FARM AND DAIRY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 2 August 1918, Page 2

FARM AND DAIRY.

NOTES AND COMMENTS

I An attempt is being made to still fur- [ ther improve pig-breeding in Denmark J by means of a method of testing the oft- ' spring of the stud animals at th© varij ous breeding centres. An average of i two pigs from each selected sow is sent | annually to the experiment station ot I the breeding centre, and f rom the per- : f ormance of these pigs facts are ascer- | tamed as to age at which killing weight lis attained, the food units required to I produce a given weight, and the quality of the bacon. These results are made : the basis of selection of the stud ani- | mals, those being preferred whose de- ' scendants have shown the highest de- ; gree of thriftiness and growth and have ■ produced the best bacon. j The lied Poll breed of cattle is now coming very much into favor in New South Wales. At a meeting of the Albury and Border P., A., and H. Society Mr Lionel C. Griffith suggested a section for this hornless breed, and donated £5 os towards the prizes, and also stated that Mrs A. W. Watson, ot Gpi-ogiri'v East, and Mr M. Mulqueeny, of "Wodonga, had each donated a similar sum. Tho committee warmly adopted the suggestion, and five classes were subsequently drawn up. There are now a number of lied Poll breeders in the district, Mr Lionel Griffith having a herd of several hundred on his Toonallook property. The Ayrshire breed has lost one of its greatest representatives in the death of Jean Armour 3rd. On official test, as a two-year-old, she gave 14,9871b of milk and 599.91b of butter-fat; as a senior three-year-old she made a world's record of 21.9381b of milk and 859.351b of butter-fat. Ayrshire breeders were looking forward to this cow possibly holding the world's record for all breeds. Feeding young pigs three or four times a day at first is good business. Small amounts of food that will be cleaned up quickly, and feeding at frequent intervals, are highly important. The pig-feeder has a wide choice of feeds after th 6 pigs are started. With roots and forage for succulence anltl a variety of grains with mineral matter, they will thrive if ke^it sanitary. .

— I A note of warning m respect to riv- ' airy in the dairying industry that would come from Australia in the future was sounded by Mr H. E. Pacey recently. He said that it was claimed that Queensland manufactured butter as good as any in the world, and certainly the best in the Antipodes. He felt justified in saying that lie had no ambition for changing places with them so far as factories and equipment Mere concerned. He saw on© or two that were up to date, but the majority were deplorably out of date. They' were, however, awakening to the necessity of pasteurisation and modern methods. In New South Wales, however, they had don© wonders during Lhe past two" years by adopting modern methods; and" now 5 per cent, only of the output was classed se.cond grade, as compared with 50 per cent, a few years ago. There had ! been marvellous improvement,• and New : South Wales dairy farmers were intent ;on further improvement. New Zealand I would have to look for rivalry from that quarter in the future. The n«.'C€?sity for care would have to be understood iby the farmer as well as in the facI tories.