FARM and DAIRY

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 27 March 1926, Page 14

FARM and DAIRY

NOTES BY THE WAY. “Easy farming” is a term used by :i, man of great experience recently in his advice to farmers. He was urging the wisdom of restricting then* efforts to getting their pastures into good heart and keeping them so, instead of going in for intensive methods of cropping. While it is not always possible, there is certainly something to be said in favour of that advice, for the difficulty of getting labour is very marked nowadays. It also would tend to get a man. to restrict the area of his farm, using hay and ensilage made from grass. He urged the regular use of the mower to keep the pastures from getting rank, and incidentally providing material for ensilage. The cow shown by Mr J. Nicolson 1 at Otakeho, which gained first in the grade dairy cow class, was dam of Aster's Diamond King, which was sent to Australia, to go to the Government Experimental Farm. At the Sydney Royal Show that year she gained first place in a- class of twenty-seven. A reader of farmers’ columns in the Australian papers saw that, for animals blown on turnips, Stockholm tar rubbed on the animals nose was almost a sure remedy, especially if combined with a stick in the animal’s mouth. The remedy is really oue of the oldest with the object of breaking the wind, and it was explained that anything which would do that would always cure. It has been stated, however, and this point was made some time ago by a very successful dairyfarmer, that if cows were well fed and kept, satisfied they would never blew on any such fodder, simply because they would not gorge. This farmer, said lie had put his cows into lucerne or any other such fodder for hours at a time and left them there, and no serious effects followed. They ate a little and lav down contented.

The rain this week has been very acceptable and has freshened up tlie country wonderfully. Tt is pretty certain that it is quite too late to expect, a recovery, and the statement, that they are holding as well as or even better than expected will be very good news.

“Do you believe in clipping?” said a. questioner to Mr Lepper the other day at Auroa. “Yes,’’ was the reply, “provided it is done by" a capable man.”

“Criticising is good for trade,” said a leading judge demonstrator the other day when urging spectators to “(get in and try to upset him” on his decisions.

A Friesian cow, Welwyn Beauty, belonging to Mr A. H. Taylor, of Ivainiiro, Inglewood, in her first month after calving this season, produced, under ordinary farm conditions, milking three times daily, no less than 921 b of butter-fat under the Herd-Testing Association rules.

Talking of the escutcheon, a leading breeder judge said that he looked on .that as an indication of what the udder back, catch was likely to be. They wished the udder to bo as high up behind as was possible. / • A report in a recent Yorkshire /paper records such a plague .of foxes, ravaging hen roosts in some country districts, that a. fox hunt was suggested or the Colne Valley foxhounds. There would appear to be substantial profits in by-products hitherto not considered in farming in this district (writes the" Auckland Star’s Mn.tamata " correspondent). Two young fellows recently earned £SB 16s within three weeks by trapping rabbits on a Peria’ (Matamata) farm, selling the carcasses as well as the skins. So remunerative did the business pan our that they have offered £25. to another farmer in the locality for the trapping rights of his property for the season.

No fewer than 2000 electric motors for driving milking plants are in operation in the Waikato. Tlie .same varieties .of wheat differ fairly widely in appearance when grown in different environments. The prospects for fat lamb breeders are again extremely" good, and remunerative prices are assured. The most common disease of calves and the one giving the most trouble in calf-raising is seours or diarrhoea. Lucerne requires ,a- fine but firm seed bed, consequently the land should be well ; consolidated with tlie Cambridge roller. An English correspondent say's that during the past twelve months there has been a great demand from all, over the world for Southdown sheep. It is impossible to follow definite rules in the curing of hay, as the weather prevailing at the time of haymaking lias a direct influence on the procedure.

Top-dressing trials on permanent pastures show an increase- in the yield of hay of 30 : per cent, on which rock phosphate at 3cwt.' per acre was used.

Crops grown, on inadequately drained land are placed, at, an insurmountable disadvantage from the time of sowing the seed until the harvesting of a poor vield. I

Careless or improper methods of curing lucerne or clover hay may result in a loss of as much as 50 percent,. of the prop, the leaves being the principal source of loss.

A fact that is usually lost sight of in pig-feeding is that the pig is ns much a grass-eating animal as the ox or the' horse, and it is not natural to deprive it of this valuable aid to- digestion. Rape and Italian rye grass is a mixture that lias become very popular among many farmers of late, and the merits of such a. mixture warrant its position in the rotation of forage crops.

The dairy' farmers in Ireland do not only' recognise tlie value and importance of a good bull in the dairv herd, but have taken drastic steps to realise the benefits which are obtainable in this direction. . *

To-day it is the reading farmer, who exercises his intelligence and applies his knowledge, that is making the most out- of his business, and opening up possibilities of rural husbandry that were not contemplated y r oars ago. Well-rotted farmvin.rd manure is the most valuable of fertilisers, and it is astonishing how farmers often neglect to conserve it. Such manure combines the essential elements in tlie promotion of plant growth, and tlie indispensable organic matter.

Denmark is universallv recognised as the leading agricultural country, by reason of tlie high development of its methods of utilising tlie land and the advanced system of education which is associated with agriculture. Tlie foundation of its success lias been the freehold tenure.

Tlie value of lucerne lias been recognised by many dnirvmen in the Te A warnutu district. Indeed, on some farms the lucerne paddock is recognised as the most important part of the property, and the owner lokos after it well, cutting the crop at the right time and applying lime dressings.

It is in the investigation of the problems of the correct feeding of animals that institutions such as the HarperAdams Agricultural College are of. the greatest value to the live stock owner At that college it has been demonstrated that ehou moellier is a, plant that may well be prominent where cattle and sheep are reared apd pigs fattened. On a dairy farm its dominance should be assured among all the crops that are cultivated for the maintenance of the full capacity of the cow in milk. ,

CHOU MOELLIER.

A VALUABLE CROP

GREAT MINERAL CONTENT

During the past few weeks I have had several inquiries from farmers about cliou moellier as a supplementary crop for dairy cattle. A few particulars. about this crop, which is increasing, in favour, should .be of interest to Otago dairymen and graziers. In these day's the mineral content of stock food is receiving special attention. It is a well-established, fact that the deficiency of certain mineral constituents in the herbage of the pasture, or in tlie ration that is supplied is unmistakably manifested in the arrested growth of the young animal, the weakness of. he bony structure of the adult, and in the cow there is the lessening of the milk production for the season. The first claim for the preference for chou moellier is its content of 20 per cent, of lime and 12; per cent, of phosphoric acid. That content is better appreciated if it is compared with swedes. That- plant has but 9 per cent, of lime, and the same percentage of phosphoric acid. Of dry matter cliou moellier lias 15 per cent, and 2,1 per cent, of protein. The swede has 11 per cent, of the first and 1.1 of tlie second. The residual ash of chou moellier ia 1.9 per cent, as compared with 1 per cent, of the swede. In earlier years when the value of a crops was measured by its bulk, preference was given to other members of the group of kales, such as the thousand headed, the Jersey tree kale, find buda kale, but tests have shown- that in actual trials ehou moellier fed. stock lead. At the Ilarper-Adams College it is shown that a crop of 40 tons of this kale can be grown at a less cost per acre than a 20-ton crop of swedes. Chou moellier has the great advantage over swedes, turnips, and other kales, for it has not so great an effect in imparting an undesirable odour and flavour to the milk and its products. Let it not be understood that cliou

moellier does not impart a flavour or odour to milk, for it does so, but in a far less measure than the plants that have been mentioned. Actually chou moellier- fed with discretion to the cow has so small an effect that its in iluence on the milk is not to be recognised.

This plant is already in appreciation in several districts of New Zealand. Its value is becoming more . widely known. To those who nmv have the intention to try' this crop, it is recommended to sow lightly' at the rate of from 10 to 14 ounces of seed to the acre, the ridges to be. 28 inches-’apart. The manurial 'dressing may be as liberal as possible, not less than 3cwt of superphosphate,' lewt of sulphate of potash and lewt nitrate of soda. This may' appear somewhat excessive, but the weli-niantired crop grows well and tlie quality- is maintained. It, is assured that the dairy farmer will appreciate some few acres of chou moellier for the maintenance of the milk production of his herd. ITS MINERAL CONTENTS. In these days the mineral content of the food of the domestic animals of the farm is receiving special attention at the hands of the investigator who is interested in the many problems that are associated with animal nutrition. It is a well-established fact that the deficiency of certain mineral constituents in the herbage of the pasture or in the ration that is supplied is unmistakably" manifested in the arrested growth of the young animal, the weakness of the' bony structure of the adult, and in the cow there is the lessening of the milk production for the season.

The addition to the ration of steamed bone flour to supply the deficiency of phosphorus and lime has been recommended and adopted with a certain measure of success. It is, however, not altogether assured that the direct addition of minerals is in the best interests of the animal. It is simply a medicinal treatment. The nutrition of the animal comes through' the natural feed, and that is from the plant. It is in the investigation ,of the problems of the correct feeding of animals that institutions as the HarperAdams Agricultural College are of the greatest value to the live stock owneT. At that college it has been demonstrated that Chou moellier is -a plant that may well he prominent where cattle and sheen are' reared and pigs fattened. -On 'the dairy- farm its dominance should he assured among the crons that are cultivated for the maintenance of the full capacity of the cows in milk.

The first claim for the preference for Chou moellier is its content of 20 per cent of lime and 12 per cent of phosphoric acid. That content , is better appreciated if it is compared with swedes. That plant has but 9 per cent of lime, and the same percentage of phosnhoric acid. Of dry matter Chou moellier has 15 per cent and 2J per

cent of protein. The swede has 11 per cent of the first and 1.1 of the second. The residual ash of Chou moellier is 1.9 per cent as compared with 1 per cent of the swede.

In earlier years when the value of a crop was measured in its bulk, preference was given to other members of the group of Kales, such as the thousand headed, the Jersey tree kale and Buda kale, but tests have shown that in actual trials Chou moellier fed stock lead. At the Harper-Adams College it is shown that a crop of 40 tons ot this kale can he grown at a less cost per acre than a 20 tons crop of swedes.

Chou moellier has the great advantage over swedes, turnips and other kales, for it has not so great an e'fEect m imparting an undesirable odour and flavour to the milk and its products. Let it not be understood that Chou moelleir does not impart a flavour or odour to milk, for'it does so, hut in a far less measure than the plants that have been mentioned. Actually Chou Imoellier fed with discretion to the cow !has so small an odour that its influence on the milk is not to be recognised.

This plant is already in appreciation in several districts of New Zealand. Its value is becoming more widely known. To those who may have the intention to try this crop, it is recommended to sow lightly at the rate of from 10 to 14 ounces of seed to the acre, the ridges to be 28 inches apart. The manurial dressing may' he as liberal as possible, not less hail 3cwt of superphosphate, lewt sulphate of potash, and lewt nitrate of soda. This may appear somewhat excessive, but the well-manured crop grows well and the quality" is maintained. It is assured that the dairy farmer will appreciate some few acres of Chou moellier for the maintenance of the milk production of his herd.

FARMERS FEAR FOR SAFETY OF CROPS. The Thames is rising rapidly in Windsor and Sudbury, after twenty-two days of rain in the Thame's Valley. The river Wey" is contributing volumes of, water to Shepperton. Fiften rural districts are alarmed, and the farmers fear for the snfety r of their stock and crops. A large part of England is under water. The floods in some portions of the country exceed those of .-January. Virtually every river in the midland and southern sections has overflowed its banks. Many thousands of acres of low-lying land and -parts of several towns are flooded, stopping stfeet car traffic. The weather indications eon-’ tinue to bo for rain. SCRUB BULLS. The abject of “scrub bulls” was dis cussed at some length at the last meeting of the council of Friesian Breeders in Wellington, at which Taranaki was

represented by Mr B. J. Marehant, 'ctf Cardiff. 4 • ' I: Mr J. McAnulty urged the association to ask the Government to provide legislation making it illegal to use “scrub bulls.” Mr E. M. North wrote on the same subject. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr J. McAnulty, seconded by Mr Jas Hart, to write to the other dairy breed associations asking them to take part in a conference at Palmerston North in June, during Winter Show week, to discuss the matter thoroughly.—The secretary was instructed to ascertain what action was being taken in other countries—lreland, Denmark and Canada—end to estimate the number of pedigree Friesian bull calves slaughtered each year. It was resolved to appoint a subcommittee, Messrs W. E. A. Gill, D. Dickie and the secretary, to make recommendations regarding revision of lilies. ’

MENACE OF RAGWORT. COUNTY COUNCIL URGES ATTENTION. Writing to the Waipa County Council the New Zealand Farmers’ Union at Cambridge urged the council to support representations to have ragwort declared a first schedule noxious weed, and also to have all Crown lands cleared of this weed, which is fast becoming a worse menace in the#;Waikato than blackberry. Local bodies were umed to employ the services of their inspjtetors in having this weed pulled -djuul burned. The chairman, Mr D. S. Reed, said this was a very serious question. It was being kept quiet, but it was pretty Well certain that sheep were dying by the hundreds. It would be well to recognise the danger of this weed, which was making such an alarming spread. He did not know about Crown lands, but on general principles the representations of the Farmers’ Union should be supported. This it was decided to do.

FRIESIAN BREEDERS.. ANNUAL MEETING. The next annual meeting of Friesian breeders will be held at Palmerston North on Thursday, June, 17. The Auckland branch have protested against the early date on which it was proposed to hold the next Royal Show in Auckland, and asked that the council should protest to the Royal Society. The Auckland branch ' expressed the opinion that Royal Shoves should be held in the autumn. —It was resolved by last meeting of the council to support the protest and to send copies of the Auckland branch’s letter to the Royal Society and to the Auckland A. and P. Association.