DISEASE IN DAIRY STOCK

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7019, 19 September 1929, Page 5

DISEASE IN DAIRY STOCK

Feeding is a Preventive

USEFUL HINTS FOR FARMERS

The value of improved feeding and management of stock as a preventive of disease was discussed by Mr. W. M. Webster, 13.5 c., M.R.C.V.S., to' a gathering of over 30 farmers at Kaimata recently. Mr. Webster dealt with the special research at present in progress with a view to solving the problems of temporary sterility, contagious mastitis and contagious abortion and described the progress made to date, on lines previously reported. The importance of adequate feeding of dairy cow’s w’hen they first come in is not fully realised by many farmers, continued Mr. Webster. If a cow receives sufficient food she will reach her poak production w'ithin three to four weeks of calving and will not go back in condition. This very rarely occurs in New Zealand where the peak production occurs three months rather than three weeks after calving, and it is a common experience that cows lose condition in tho early spring months until a good growth of pasture comes away. All farmers make some provision for spring feeding in the form of hay, ensilage or roots. These supplcmenttary feeds are all good, but they do not go far enough. They have too wide a nutritive ratio —they contain insufficient protein, a concentrated constituent of any ration w’hich is largely used by tho animal’s system for production purposes. In addition, these feeds arc bulky and tho cow has to deal with a very large quantity in order to obtain the necessary nourishment. In order to obtain the best results it is necessary to supplement the nation by the addition of a small quantity of protein rich concentrate such as linseed nuts, pea meal, bran or meat meal. This will balance the ration and a cow given a good start at the commencement of the season on a sufficient and balanced ration will gain a lead in production over another she will maintain. that load to tho end of the season.

Concentrate Feeding. Concentrate feeding has been discredited in the past in some instances as it has been said that it did not pay. This was due to the fact that feeding was done throughout tho season. Whilst there is plenty of natural pasture available the cow obtains a sufficient balanced ration and concentrate feeding during that time will prove uneconomic. It is necessary only in the early spring months vdien little or no grazing is available and tue mainstay of the diet is hay, ensilage and roots.

Green oats or cowgrass are both rich in protein and take the place of concentrates while they last. The difficulty is to grow sufficient to last for more than a few weeks, whereas the cow requires additional protein for nearly three months at the commencement ot the season. This point was well illustrated two years ago by some feeding experiments which the department carried out in the Wairarapa. Three herds were divided on the basis of their calving dates and half of each herd received a supplementary concentrate ration of crushed oats and linseed nuts from August until the end of October, otherwise both halves ran together and received identical feeding. The net cost of feeding per cow was 325. Gd., and on a basis of Is. 6d. per lb. butter-fat the fed group in each herd showed a profit, the best giving a return of £5 Os. 6d. per cow over the unfed half of the herd. In subdividing this herd it may also be mentioned that herd-testing records were available and the two groups were balanced from the point of view of production as woll as on their calving dates.

It is important to remember, as the experiment just mentioned proved, that the increased production was not limited to the three spring months when feeding 'was being carried out, but was evenly distributed throughout the season. Indeed, in the month .of May when the last test was made there was a slightly wider difference between the fed and unfed groups in each of the three herds than in August, the first month in which feeding was carried out.

importance of Top-dressing,

All farmers nowadays recognise the value of top-dressing in increasing the growth and quality of the pasture, and carry it out annually for that reason. Comparatively few farmers, however, in my experience seem to realise that even if it showed little or no visible results in increased growth topdressing, particularly with phosphatic manures, is absolutely essential on a dairy faring to maintain the health of the milking cow. Analysis shows that a cow . give.-> about 501 b. of phosphate of lime in her milk each season. In addition, she requires phosphates for her own bodily maintenance and for the calf she produces each season (bone consists of 90 per cent, of phosphate of lime). She obtains all this from the pasture she consumes. It is estimated that a dairy cow requires about 3oz. of phosphoric acid daily in her feed to supply her requirements; in other words, about 7Cdb. per year. To translate this into terms of manure: Slag is probably the most widely used phosphatic manure in Taranaki. There are two grades containing respectively 18 to 20 per cent, and 20 to 22 per cent, tricalcic phosphate. In other words, each cwt. of slag contains round about 201 b. of calcium phosphate. Calcium phosphate in turn con-

tains approximately 50 per cent, phosphoric acid. Therefore each cwt. of slag supplies only lolb. of phosphoric acid. As each cow is taking 70ib. phosphoric acid from the pasture each year, and of course the pasture plants take it from the soil, a simple arithmetical calculation shows that in order to maintain the balance and prevent phosphatic depletion of tho soil it is necessary to apply slug at tho rate of 7cwt. per cow per annum. On this basis an average farm carrying a herd of 40 cows requires the application ot 14 tons of slag every year in order to supply sufficient phosphoric acid to meet the full requirements of the cows. Lime is another mineral which a dairy cow requires in considerable amount, and thcro is >a likelihood of depletion of this substance also unless it is made good. In feeding calves and pigs it is important to realise that the ration requires balancing with-different concentrates according to -whether the basis of tire ration is whey or skim milk. Whey contains little more than sugar of milk—a carbo-hydrate—and consequently has a wide nutritive ratio, io supplement it for calves a little linseed for pigs meat meal or pea meal is best , meal, which is rich in protein, will

give bc3t results. To supplement whey and cheapest. On the other hand, when skim milk is the basis of tho ration the opposite holds good. . Skim milk contains all the casein and is consequently rich in protein and has toe narrow a nutritive ratio. To balance it requires tho addition of a meal rich in starch. . Oat meal gruel added to skim milk makes an ideal feed for calves,, whilst for pigs any cereal meal which happens to be most favourably priced is indicated, such being maize meal, barley meal or crushed oats. The feeding of concentrates as indicated at the rate of a few ounces per pig daily will enable the farmer to sell his pigs at bacon weight at six to seven months of age, and at the same time will turn out an article of superior quality. Treat Young Stock Well. The foundation of an animal's constitution is laid in its youth. Calves and yearlings which are always well done develop into robust cows with strong constitutions, less liable to contract disease and sickness than those which are poor and stunted through insufficient and innutritious feeding during their growing period and so have had their constitutions impaired.

The magnificent physique of the Anzacs during tho war was everywhere remarked upon and was undoubtedly due to the high standard of living in Australia and New Zealand, which ensures that children are better cared for and given every chance to develop strong, robust frames. Similarly, improving the living standard of your young stock (feed and tend them better) will result in more robust adult animals better able to resist attacks of disease. Our work on sterility has shown that there is moro functional. sterility among heifers than at any other age. Unless young stock are - exceptionally well done they are not sufficiently mature to commence breeding at 18 months of age. It is common knowledge that numbers of heifers after calving at two and three months are difficult to breed and often miss a season, coming in again at four years old. This is undoubtedly due to the great strain thrown upon the system by breeding and milking before growth is complete. On the other hand, when farmers keep their young stock an extra year and bring them in for the first time as three-year-olds, there is little trouble in ' getting them to breed.