DEFINITION OF A COW

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6889, 20 April 1929, Page 12

DEFINITION OF A COW

PARM’S CARRYING CAPACITY. SUPREME COURT DISCUSSION. The questions. “What is a cow?” and “When is a cow not a cow?” were both raised by Mr. Justice Blair during the hearing of a farm sale dispute in the Auckland Supreme Court. “We know that the Government cow is an animal that produces milk, and creates and produces a calf, within 12 months,” said His Honour. “But even if a cow is not giving milk, I suppose it is still a cow. Of course a farmer would refer to a cow not giving milk as ‘dry stock.’ Of course T don’t know very much about cows.” Mr. West, counsel for plaintiff, said His Honor should not be too ■ modest on that point. The Judge asked what consequence would follow from his own private view that a cow not giving milk was not a corv. Mr. West pointed out that one ot the witnesses had said a cow' meant a cow giving milk. His Honor said it would be agreed that a calf would not be considered a cow in point of feeding. His Honor next directed attention to the related question of “carrying capacity’ ’and the meaning of that term. Did it include feeding cows in stalls? Xr. was used in a different sense in different districts. In the W airs rape, for instance, farmers used it to mean the ability to eke out the supply of food. No attempt was made at top-dressing. In the Waikato, on the other hand the farmers all top-dressed. It was claimed for certain fertilisers that they could double the capacity of a pvop--01 Mr. West nrguer that “carrying civpacitv” must mean the capacity ot a farm" under reasonable farming conditions. It could, ef course, bo made to carry more bv the application of intensive farming methods. Mr Ilaigh, counsel for the defence, pointed out that the farmer’s individual skill also vitally affected a Laim & carrying capacity.