pigment production in some fibres, and to the whiteness of many new fibres. Breeding experiments made were held to- justify the conclusion that white, silver-grey and black formed, an epistatic series, white dominant to silver-grey, and silver-grey dominant to black. In matings between impure white and not-whito there was a deficiency in the number of black or silver-grey lambs. It seemed a possibility that silver-greys, mated together, might give some whites of'very, pale complexion, and that light-complexioned whites mated with blacks might- give silvergreys. These' things, however, had not happened.

CAININC FAVOR. N r .Z. PRiODUCJE AT HOME. EMPIRE TR ADE GROWING

A favorable impression of the standing of New Zealand ..products on the British markets, with a markedly increased purchase thanks to the efforts of the Marketing Board, was made, on Mr. L. O. H. Tripp, oi Wellington, who'returned by the Ulimaroa from a tour abroad.. • “During my travels, m England., Scotland, and Ireland, like other New Zealanders, I did -my. best to: impress upon the people I met the importance of buying, produce; ana goods from'and manufactured in the Empire/’ said Mr. Tripp.

By “RUST! BUS’

1 “There is no doubt that since I was in England six years ago there is a marked change in the attitude of many toward this question, and over and over again people 1 met volunteered the .statement that they were now purchasing New Zealand butter, and Australian, raisins, etc., ip preference to the foreign produce. The Empire Marketing Board is rendering most valuable assistance ' to New Zealand and other parts of the Empire by advertising, lectures, and other propaganda, asking the public to purchase the productions of the Empire. When in Ireland my hostess told me that in the winter she always purchased New Zealand hotter, and. when I was there New Zealand apples were on the table.

HOME PREFERENCE LA CK ING

l f[ am convinced that the effort of the Empire Marketing Board ana the different High Commissioners and the different boards in London which are looking after the sales oi the. oversea Empire products, will have a marked effect for the benefit of the Empire in the future. But whilst I found many .of the. people l met making a point of buying our butter, etc., in preference to Danish, yet they have not. asi a rule made a point, of buying their own manulectured goods in preference to imported goods. Tin's aspect impressed me so much that I called at the office of the Empire Marketing Board and told the officials that 1 met. that in my opinion as.they were issuing special posters asking people to buy ■goods in New Zealand. Australia, and other parts of the Empire, they ought to have a special poster for the British Isles asking the public, to buy goods manufactured in the British Isles, and so give work to their working men. “I notice that an American writer who has been in England studying the economic position has formed the same impressiqn. as I have, and he sa.vs that the people of the British Isles must he more loyal to themselves and insist on getting and purchasing goods made in the BritNh .Isles.

ENGLAND PAYING HEB WAY

“I left England proud of my Motherland, realising how she suffered during the war, having most, of her skilled men disabled or killed and her industries all disorganised. 1 think it wonderful what she has done, mid is doing, to recover her trade and in spite of her losses and heavy taxation, is paying every penny she owes.

“I should like to pay a tribute to the good work that Sir James Parr and his staff are doing. .Just before I left London, though very husv. Sir James Parr went to the .Midlands and addressed. I think, nine meetings of business men on the importance of trading within the Empire, and I am told that the business men were much impressed with jus, arguments. As I understand, ilic people in the Midlands have for yea: s purchased Danish hotter, and are used to it. it is very important to Now Zealand to capture that market. I envoys found the High i.'ommisxionei and staff, though very hu\v. only too elnA to help New /edo i I “cs in any way possible,”

BUTTER FOR U.S.A.

PROSPECTS OF N.Z. TRAPT-

In reference to tin attitude oi the* American Government in regard to importations of butter Irom Australia and New Zealand, the Melbourne. •‘Argus” savs: ‘‘Although a fair quantity of New Zealand butter and relatively small supplies of Australian butter have at times been shipped to the United States, it is questionable whether the trade will expand to appreciable dimensions, unless it becomes imperative lor the United States to draw supplies from abroad. ‘‘As the policy of the United States is to conserve its home markets lor itself, it could he accepted that, it there were a large increase in shipments, tile tariff would be adjusted so that it would be practicably impossible lor New Zealand to compete, and the trade would probably come to an abrupt ending. Even with such a valuable customer as Canada, the United States has imposed some astonishing high duties, and, lor reasons of its own. the Canadian Government lias not retaliated.

burning stacks. MA XUI? US XOT J! US I’OX SI U!. E departmental advick.

The spectacle of haystacks going up in lire was a frequent cause ot concern in ttlie Auckland province last year. Many theories have been advanced by farmers to account lor the trouble, and officers ol the Agricultural Department have been engaged. on important investigations. 0 At a conference of officers the matter has .been exhaustively debated during the past few, days under the presidency of Mr. A. H._ Cockayne, director of the- fields division. In giving, the results of the investigation, Air*. T. H. Patterson, instructor in agriculture, said that one of the, causes suspected by some farmers was the use of phosphoric manures, and particularly of superphosphates. It had been proved.to the satisfaction ,of the Department that there was nothing in that theory. ■ “What happens in the case of fertilisers,” added .Mr. Patterson, “is that their use promotes heavier growth land denser crops. These are more difficult to dry. This applies more especially to clover. The trouble occurs in the making of the hay. We .arc not quite satisfied yet, and are continuing our investigations, but we believe that one of the main causes of trouble is that the hay is put into stack before it is ready.” ‘ s

In the old days, said Mr. Patterson, the farmers used forks after cutting, and handled the hay extensively. 'To-day the modern devices ol liay-sweeps gather up big quantities of material, which are speedily elevated on to the stacks. This tends to increase the risk of lire by spontaneous combustion. Last year there was a lot of rain during the hay season, as well as heavy crops, all oi which added to the liability of lire.

Notice lias been received, of the official test record of,the Guernsey cow. Brilliant Lassie,' who produced in 2190 days 40041 Lof butter-fat. This works out at an ‘average of 571 b ol butter-fat a month for .72 months or nn average of 6671 b of fat for six years’ test. .This'; was clone under farm conditions on twice a day milking. This is an American record. As yet there are, not many Guernseys under .test in Australia.