INCREASED PRODUCTION

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 53, Issue 32430, 12 May 1944, Page 5

INCREASED PRODUCTION

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —The butterfat production figures given by a Netherton farmer in your issue of May 1 are extremely interesting. On farms given to straight out dairying- in this locality, per acre butterfat production ranges mainly from 120 to 200 lb. This range could be set out as follows: High, 160-2loolb. fat per acre, medium 160-1201 b. fat per acre, low, 120-801 b. fat per. acre. The average would doubtless come in the 120-1601 b. group. High per acre production is usually correlated with high herd average production, abundant pasturage and reserves of hay, ensilage and/or supplementary crops. Rigorous culling is, of course, necessary to maintain and improve on this high standard. The matter of culling low production cows may be somewhat in abeyance this coming season. It would seem of the utmost importance,-there, fore, to plan and prepare for an bundance of food reserves. The autumn has been kindly and a good winter seems assured. The shutting up of special paddocks for spring reserves should be intensified wherever possible.

The .weak points in our feed position are usually late spring and autmun months. It is getting rathex- late for autumn sown crops foi’ spring feeding-, but the present is an ideal time for ploughing fox* the springsown crops. A deep ploughing now to catch .the abundant winter rainfall and weathex’ undex* the frosts is good farming practice. This also allows early cultivation in the spring and the early sowing of crops such as soft turnips and maize.

'Pre-war abundance of artificial fertiliser allowed the dairy farmer to build up a purely grassland farming practice, , second to'hone in the world. Now, however, seasonal abundance is hardly obtainable without supplementary crops. Fertilisers for these is available. My contention is that a return to some cropping programme seems essential until such time as fertilisers are again plentiful. Most of

the above points have been raised in the Press from time to time. If farmers, generally agree with the above contention there should be no. great lack of implements and horses to put a cropping programme under way. Co-operation among farmers will see the thing through, as witness the fine team spirit shown by farmers in E.P.S. and iHome 'Guard units." I gratefully acknowledge the loan of a horse and implement to complete my'- autumn cropping programme and feel sure that no farmer would see his neighbour stuck for either. All farming organisations are keen to see dairying production rise sharply. That can be best implemented by raising the two lower production groups. The high-production farmer is usually well able to maintain and even increase his standards. If some such scheme were, considered along the right lines, a drive to put it into more universal practice should not be impossible. The Press in the country districts has always risen to similar occasions and can be counted upon to assist in every way.—l am, etc., “PEG AW AY.”Tirohia, 4:5:44.