Many Farmers Gambling On Weather Conditions

Northern Advocate, 27 September 1943, Page 2

Many Farmers Gambling On Weather Conditions

Many farmers in the North were simply gambling upon climatic conditions, and were not accumulating sufficient fodder infeed dairy cows if a scarcity of good ieed occurred, contended a Northland dairying authority, when speaking to the "Northern Advocate” this morning.

It was highly desirable that when opportunity offered, supplies of hay and ensilage should be obtained and conserved in readiness for a dry season if ;t occurred. 'With the phenomenal growth in the North, particularly of paspalum, the conservation of fodder was simple and practicable, but, unfortunately, in many instances, paspalum was allowed It run *o seed, consequently affecting ihe pasture itself.

Shortage of manpower made the growing and saving of supplementary fodder difficult, but attempts should be made, and farmers owning suitable properties should consider the advisability of shutting certain paddocks in the autumn and saving the grass for use in the spring. it was not good farming to gamble on weather conditions, said the dairy authority. It was reminiscent of the old "hit or miss” style. Every effort should be made by Northland farmers to have a suiplus of fodder always on hand for emergencies. Owing to the dry summer and autumn, stock did not enter the winter season in the highest condition, and if a hard winter had been experienced in the North, the mortality amongst dairy herd? wou’d have been severe. Fortunately, the North had experienced a mild winter, the dairystock had come through the calving period reasonably well. In some cases, however, the loss in cows had been fairly high, and this had been mainly due to their weak condition at calving time.