The NORTHLAND FARMER

Northern Advocate, 27 November 1937, Page 11

The NORTHLAND FARMER

A page prepared for the purpose of helping the Northland farmer to make the utmost use of the remarkable advantages which Nature has bestowed on Northland, and thereby “*« to develop the most fertile territory in New Zealand. . ——- ' 1 •

Strawberry Clover, A very instructive article appeared in the October number cf the Journal of Agriculture. It told how about 1000 acres of land near the mouth of the Thames Valley became absolutely depleted of pasture and worthless —like a desolate desert—and how, after some years, pasture establishment became possible by the establishment of strawberry clover. This very deep-rooting variety of clover has apparently brought back fertility to the clay soil and in consequence good grasses have automatically established themselves. This clover, which will live under the peculiar condition, and work an amazing transformation, ih'st appeared as a single plant and has now become

established over good areas by transplanting (mainly by sods the size of one’s hand and by cutting oil stolons and pressing these into soft moist earth). As to establishing this clover by seeding, it is said that the purchas-

Edited By C. 'E. Cuming

ed seed, which is expensive, is frequently not virile, and this purchased seed does not compare with the type already established. Before establishment by seed is attempted, it is considered desirable that investigation will have to be made on the productivity of different strains.

The writer of the article in the journal, Mr J. E. Bell, Instructor of Agriculture at Auckland, says “there are thousands of acres cf reclaimablo marine flats in and around the harbours of Northland which are gradually being reclaimed and grassed. For the future safety and well-being of these areas, strawberry clover should be included in the grass and clover sowings. I hope that before many of these areas are reclaimed for grassing, investigation will have revealed areas of leafy high-yielding strawberry clover from which supplies of seed can bo obtained,”

Since the above was published, a statement appeared in a Victorian paper to the effect that the Waite Research Institute in Adelaide had received seed of a greatly improved strawberry clover from Palestine.

Feeding of lodine,

Mineral feeding for livestock has become in recent years a subject of increasing importance, particularly for dairy cattle and young animals. General deficiency diseases are often traceable to a lack of mineral nutriment in feeds, points out Professor Oscar Erf, of Ohia, America. Usually these are needed only in small quantity, but still they are vitally essentia, and must be in proper balance or relationship to -one another. With lon continued cropping of the soil, mineral elements are taken off in crops and leached by water, so that the soil reserves are slowly depleted. Crops (including grass, of course) receive j their minerals from the soil, and their composition depends upon the type of soil on which they grow. Hence crops for livestock feeding may not be so rich in all essential elements when produced on unfertilised soils low in minerals. Especially is this true of iodine. This element is found in minute quantities in nature generally and often only a trace is found in soils and in crops. Yet it is highly important in the development of the human family and all farm animals and there cannot be proper growth and reproduction and normal bodily functions when iodine is not present in sufficient quantity, even though that amount is quite small. Its value has long been known ir. the human family as a preventive ant cure of enlargement of the thyroid gland (goiti’e). Some regions o' America are now designated as “goitrr areas,” because of deficiency of tha element iodine in soils and crop? there. For close on 25 years it har been the aim of the Ohio State Uni versity to show what can be accomplished by better methods of feeding dairy cattle for a greater and more normal milk flow. It lias been the university’s intention to feed for increased production and the prevention of disease rather than to sugges' cures, for pathological condition? plainly lie within the province of the veterinarian. However, it is sometimes necessary to cite the effects of feeding as it relates to certain pathological conditions.

Testing of Herds. After testing a number of herds for higher milk production, it became apparent to the Ohio research workers 25 years ago that there was prevalent among calves a condition known tc American farmers as “big neck" or “lumpy throat.” In many instances

calves were born with this affliction and did not develop normally. Veterinarians ' pronounced this “enlarged thyroid gland,” or a condition bordering on goitre. Since calves from tested cows afford the dairy farmer’s chief income from testing, there was an urgent demand throughout America

that something be done, and in 1913 the Ohio workers made their first attempt to correct this condition. Since that date they have had the co-oper-ation of some leading breeders with large herds of cattle to test the value of iodine feeding as it relates to the health of the cow, the vitality and conformation of the calf, and the transmission of iodine to the milk, fortifying it for infant feeding. Gradually the importance of iodine is becoming realised in this Dominion, and thus American experiences should bo of interest. The first American trial with iodine feeding to improve milk quality was done by Mr Alan Jordan, a Jersey breeder of Ohio. This herd improved in physical condition, and this dairy farmer, it is said, was the first to commercialise iodine feeding to cows, advocating his milk • as fortified with iodine for infants and mothers. Another American farmer many years ago began feeding organic iodine combinations, as part of his mineral ration to highproducing cows. There was apparently a decided improvement in his herd with this practice, and also the iodine was found to come through into the milk. He tried fertilising pastures with iodine to increase the content of this element in the grass, but such measures were found more expensive than direct feeding of iodine. Another farmer found that one part in 3,000,000 appeared in the milk when cows were fed organic iodine. It was shown in another farm experiment under the auspices of the Ohio University that iodine feeding indicated greater milk yield and superior calves. Other tests showed that cows receiving iodine in their grain had four times as much iodine in the blood and their milk had 20 to 30 times as much iodine as that from other cows not receiving iodine.

Public Demonstration; The largest American public demonstration of iodine feeding was given at Dairy Day at Toledo State Hospital in "1935, when more than 3500 farmers and agricultural students visited this institution. Eight calves were displayed, half of which shewed iodine deficiency because they were born of iodine-deficient dams, and the others were normal through feeding of organic iodine compound. The Friesian herd at this institution is said to be the largest producing herd in America, averaging 13,5001 b of milk and 4471 b of butterfat for 150 cows one year. It is in the so-called “goitre belt,” and with such high production, cows commonly drop “big neck” or goitrous calves unless their mineral rations contain some iodine. They were frequently seen in this herd before iodine feeding was instituted. Four calves were chosen from cows that averaged 14,275 pounds of milk in a year and had ( been fed no iodine. Four others -were selected from iodinefed cows averaging 18,1471 b of milk. No iodine was fed the former lot of calves while the others received dailj r organic iodine the equivalent of .grains of iodine, fed in moistened hay and grain. Each lot got 61b of hay and 1:1Tb of grain daily. The cows and calves were fed alike except for the addition of iodine. Here are the results:—The four calves fed organic iodine averaged at the beginning of the test 1651 b, and the others 1361 b. They were weighed again in April, 105 days later, when it was found that those receiving iodine were gaining in weight 10 per cent, faster than the other lot. Furthermore, it was observed that the iodine-fed calves had stronger, straighter backs and much better coats of hair and finer fide. The other calves had enlargement of the neck (goitre) and irregularities of the back. Blood samples demonstrated that the feeding of

iodised feeds to animals was shown in their increased blood iodine. While much interesting data has been collected in America, there is still much to be discovered in regard to the relationship of iodine to animal health, and the practical application of this to herd management. Further American research work in this connection will he followed by the deepest interest in New Zealand.