Whangarei County Has Nearly 60,000 Cows

Northern Advocate, 6 January 1948, Page 2

Whangarei County Has Nearly 60,000 Cows

THE Whangarei County had the fifth highest cow population of all New Zealand counties during 1945-46, with a total of 59,469 cows in milk at January 31. The total number of cattle on hand at that date, 138,222, was the second highest total for the Dominion.

j These details are contained ;n the | statistical report on the Dominion’s | agricultural and pastoral production during the 1944-45 and 1945-46 seasons, j The 80-page report contains a mass jof detailed tables, some of which con- ; tain data of interest and significance jlo Northland primary producers. , The counties of Piako (96,101), Waikato (73,796), Waipa £70,614), and [Matamata (69,552) headed the Whangarei county in cow populations, and the Piako county also had the greatest number of cattle, with a total of 156,837. DISTRIBUTION OF COWS The distribution of dairy cows in milk throughout the Northland counties as at January 31, 1946, was:— Mangonui, 23,950; Whangaroa, 4498: Hokianga, 21,441; Bay of Islands, 23,465; Whangarei, 58,575; Hobson. 33,172; Otamatea, 30,833. Occupied areas in acres were:—Mangonui, 312,202; Whangaroa, 78,258; Hokianga, 244,625; Bay of Islands. 331,815; Whangarei, 535,748; Hobson, 355,989; Otamatea, 236,137. Other totals were: — Total .Sheep

Green fodder and root crops were grown in greater areas in the Whangarei County. Northland county acreages being: Mang'onui 49, Whangaroa 108, Hokianga 117, Bay of Islands 879, Whangarei 1323. Hobson 683. Otamatea 932. PASTURE LANDS Dominion totals showed an increase in the acreage of pasture land during the year. From 1944-45 to 1945-46, the area in pasture rose by 343,605 acres, from 17,401.364 acres to 17,744,969 acres At the same time there was an increase in the area classified as fern scrub, and second growth. This type if land is included in the 23,112,766 A total of 4.601,204 acres was classed acres of unimproved occupied land, as fern scrub and second growth, increasing from 4,349,575 in 1944-45. Evidence of the diminishing numbers of horses in rural areas was shown by the total of 216,335 for 194546 compared with 265,153 for 1938-39. At the same time the number of tractors rose from BC3I in 1938-39 to 18,940 for 1945-46. During the year under review a decrease of 16,000 occurred in the total number of dairy cows in milk. They declined from 1,678.943 in 1944-45 to 1-.661.944 in 1945-46. The total number of cattle increased by 67,000 to 4,666,782. No important changes were recorded in the number of sheep and lambs, but lotals for pigs declined considerably.

HAY YIELDS In the North Auckland land district, which extends from Franklin County to Mangonui, a total of 62,212 acres of hay, yielding an average of 1.89 tons per acre, were cut in the 1944-45 season This yield was considerably higher that that of the 1945-46 season when 42,254 acres were cut. averaging 1.35 tons per acre. In the Whangarei County the area of grasses and clovers cut for hay and ensilage was more than double that of any of the other Northland counties. Details were; Mangonui, 901 acres; Whangaroa, 230 acres; Hokianga, 660 acres; Bay of Islands, 2633 acres; Whangarei, 0927 acres; Hobson, 2481 acres; Otamatea, 2270 acres.

County. Horses. Cattle. Pigs. Shorn Mangcnui . . £098 51.800 7093 53,152 Whangaroa . 440 10,600 . 1307 18,490 HoUianga . . 2435 57,201 5809 88.882 B. oi Islands 2001 63,555 0121 94,315 Whangarei . 3838 130,276 16,201 140,270 Hobson . . £267 80,412 12,295 111,070 Gtainatea 1870 71,097 10,842 110.545