INTENSIVE DAIRYING

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 16 August 1929, Page 8

INTENSIVE DAIRYING

HIGH PER ACRE RETURNS.

HEAVY TOP-DRESSING.

It is now accepted that economic success in dairying must be judged by production per acre. The main contributing factors to this are subdivision, rotational grazing, top-dressing, harrowing, production per cow and judicious herd management. Of these, subdivision, top-dressing and production per <ow are of first importance, but it is principally top-dressing that is the means of building up pastures so that flicv can maintain high-producing cows.

YIELD WORTH £24- PER ACRE.

An instance of the judicious combination of the above-mentioned factors in which many and frequent dressings of phosphates particularly superphosphates —in late spring played an important part, is a 50-acre farm near Te A roll a.

The yield of butterfat per acre has steadily increased until during last season the production from 38 cows on 50 acres reached 214 lb. of fat per acre. This return, valued at 1/6 per lb, gave £l(s Is. per acre gross return. Again we have the example of a 25-acre farm in the vicinity of Papatoetoe, Auckland, which is carrying 24 cows, 1 bull and 1 pony, together with 15 calves, during the season. The yield of fat from this farm last season worked out at 326 lb. per acre, worth £24 9s. per acre. In this case the main factor producing this result was heavy top-dressing. Fertilisers, principally superphosphate, were used liberally, the amount per acre being well over 5 ewt. The possibilities of intensive dairying on smaller areas is thus well demonstrated.

BUILDING UP THE PASTURES.

While good farm management antf high-producing cows are necessary, it is undoubtedly the gradual building up of pastures by top-dressing and harrowing that makes it possible to carry on comparatively small areas a herd sufficiently large and productive to support: a family in comfort. Heavy and frequent top-dressing with phosphatici fertilisers, of which superphosphate is the most important, is the means by which these smaller aroas may be made the envy of the more extensive dairy tanner.