MASSEY COLLEGE FARM

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 9, 8 December 1932, Page 8

MASSEY COLLEGE FARM

REPORTS ON ACTIVITIES. Reports upon past two months’ activities were submitted to-day to a meeting of the Massey College Council over which Hon. Sir George Fowlds presided. The report of the principal (Professor If. S. Peren) stated: “With the increased number of Tstudents working on the farm it has been necessary to adopt a roster for farm duties. Each week two men go with the shepherd, two into the milking shed, one to the pigs and two with the carpenter. The remainder go with the farm foreman for general farm work such as cropping, silage, hay-making, etc. During the period under review the general farm staff has completed the ploughing for swedes, sown mangolds, cliou moellier, soft turnips, a part of the swedes, and a hew paddock of lucerne and has made a considerable acreage of ensilage. The last stack of last vear’s oats has been cut into horse feed. With the exception of one acre of mangolds which has been resown a good ‘take’ has been secured with all the spring crops. The work as a whole is well in hand in spite of the very much greater acreage of crops and silage. The bulk of the latter has now been harvested and a commencement has been made with the hay. In spite of the rather .‘growthy weather the lambs have done well. A fair percentage arc already fat and ready to go to the works. The beef cattle are all looking well, and as a result of two paddocks being shut up for hay have proved sufficient in number to' keep the pastures in reasonable order. Post-and-rail wings have been erected on the southern side of the bridge over the Tiritea stream. This became necessary as the cattle broke down the old temporary wings made of netting.” The Dean of Dairying (Professor W. Riddet) reported “Throughout October and the first half of November pasture grew luxuriantly on the dairy farm. Thus, besides providing sufficient grass for the milking herd and dry .stock, it was possible to make ample provision of hay and ensilage for winter use. During the past ten days, however, frequent drying winds have checked pasture growth; and at the present time there is a tendency for grasses, especially on the lighter land, to run to ear somewhat prematurely. A few paddocks already have been topped, others requiring it are being similarly treated as time permits. "Ensilage has been made by the general farm staff from 19 acres pasture, 3| acres lucerne, and 5 acres forage crops. Three acres of pasture and a second cut of lucerne remain to be made into ensilage. Some 48 acres of grass have been laid up for hay; and there are approximately 6 acres of accretion sown in oats and tares for hay. Additional winter feed is provided by 3 acres of yellow and soft turnips and 2 acres Ewedes and approximately 3 acres of mangels. A good strike of lucerne has been secured in paddock No. 31 (approximately 9 acres). The seed mixture sown on the paddock, which was badly covered with silt in the August floods, has taken well, and the •paddock is now being regularly used for grazing. Considerable time has been devoted by the dairy staff to clearing goat’s rue and lupins from the accretion paddocks adjacent to the Manawatu River. The race leading from the farm road to the paddocks has been widened. “There are 101 cows and heifers in milk. When tested on November 14, the average production per cow for the 30-day period was 40.27 lbs butterfat. Considering that the herd includes a number of cows which calved in April and May the production is quite satisfactory. The highest producing cow gave 105 lbs. butterfat in one 30-day period, and 23 gave 30-day production of 60 lbs. butterfat or over. The health |of the stock is good. Some 26 heifers and 2 bull calves are being reared.”