WINTER DAIRYING FOR DOMINION

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 26 August 1933, Page 7

WINTER DAIRYING FOR DOMINION

PROF. RIDDET SURVEYS PROSPECTS

Marketing, Economic and Social Advantages Claimed

“ A few years ago any suggestion of winter dairying would not be considered by even the most prominent dairymen or leaders in the industry—to-day it is being seriously considered bv manv and practised by a few,” said Professor W. Riddet, of Massey Agricultural College, in a paper entitled “The need for and problems concerned with wintei daiijing in New Zealand ” read before the conference of the New Zealand Grossland’Association at Christchurch.last week. “The probabilities and possibilities of the future, therefore,” said Professor Rid- “ rccpiire careful analysis, so that the nccessaiy assistance to farmers will be available before, if ever, the movement becomes widespread.”

At the moment, increased production was overshadowed by difficulties in the disposal of produce, said Professor Riddett. The imposition by importing countries first of high tariffs and later of quotas had made the marketing of produce difficult for exporting countries, and production was correspondingly wavering in the balance. Briefly, the position at the present time was that Britain used fully 400,000 tons of imported butter annually (407,100 tons in 1932) of which New Zealand supplied 26 per cent, and Australia 22 per cent. The British supply on the market was only about 27,000 tons annually, and the greater part of the remaining need was provided by Denmark. The New Zealand supply was essentially seasonal, as could be seen from the grading figures for the season ending July 31, 1932: — August 3.5 per cent., September 7 per cent., October 12.2 per cent., November 14.2 per cent., December 16.1 per cent., January 13.2 per cent., February Iff per cent., March 9.6 per cent., April 6.S per cent., May 4.6 per cent., June 1.7 per cent., July 1.1 per cent.

ing excessive damage which cun be mismanaged for some time without doreserves and naturHl impulses can be repaired 'by careful management, while, under corresponding lack of care, pasture is slow in recovering. “The fanners’ problem, therefore is the provision of feeds for periods of scarcity in an average season, and the maintenance of reserves for abnormal times. But itself this task is no simple one, but it is magnified many times over by four well-recognised, straightforward, farm management considerations, namely: .

(a) The utilisation of pasture at the optimum period of production, bearing in mind the depressing effect of growth on food value and the corresponding decrease in* bulk with short grazing. (b) Labour distribution difficulties attendant upon ‘rushed’ work. _ (c) The saving of pasture from pugging in wet weather and excessive defoliation, especially in winter and early spring. _ (d) The absolute need for dividing stock into separate mobs to ensure proper care. The two lastnamed arc extremely opposing practical factors.” GREATER RESERVE OF FEED. If an attempt were made to make production uniform, the date of calving of the cow, her management and her feed had to be. carefully considered. It was Immediately obvious that there was required a greater reserve of feed for the cow in full milk in winter. Assuming that the cow calved in April uilder the winter dairying scheme, and in August under the present system, there would be needed roughly twice as much feed for the months of May, June, and July. This excess need was partly offset by the lower needs in the low feed production period, February till early April, but it, could still be approximately estimated at 50 per cent, additional for the three winter months referred to. The date of calving must be such that, the cow would readily flush in production when grass recovered growth in spring. It was difficult to get the cow to do tms if her production was allowed to fall unduly in easly spring before growth recovered; indeed from experience in winter dairying in the Manawatu it could be said the hardest, period on the average to provide for was early July-early September.

COMPETITORS’ UNIFORM

PRODUCTION,

“"New Zealand is annually increasing her output, and consequently needs to extend her market range,” said Professor Riddet. “Meanwhile, the Dominion produce is mainly sold in the South of England, and the trade in the Midlands and the North is mainly held by Continental competitors. These competitors, especially Denmark, maintain fairly uniform production of produce throughout the year, and supply a product with a flavour different from that characteristic of the New Zealand product, but which deteriorates in long storage. Obviously, if New Zealand wants to extend her market she must, in addition to advertising the superior quality of her produce, follow, as far as practicable, the accepted practice of her competitors. There is room, also, for the belief that heavy production at peak periods has a depressing influence on market values because of the uncertainty of the future in the minds of buyers far from the market.

“As is well known, the Dairy Board very effectively overcomes the difficulty of uneven supply by regulating exports to suit market needs. This policy has probably been of very much greater advantage to the Dominion than is commonly realised during the recent years of rapid increase in production, but by itself it is doubtful whether it can cope with the future position if increased production continues. The figures show plainly that during the period of peak production there is already factory accommodation, plant, and storage room at ports to increase production by rather less than 100 per cent. if production throughout the season were-made uniform. Since peak production involves,- in some instances, temporary methods of utilising plant, it would be probably safer to estimate" that existing plant could deal with an additional increase of 80 per cent. Interest charges on plant would be thereby reduced by a proportional amount, ’ ’

FARM MANAGEMENT.

The subject of husbandry to suit winter dairying bristled with, many interesting and important problems. It brought sharply under review the present tendency to rely solely on permanent pasture and top-dressing. Temporary pastures, forage crops, and even root crops needed renewed consideration as sources of winter growing nourishment and rapid early spring growth to provide for the whole milking herd Q n the farm after some paddocks had been in use during wunter to sustain production. A suitable rotation of temporary crops was worthy of consideration to suit various districts and soils.

Other Important factors were involved. First, storage rates needed to be -paid on produce held over for shipment. Second, a severe strain -was imposed on the keeping qualities of the butter. Experience showed that it could stand up to this, but relief from strain would raise quality to even a higher level, because it was well known that any fat very gradually changed on long storage. Third, labour efficiency and unemployment were affected. While all factories have a nucleus permanent staff, there was a large floating population to cope with peak production. This lack of continuity of employment was inclined to inspire “work for wages and hours” rather than all-round efficiency. The factory as a unit thus lost that interest in- quality expected of the staff from the most junior to the most senior employee. The ranks of the unemployed were also swelled in periods of low production. PROBLEMS OF PRODUCTION. “The problem must now be viewed from the aspect of production,” said the speaker. “Pasture, in the form of fresh grass, hay, and ensilage, forms the greater part of the diet of the New Zealand dairy cow throughout the whole year. Unfortunately pasture production- is even more seasonal than dairy cow production. 'Still more important are the facts that first, cow production can be controlled independent of climate, while pasture Is preeminently dependent on weather, and second, the cow hv reason of her 'body

.“In my opinion, knowledge of factors affecting grass growth is too far ahead of the study of farm and stock management to utilise the growth, said Professor Riddet. “Much is to be gained by studying farms as a whole, correlating stock needs with ‘plant desirabilities’ and paddock utilisation with farm stock distribution. ,

“The advent of winter dairying would assist in avoiding stock ailments and breeding difficulties. . Iwould make possible the bringing into profit of heifers at two and a halt rears old, thereby strengthening the vigour of herds sometimes spoiled by bringing heifers into profit too. small or too young; it would solve the problem of the late calver and stripper; It would spread the mating period over a greater part of the year and thereby assist with sterility trouble. Finally, it would make more easily possible the all-year round supply of fat pigs with corresponding disposal and marketing advantages. “Winter dairying as a means o± evening up dairying production, has manv distinct marketing, economic, and "social advantages,” Professor Riddet concluded. “It needs careful consideration if New Zealand danymg is to be increased and Britain remains the principal market. The practice, however, -demands Careful Consideration in the light of methods of' husbandry. The gross cost would be higher, than seasonal costs, but it remains to be seen whether additional returns and reduced overhead costs would more than recover the extra expense.”