Australian Farmers Visit Massey College

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7065, 26 January 1933, Page 9

Australian Farmers Visit Massey College

THOROUGH INSPECTION OF PROPERTY. A rush pl’ogiftmme was kept by the Victorian farmers’ party which, after a brief period in Palmprston' North, left for Napier yestorday afternoon. The main body of tho party visited Massey Agricultural College duripg the morning and on arrival first inspected the main building under the guidance of Mr C. C. Yates, registrar, and Dr. I' 1 . McDowell, dairy research chemist, who furnished the visitors with an insight into the activities being undertaken for the benefit of tho pastoralist in tho Dominion. General admiration for the position of the College and its surroundings was voiced by individual members, one member adding that the fame of Massey College rVas already widely known in Australia, and its activities in research work were being closely followed, for it was felt that each country could learn much from the experiences of the other. A section, under Mr. G. Hawthorn, of Kerang, Victoria, went to the grass research area which, while on the Batchelar estate, is not part of tho College area. Later, they wero joined by another section of the main party ana, under the direction of Mr. Bruce Levy, an officer of the Government Plant Research Station, the experimental plots wero inspected, Mr. Levy briefly explaining tho efforts which wore being made to develop tho most suitable type of white clover. Tho type which had been evolved had resulted fpom its fight for its very existence against strong competition, and the New Zealand No. 1 clover had proved to be leafy and long growing, while it had not displayed the tendency of some of .the other varioties to go to seed early. The rye grass plots were also visited, Mr. Levy directing attention to the very evident differenco between the certified and the uncertified seed, the former boing of a deeper green and more luxuriant in growth. Tho speaker mentioned that it was anticipated that some 400,000 bushels of rye grass seed would be exported to Australia this season at a very reasonable price, a remark -which eneouraged one of his hearers to comment that it was very pleasing news. Those interested in pigs wore taken over tho piggeries by Mr. J. M. McLinden, who explained that wholly outdoor methods of breeding had been found unprofitable : New Zealand. Although the principle was followed to some extent in tho Waikato, that area of New Zealand enjoyed a reasonably dry winter, while not experiencing the cold of tho more southern of the Dominion. It had been found at the College that a 50 per cent, death rate up to three-weeks-old piglings had resulted under open-air methods, and the semi-open air system had been introduced with happy results, having proved to be all that was necessary for winter farrowing success. The houses, open at the front, had a small concrete run which, while giving the piglings freedom, prevented them, from getting away to be foundered. The speaker added that when fattening pigs it had been found that those in the paddocks did not fatten so quickly as did those under cover.

The party then went deeper into the College property to reach the fowl runs and the sheep area where Miss Watson Stewart directed those interested in the fowls and Mr. K. Dossor, lecturer in sheep management, together with the head Mr. W. J. Allen, conducted the remainder to the pens where sheep of different types were mustered, and in which the visitors were naturally interested. Many inquiries were made into the crossing of the types, while considerable interest ' was taken in the sheep shearing shed which, while diminutive from their point of view, contained several ideas which were eagerly seized on. A long narrow trough with collapsiblo walls for the treatment of foot troubles was considered to be highly ingenious, while patent spring gates were also studied, as was the circular dip with a collapsible floor leading from the run. By the latter sheep reluctant to enter the dip wero slid down into it by the lowering of the floor on the outer side. Returning to the buses one party went to the model factory, whilo the other and larger section was taken deeper into the sheep country to mount to the higher levels and emerge on to the terraces marking the southern boundaries of the college property. Descending the hill once again, the minor groups rvere picked up and the bus returned to town, following upon a busy two and a half hours wherein much of interest was seen. Members expressed sincere regret that they were not spending days instead of hours in the Mau.awntu.