Young Farmers Hear Lecture on Supplementary Feeding

Northland Age, Volume XVI, Issue 18, 29 November 1946, Page 3

Young Farmers Hear Lecture on Supplementary Feeding

Mr. E. H. Arnold, Instructor of Agriculture, addressed over 50 Young Farmers on the subject of supplemental y feeding for cows and pigs on dairy farms recently. He discussed the position of the fetd requirements of stock on dairy farms and the actual feed produced on the farms. From October to January while pastures produced 75 percent of the annua! production, dairy stock required 40 percent of their annual feed requirements. For the remainder of the year, pasture production was 25 percent of the annual production and stock required 60 percent of their annual feed requirements. On a fully developed grass farm to balance up required that the other 40 percent of the pasture should be cut for hay and ensilage annually. The actual feed provided in the Northern counties together with'the number of stock was compared with the position in two Waikato counties. “Dairy feed for stock in Northland was in a weak position,” stated Mr. Arnold. Discussing the seasonal requirements of supplementary feeding for the dairy herd, he stated that turnips, silage, maize, etc., may be fed out in late summer and autumn and hay, swedes and ensilage in winter. Pampas grass could also be raised ; it was a useful feed to replace a portion of the hay crop. It was the only feasible winter feed on hill country where hay could not be raised. Winter run-offs, continued Mr. Arnold. should not be over-valued from the feed point of view. Their value lies mainly in the fact that they enable stock to get off the wetter land where, if grazed, poaching and plugging would occur, damaging pastures and affecting production for a season or two. Pig feed requirements in relation to the feed available on a dairy farm was then discussed. Seasonal feed requirements did not always coincide with the skim milk supply which coincided with pasture production. To make up the deficit in the periods of little or no skim milk, it was necessary to purchase e. certain amount of meal, but in time this would become uneconomical. Today this was available in only very small quantities. With regard to the growing of crops, although they varied in value for feed requirements for pigs it was necessary that a crop be grown successfully on a farm. The secret of a cropping area was that it be small, said Mr. Arnold. He reminded mem-

; bers that one winter store pig would \ consume in 3 months, 2i bushels of : maize, and approximately i ton of | root crops, pumpkin or sugar beet. , j For example, a farm milking 60 cows i j will carry 2 or 3 breeding pigs and a i boar, plus 20 to 24 store pigs (no more is required). On this type of farm a maximum of tw 0 acres of any crop is all necessary to satisfy winter ' pigsAll pig feed crops are deficient in protein and this must be made up by j meatmeal. If this was in short supply, and it appeared that it would be, j an alternative source of protein lay | in the growing of about an acre of ryegrass and clover as a temporary pasture, or grazing pigs on a good vigorous ryegrass pasture. Good feeding is the keynote to the efficient farmer, said Mr. Arnold. In | many cases on farms that have sufj fered by the drought, we find farmers | have attempted to stock up to what | they consider their carrying capacity. This was an unwise step. If 65 cows were milked previously, farmers would get a better result if 55 cows only were milked and all surplus grass conserved in the form of hay and ensilage for future use. Stocking up to full capacity should not be attempted until following a normal season there is a surplus of hay and ensilage left over when supplementary feeding finishes in the spring. When this reserve to carry on till the next season is built up, then stockingup can be carried on to the full standard. If in the future this reserve is lost, then stock will have to be reduced. Provision of feed at the moment is of more importance than anything else. Despite shortages and unavoidable restrictions, especially through the past troubled period, the farmer has produced wonderfully well. , The shortage of foodstuffs in the vorld still confronts us, concluded Mr. Arnold. We must increase the supply of foodstuffs from the farms to remedy this, he said. This was possible by increased and better feeding of livestock. T 0 successfully winter a dairy cow, in addition to the food available from the pasture in winter months 12-15 cwt. of hay or its equivalent was required.

Broadwood Topics

CRICKET On Saturday last the Mamafi cricket team played the Broadwood team at the Broadwood grounds in ideal weather. The results are as follows : Broadwood, Ist innings. Fergusson 35, N. Irving 14. E. Kingdon 4 for 5, W. Armstrong 4 for 26). Mamari, Ist innings.—83 (W. Armstrong 18, S. Mansbridge 18, M. Ed-

wards 10. S. Fergusson 4 for 27, J. Hick 4 for 17). Broadwood, 2nd innings. Fergusson 13, J. Duffin 12 not out. R. Hyde 3 for 3, W. Armstrong 2 for 12). M a man, 2nd innings. wickets declared (S. Mansbridge 7. S. Fergusson 3 for 22, J. Hick 3 for 10). Personal Mr. and Mrs. Leonard of Christchurch were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. C. Newman over the weekend. Mr. J. Culpan who lias been the guest of his sister," Mrs. S. Colebrook for a lengthy holiday, has returned to Auckland. Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Emson visited Whangarei last week. Mr. J. King is relieving at the I’aponga school.

Fairburns W.I.

The November meeting. of the Fairburns Women’s Institute was held in the hall recently. There was a good attendance of members, and the vice-President, Mrs. Atkinson, conducted the meeting. After the meeting had been opened in the usual way, the business war dealt with. A report on the bi-an-nual Federation meeting was given and also the points and places of the entries in the show held on November Ist. A letter was received regarding the annual Federation meeting to be held in April, when the Dominion President, Mrs. Barnicoat will be present. It was decided that no meeting be held in December and that the January meeting take the form of a picnic at the beach, the date of this tc be arranged later. It was also decided to alter the day of the meeting to the second Thursday in eael month. The gift donated by Mrs. Coultei was won by Mrs. Hoskin. The rol call was impromptu speeches. The monthly competitions were A bow or vase of roses, a gift for the Guile Bazaar. Mrs. Atkinson asked th< Guild President, Mrs. Tracey, to accept the gifts for the Bazaar, am Mrs. Tracey thanked the Institute members and hoped they would al be present at the Bazaar on Decern ber sth. The hostesses, Mrs. Thomas am Mrs. N. Metcalfe, served afternooi tea and a pleasant meeting eon-Judee with the singing- of the National An them.