FARM AND DAIRY

Northern Advocate, 16 November 1929, Page 11

FARM AND DAIRY

CANADIAN AYRSHIRE FDR N.Z,

NOTED PRIZE-WINNER IMPORTED

I Through the inability of New Zeai land breeders to import from the Home | lan.d on account of the ravages of foot ’ ■>11(1 mouth disease, it was found noe.esjsary to turn to other countries to replenish the purebred blood of the Dominion’s herds and flocks. Investigations have shown that Canada owns some of the finest Ayrshire cattle in I the world, and New Zealand breeders have turned their attention to this country, which, over a very long period of years, imported from Scotland outstanding animals of all the best brooding strains produced in the original home of Ayrshire cattle. The Ayrshire Breeders Association of N.Z. lias its!f decided to .send two of its prominent judges to Canada to select cattle for its breeders. In the meantime, however, a noted prize-winning bull has already been imported from Canada, pud the merit of this animal is such that breeders are likely to view' further introductions of Canadian blood .into the Dominion with the greatest of interest. The bull imported, Thorncroft Star Boy, was purchased in Canada by Messrs Wright Steph* enfon and Co. Ltd., on account of Mr ,T. C. Donald, of Alloa, Featherstou. Mr Donald recently took over from his father, M?r Q. Donald, the latter’s herd of GO pure-bred Ayrshire cattle, and, in conjunction with his father, pro? ro'-es to eventually run on their farms 400 pure-bred Ayrshire milking cows. Pure-breds will gradually replace the grade Ayrshire cattle forming ‘the present herds and which have already given remarkable evidences of high production. Thorncroft Star Boy has just completed his term of two months’ quarantine on Somes Island, and he was landed in his new home in great order, Keen Ayrshire judges, who have already seen him, unhesitatingly state that he is one of the finest types of Ayrshire hulls that has yet beep seen in the Dominion, and, as he is supported by an illustrious pedigree, he shojild be a most valuable acquisition to the Dominion. Thorncrpflt sfcar Bpy was first prize junior calf and reserve junior champion at tbe Ottawa Winter Fair, and the following year was first prize yearling and .'reserve junior champion at Orrnatown, two, of the greatest Dairy Cattle Exhibitions in panada. He also won other leading ‘honours. In addition tp being a great show type, he indicates through his tremendous jiodily development the capacity for imparting great production to his prQgen.y. - His dam, .Thorncroft Beulah, wofi the 'Silver Cup, presented by the Canadian Ayrshire 'Association for the highest production, in Canada of any two-year-old Ayrshire for the year in which she was ■tested. In the ten months’ test as a junior two-year-old, she produced 4(13111 but.t.erfat. This record was made under ordinary conditions.

Fgrticujara are just to hand .from -the .breeder of Thorpcroft Star Boy, Mr E. ,C, Badge, Reauharnois, advising this b.alf'Sjstpr, Thprneroft Star sppwd?PP 2nd, outstanding prize-win-ning two-year-old at the Royal Winter Fair in Canada, will finish her semiofficial record this month as a two-year-old by producing over .11,0001 b milk with an average teat above 4.5 for the year, Mr Budge .first sold Thorncroft Star Boy to Messrs R. E. Ness and Sons, tfie largest breeders in Canada, f|.o.d A® . therefore, an opportunity (lie is now rising throe-year-old) of doing service in several leading Canadian herds, and Mr Budge states that the stock by him shop' great-promise^—that would be expected from the breeding of this outstanding bull and Jiis own remarkable individuality. Mr Donald is undoubtedly to be congratulated on importing such ap outstanding bull.

LEARNING TO*JUDGE.

The question might ,be asked where j some of our oldest and best judges of j livestock acquired the skill and .know- j lodge they possess, and the answer would be that observation and experience were the means by which they became competent to adjudicate in the show ring. No one in the old days could take a course of instructions in the methods of judging because no such teaching was provided; but it is now; and in a showyard the other day (writes “Ruaticus” in the Farmers’ London) I was was much interested in a competition in which a number of young farmers were judging animals selected for the purpose, and in turn were being judged themselves by the expert appointed for the purpose. . I am not urging that either the training received beforehand or the competition were enough to make any of the young men a .good judge from a showyard standpqint, but it would help in that direction; and, what is highly important, the training would enable them to know what to look for 1 when tKey Were making an examination of livestock with a view to purchase. The need, in fact, of knowing how to judge is as essential in a sale ring as it Is in .a show ring, and, therefore, the coaching that is given prior 'to stock judging competitions is valuable piece pf agricultural education.

.WASHING PIGS

A PROFITABLE PRACTICE

How many pig farmers ever wash their pigs? ,asks an English agricultural writer. I am not thinking of show pigs or even of pedigree pigs, but of common or garden commercial animals we are feeding for the butcher or factory. Yet it plays, and pays well, especially in the hot summer weather. If anyone wants to try the experiment, it is very easy to do it providing they have a weighing machine. If four pigs of a given litter and of about the same weight are taken at, say, four months old, and two of them are washed twice a week, but otherwise are treated and fed exactly the same as the other two, I will guarantee that the washed pigs will have increased in weight more than the unwashed ones.

Years ago, after I had proved this, I built a dip 2ft wide, by 12ft long, sloping at each end to 4ft deep in the middle. It makes an excellent pig wash —we give them a good scrub at one end with soft soap and push them headlong in to swim to the other.

SHORTHORNS IN ENGLAND

The continued popularity of the dairy Shorthorn in England is de-| monstrated by the Government’s register of dairy cattle for the last milkrecording , year—the twelfth, of the series. Of the 7500 milk yields included, 4326 are those of Shorthorn cows, or considerably more than half. They include no less than six records which .exceed 20,OQOib, while of the remainder-r 42 cows gave between 15,0001 b and 20,0001 b milk; 66 .cows gave between 14,0001 b and 15,0001 b; 164 cows gave between 13,0001 b and 14,0001 b; 386 cows gave between 12,0001 b and 13,0001 b; 944 cows gave between 11,0001 b and 12,0001 b; ■ 2045 cows gave between 10,0001 b and 11,4 0001 b. The large proportion o’f Shorthorn entries in the volume clearly that the breed still retains the affection of an overwhelming’ majority of English dairy farmers, and the yields are up to the standard of previous years, although Among Shortf horn herds there is a tendency tp limit the lactation period to 45 weeks; in order to‘ allow the cow to calve every 12 months, rather than to aim at the utmost milk yield.

GENERALNOTES.

Factories close to Hawera (statop the Hawera “Star”) are receiving heavy supplies, and one factory man,agor states that he believes his supnlirrs have reached their peak —a month, earlier than usual. This pre-. sages ph earlier falling away, unicap. the unexpected happens and allows thb, peak to be maintained over a longer .period than usual.

The Inspector of Stock at Hawera advises that two bulls infected with, the bacillus of contagions aboTtiop were taken for research purposes to Wallace ville, where it was decided to test them by crossing with healthy heifers. The results should prove of gioat interest and value.

After the driest period experienced for many years the farmers in .Southland are anxiously awaiting rain (says the “Times”). The dry conditions have hampered the growth of grass to such an extent that dairy farmers find it difficult to feed their herds.

The- season for mortality among lambs is approaching, and already several farmers in the South Island have reported trouble being experienced (says an exchange). There .are no indications that more trouble than usual will be experienced, and farmers anticipate that a very high percentage of lambs will fatten during the-next -few months. Most fanners with average size holdings have over 100 per cent, of lambs, and quite a number an in the vicinity of 120 per cent.

Why you should grow subterranean clover: (1) Although an annual, it reseeds itself every year, and only requires to bo sown once in a. lifetime; (2) once established is thoroughly permanent, and starts again each year in the autumn; (3) yields a large amount of palatable pasture greatly relished by sheep and cattle; (4) sheep and cattle’Tvill subsist through the summer on residue of stems and seed pods; (3) makes valuable meadow hay"for dairy cows; (6) it is nitrogenous and soilimproving plant; (7) once sown needs no cultivation, whatever; (8) is most valuable in the suppression of noxious weeds; (9) doubles and trebles the stock-carrying capacity of poor and medium-quality land —“Dalgoty’s Beview.” ♦ * • * A further distinctly useful move towards Imperial co-operation in agricultural matters has been made in South Africa, whpre Free State delegates to an agricultural congress suggested that the Union communicate with similar organisations in the Dominions inviting them to an Empire conference in South Africa, in 3931. The suggestion was received with enthusiasm, and the outcome should he of vast benefit to the industry generally.