NOTES AND COMMENTS,

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 15 April 1922, Page 3

NOTES AND COMMENTS,

A very good performance of a two-year-oid Ayrshire heiter is to hand in the case of Leura of JtJurnbrae (584i5), owned by Messrs Sadler Bros., or .Noorat. Sho has just completed her first lactation period under the Government herd test, witn 70101b. of milk in 273 test, and 3^slb. of butter-fat in 273 days. She is by Bonny King of Gowrie Park ex Lady Louie of View Point, a cow which last year gave 90501b. and 3761b. of butter-fat, finishing her nine months' test with 321b. of milk the last day. Her daughter also holds well to her milk, as her last day in this test resulted in 21$lb. of milk. Messrs Sadler Bros, are at present using another Gowrie Park bull in their stud, viz., Bird'.vood of Gowrie Park, a bull which has great producers of good testing milk both on sire and dam's side.

Dairying is carried on throughout the entire year, which is only rendered pos. sible by growing the necessary feed, says a country correspondent in the Australasian. In times of depression, such, as dairymen are now experiencing, the wisdom of this policy is strikingly apparent, lteally good animals are a more valuable asset to-day than probably at any other period in the history of dairying.

"A dairyman cannot afford to persist with low-yielding cows," says a practical Victorian farmer, "more particularly if he is working a limited area of high-priced land." His dictum is that "it pays to feed good cows well," and he finds that they respond to this and to the close attention that is given to their treatment. The cows at The Willows are never allowed to become low in condition. When they calve they "come to their milk" straight away, and continue to yield well until the time arrives to dry them off. By this system of management dairying, even when butter-fat is at a low price, may be made to return a profit. Good advice for all farmers.

AVriting in February from Struan, near ..Glasgow^ a, correspondent told a friend in Hawera that, although prices were not down to pre-war standard, most things _\vere a good deal cheaper. New Zealand butter could be bought at Is 6d per lb: Canterbury lanfb at Is 4d per gigot. He considered that New Zealand was better than Danish butter 1, and they were getting into the habit, now' that New Zealand was readily obtainable, of asking for it regularly.

Once more a Canadian cow has broken all records for milk and buttejr production. Dekal*P,lus Segis Dixie, a Molstein owned by , Douat Raymond, at Vaudreuil, a few miles from , Montreal, during 1921 produced.32,66B pounds of milk, which in turn yielded !'39.98 pounds of butter. This milk a.id butter production, -which are resp actively 2000 pounds and 107 pounds in excess of the world's previous records, bears the endorsation of the chief inspector and the livestock commissioner for the province. <

A cow's production, especially of fat, may be increased by having her calve in good condition. The dairy temperament of a cow impels her to draw o» her body and put it into milk. Now, if she has not some fat stored apnn her body she cannot put it into the pail. It is apparent, therefore, that the cows which *>are to calve at the opening of the next new season should be fed as well as the mow, the bin, and the pocket-book will permit. .

Eighty-two ccxws in the Victorian Government tests have given over 1000 gallons of milk in 273 days, say 6an Australasian country correspondent, j Only 22 have given over 5001b. of but-ter-fat in that time, viz., 10 Jerseys. I nine Ayrshires, two Friesians, one Red Poll. Friesian tests run from 4.75 down to 2.97; Friesian tests run from 5.28 down to 3.51; Jersey tests run from 6.26 down to 4.12. Some cows of both Ayrshire and Jersey breeds have given over 5501b or butter-fat from 10,0001b of milk; while other lower testing cattle have given less than 3501b. of but-ter-fat from the 1000 gallons. Facts such as these point out the necessity for farmers having their cows tested. I The big milker is very often a .low j tester, and those which combine a big milk flow with a.good test are particularly valuable as breeding stock.. The ! average butter-fat test of- the 853 Jer- i sey cows and heifers tested during the ' past three years js 5.40 per cent. This ' is the class of dairy stock which the dairy farmers should buy his bull from, ' so as to increase his income. j

Everyone seems agreed that increased quality and decreased cost of produc- 1 tion are the two watchwords in the I agricultural world at present. Have I you mapped out any course to meet this situation and thus compete successfully on both the home and foreign ! market?- Are you preparing to ship \ oifiy cream and milk that is in Al con- j dition to the creamery or factory? Are you faking steps to make fewer cows ' produce as much milk or cream as your herd now does, by introducing better ' blooct and feeding ? Or, in the case of beef cattle, to jproducev steers possessing ffior© quality and finish? Market conditions should inSuerice your plans! very greatly, because, no nlatfei 1 what personal opinions you may hold, you can't buck the market. The individual I who would prosper must simply fall i into" line like a good little boy and ', cater to the demands of the trade. j Too many turnips should not be fed . to the in-lamb ewes, as too succulent a ration is apt to produce soft, flabby lambs. If the ewes are a little thin they should be fed a couple of pounds of grain perday for two or three weeks before lambing.