FARM AND STATION

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVI, Issue 96, 10 April 1926, Page 14

FARM AND STATION

PRIMARY PRODUCERS. | TNDER this heading we propose . dealing with matters of interest to sheep farmers, dairy farmers, agricultural farmers, orchardists and poultry farmers. It is intended to give a resume of the week'v stock and produce sales and prices ruling for produce; market prospects, seasonal notes, and all matters which mav tend towards the advancement of farming in New Zealand in general and Hawke’s Bay in particular. Notes oi matters of interest from any part ol the district, also queries regarding any matter concerning the producer’s business will be welcomed, and the latter answered to the best oi our ability. £ # # * THE DAIRY FARM. WINTERING DAIRY COWS. U is contended by the “old folks” that New Zealand’s seasons not inIrequentiy resemble the season experienced in England immediately preceding it. H there is any truth in this belief, we may surely look forward to something unusually severe when May conies along. This summer has been one of the worst from a growth point ot view that Hawke’s Bay lias experienced, lor many years, in fact no one seems to remember a. similar year since the summer of 1914-15. Those who have had waving green fields of lucerne as a stand-by have not been in such sore straits, hut there arc man v whose lucerne patch is a small one. and if the cows have oi necessity been fed during the summer on what should provide hay for the winter, the outlook is bad. There is. of course, still a prospect of rains during this month providing us with a fair growth, but that will ‘not supply stacks of hay for winter, and the wise dairy farmer will look about quietly for reserves of hay which the more fortunate may have for sale. Many, dairy farmers graze their dry cows on sheep-farmers’ hill properties during the winter, and thus spell their own land, but it is very questionable whether this is a profitable business. Firstly, the cows are put on entirely different country from that to which they arc used, with different quality of grass, no cover and little shelter. Frequently, if they survive the rigours of the winter, they are brought in about calving time low in condition and dejected in spirits, and little can be done with them until they are dosed with physic and bran mash for some weeks to tone up the weakened system.

How cows receiving this treatment can be expected to return a bumper cream cheque is known only to those who follow this procedure. As previously stated, “the wise man hath a stack (or several) oi' hay.” Sometimes it is impossible, i r too expensive to get unthreshed hay. Under these circumstances threshed hav can be made much more palatable and nourishing for the cattle if a bag o-r two of coarse salt is sprinkled through the stack as it is being built. Cattle will eat down to the bare ground butts ol old stacks treated in this manner, and do well on it. When hav is scarce and expensive, as there is a prospect of its being this ivinter, it will pay the farmer ten times over to build three or four moveable hay racks to stand round his fenced stack. Those can be quickly filled night and morning it necessary, and the saving will be tremendous as against letting the cattle pull at the stack and tread fifty per cent, of the fodder underfoot .

1 think I remember having read or heard somewhere that a cow-cover was as good as a feed a day. This may or may not be literally true, but the most casual enquiry will convince us that the food necessary to keep the uncovered animal warm during the cold winter days and nights must far exceed the cost of a cover, yet 1 see ninety per cent, of the dry cows shivering uncovered in the shelter of a wire fence for the winter months. It will pay you handsomely to put in that order for covers now while the banker is in a good humoui. Reverting to salt: If the practice suggested above of salting the hay stacks when building them has not been followed, it will be found that a few lumps of rock salt, medicated or plain, will help to keep the cows contented and healthy. Some very thorough farmers will no doubt supply their cows with concentrated nourishment in the form of linseed meal cake or nuts to supplement the mangolds and liny, but whatever course is followed the essential thing to remember is that next season’s cream cheque depends very largely on how the cows are wintered, and no effort should he spared to see that they are well fed. warmly rugged, and have dry sheltered sleeping quarters, in a plantation if possible, but failing that, at airate dry. One cannot expect heifers, however well bred, to make profitable dairy cows unless they are given every chance to develop during the first two years of their lives, and they, equally with the dry cows, need the best feeding and attention. 'lhe question, of keeping and bestowing care on unprofitable cows—ones with a low ( ream tost —is such a big one that it deserves treatment in an article bv itself, and what hints 'we can offer to the dairy farmer on home testing and its value we hope to embody in a future issue.

BABY BEEF. A cable of a few ago from Sydney gave the main points of an address by Dr. G. F. Findlay, at the Royal Show. He predicted that the price of beef, and beef cattle, would rise in the near future, reaching its peak within eight years, and thereafter fall owing to over-production. Further, he contended that tiio day of the big joint, “the foundation of the old English dinner,” was gone, and advised the beef breeders of to-day to concentre on the production* of small, compact, early maturing animals. It is sincerely to be hoped that the doctor is justified in his prediction regarding the increased demand for and consequent rise in price of beef, but judging by the continuously depressing reports reaching us from authoritative sources in England regarding present, and prospective over-supply, it is hard to see on what he bases his lorecast. To New Zealand farmers, and to North Island farmers in particular, the export price of beef is of immense importance. In the first place it is imperative that the farmer should carry a considerable number of cattle, as with understocking in this respect his country will rapidly deteriorate from a sheep grazing point of view. Being then compelled to carry large numbers of cattle, the question naturally arises: What class ot cattle will bes* pay the farmer? Usually it is contended that grown cattle —i.e., from three years of ago up—are the most valuable from the grazier’s point of view, as they will eat roughage and survive, under conditions that would seriously stunt, it not kill, growing cattle. If we are to follow the Doctor’s advice regarding the production of small joints from early maturing animals, it necessarily follows that we must first of all strive to standardise the class of cattle carried on our stations una farms, and from a review of the breeds at present available, it would seem that we in Now Zealand have something approaching his ideal in the Hereford, the Polled Angus, and th© cross resulting from these two breeds. Both breeds and the cross have the advantage of being hardy, compact, prolific and. fairly early maturing animals, and there are few localities where one or both of these breeds will not thrive. As the farmer requires grown cattle, it would seem essential that he should keep nothing but female stock, selling to the fattener each year at weaning the whole of his drop of calves with the exception of . a lew picked heifers for replacements. The fattener of beef would then need to concentrate on forcing this young stock, never allowing it to lie in other than first-class condition from the day he receives it from the breeder until, at between eighteen months and two years of age, it is killed and exported. A concentration on this class of • beef would, wo believe, firmly establish a preference lor New Zealand beef on the English and Continental markets, and would further benefit the fattening farmer in that he could export a greater number of smaller weight animals at a considerably better price per lb., and the breeder in that he could carry a greater proportion of cows in his herd and find a ready and profitable market yearly for his weaners. A policy of producing baby beet would necessitate considerable changes in the fattening methods at present adopted, but these changes —the growing and rack-feeding of lucerne, clover, and other rich fodders .and the use of ensilage and concentrated foods in winter—must come in any case if the owner of high-priced land is to pay interest and taxes and survive. In our opinion, a trial consignment of baby beef, branded and advertised in England as such, would open up a market of immense value to New Zealand.

* rj. if. SHELTERING ORCHARDS. When one reads of the losses occasioned the unfortunate orchardists as a result of the gale which swept over Hawke’s Bay early this fruit season, it makes one wonder if no means can be found of minimising the hiss. Judging by a casual look round the district, it would appear that when the orchardist has planted a closelypacked line of poplars which effectively keep the sun off and sour a considerable area of his own or his neighbour’s orchard, he considers all that is humanly possible has been done to protect his fruit crop from the gales which so frequently visit us. and murmuring “Kismet,” or whatever is the orchardist’s equivalent, thereupon prepares for the worst. AUSTRALIAN CONDITIONS Of course, he may be perfectly justified, and probably is, in considering ill at everything possible has been done, but 1 cannot help remembering some orchards 1 visited many years ago, nestling in the foothills of the Grampian Mountains, in Yictoria.

In that district, possibly owing to the adjacent mountain range, sudden wind storms, fierce, though of short duration, were not uncommon. It is, in fact, from a Victorian point of view, a windy locality, hut certainly not so subject to gales as our own Hawke’s Bay. It was not nearly so necessary to protect the fruit from wind there as Here, and yet elaborate precautions were taken bv the orchardists to ensure that the winds of chance would not in on blow rob them of tlie year’s profits. The major it y of the orchards were considerable greater in area than our local farms, hence what ’ may have been possible there might not be of advantage here; 1 merely state what they did. BREAK WINDS. First, round the boundary of the orchard, on the sides from which tlie prevailing winds blew—say west and south —a belt of closely set almonds was planted. These had the advantage, besides providing a good breakwind in summer, of returning a profitable crop. Inside these almonds was planted a close row—or two rows —of lemons, which flourished in that district, and the whole orchard was further sub-divided by rows, or rather hedges, of lemons, at compartively short distances, which effectively broke up any wind which might penetrate the boundary breakwind, the growers being ol opinion that single breaks were useless. SUPPORT POLES. Further, in the centre of every tree in bearing in those orchards was put a light pole, varying in length according to the size of the tree. Supported by a length ot hinder twine or light rope from the top of this pole each branch could be pulled

into such a position that it did not swing and thrash against its neighbours, and further th 4 tendency for the tree to spread and the branches to break with the weight of fruit was obviated. The poles did not in any way interfere with cultivation, being close in to the stock of the tree, and could be left in position throughout the year if desired. Perhaps the climatic conditions in Hawke’s Bay are not suitable for lemons and almonds, but other densely growing fruits might be used as breaks, and with abundance of poplar and manuka poles to bo procured cheaply, it might be worth while trying the tying-up idea just L in case we have another big blow next season. CURING LEMONS. Talking of lemons reminds me that one orchardist in Victoria told me that he made almost as much out of his breakwinds (lemons and almonds) as he made out of his apples. Tlie almonds, when ripe, were beaten down with long bamboo poles into sheets spread beneath the tree, and thus cheaply harvested, while the lemons, picked as they ripened, were sweated in houses cheaply construsted with tarred felt roofs, and canvas walls which could be hauled up or down to regulate the temperature, until the lemon skins w’ere quite thin and the fruit of the correct acidity. They were then marketed in Australia and New Zealand as the best imported article. Is it not possible that those of our fruitgrowers who can successfully grow' this valuable fruit might similarly prepare their lemons for market and so secure the highest prices available? DISADVANTAGES COUNTERBALANCED. 1 know r that some growers contend that windbreaks of any sort are more hannlul to orchards than beneficial, in that they interfere with the natural circulation of th© air and hence encourage late frosts, also that they frequently form harbourages for insect and bird pests, but believing that the consensus of opinion is in 4 favour of windbreaks, we advoente/j a comparatively low-growing dens<»\ break which can be planted in 'lieu oi a row oi iruit trees at regular intervals through the orchard. A shelter from which profit can be derived is naturally to be preferred, and the multiplication of rows of shelter trees will be no detriment to the orchard provided they are not so high as to shade any considerable area from the beneficial and sweetening effect of the sun. * * ♦ * - WHAT THE “SUNDOWNER” HEARS. A Puketapu farmer complains bitterly that the little growth of feed induced by the showers of some tune ago has now quite ceased, and tne sheep are again sitting round waiting for unwary blades to peep through. * * « The settlers on the Te Mahanga sub-division are finding that except where the country is over* stocked, the sheep are keeping their condition wonderfully. As a matter of fact, that country seems to do stock remarkably well so long as they have access to water, and in the winter of 1915, succeeding the drought of that year, a great deal of that country carried four and even five ewes in lamb, to the acre on grass, and they were fat at lambing time. * * * Butchers are not paying overmuch for beef at present, but indications point to their having somewhat of a scramble to buy fats in this district L during the coming winter. The trouble is that farmers who are lucky enough to have cattle fat now, must get rid of them to make room for the remaining stores, and cannot afford as in other years to hang on to them until the prices harden. * * * It i s a great boou. to the settlers at Sherenden, Mangatahi, and other districts some distance back from tho works to bo able to get small drafts of lambs away per motor lorry, and so save the wastage of weight inseparable from driving them a long journey on the road in weather such as we are exiieriencing. Each day, two and three-decker lorries can be seen going back and forth with their freight to the Various freezing works, and only the drovers growl. * * * This is a great year for burning rough, ferny back country, and large areas along the Inland Patea road have had a very clean sweep made of them. It is to lie hoped the owners are sufficiently far-seeing to have sown the areas so treated with suitable hardy grasses, or the result will probably be merely a new crop of scrub and fern to replace the old. and so much good humus and plant food will have gone up in smoke.

The country lying back towards the hills has recently acquired quite a green tinge, and favoured with passing mists and showers which never reach Hastings the growth is kept going, but the stock are .sufficiently numerous and enterprising to see that little of it gets away. * * * One or two of the farmers at Sherinden and Otamauii were enterprising enough to top-dress some of their country early this spring, ana the wonderful result from even one application of 1| cwt. of super per acre is verv evident. In snite of the sheep favouring this top-aressed land the deep green, strong growth where the country has been treated stands out from the surrounding grass land, and it is very evident it responds much more quickly to conditions favouring growth. It is rather remarkable that with th© experience of the Waikato as a guide, every Hawke’s Bay fanner on th© lighter class of land has not been top-dressing for the past five years. We learn from one who has tried the breed on the hill country of Hawke’s Bav that the cross Romney ewes and Corriedale rams produces a wonderfully hardy, well woolled. well shaped sheep. This cross, it the progeny can be kept true to type, should prove a most valuable one on areas of our country winch are not suited to the Romney-Lincoln cross. One owner of heavy land on the Hastings Hats tells its that though his paddocks are bare, his sheep are keeping in great fettle chasing and eating the autumn leaves as they blow down from the poplars. lhe moral is—Grow more poplars. Mr E Averill, manager of Olrig Station. ’ well known in Farmers Union circles and as a man whotakes an active interest in all matters likely to benefit the man on the land in Hawke’s Bay, leaves Hastings on Monday next with Mrs. Averill for a six months’ trip to England. It is to be hoped his tour wfl embrace countries where he cam glean information of advanced methods of farming which on his return will be passed on to the benefit of local primary producers. * * * 'Hie average cow requires ten tons of grass or its equivalent to maintain itself during the year. Every ton of fodder consumed in excess of this is capable of producing some 301bs. of butter-fat. Some cows, however, use this surplus food to build up r reserve of fat instead of producin butter-fat. and these can onlv bi detected with certainty by her testing.