ON THE LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13369, 26 December 1906, Page 3

ON THE LAND.

" * * * . -V 1 if ILK INC COWS CLEAN. J It i- well known. Ui.it the average milker , gets less milk than lie who does a thorough , job, that incomplete milking means not { only direct but indirect low, not only an ' immediate loaning of the tat yield. but , tends toward drying the cow. A Danish , scientist ha? recently developed a special , system of udder manipulation, a sort of , manage of the mammary gland, as it were. , which it is claimed augment? the flow. The Hegelund method, as it i' called, in- ( vclwi. three • manipulation! l , each' thrice ; repeated or until no more milk is 1 , obtained. First. the pressure of .the , quarter on each Mile against each other thrice repeated, followed by removal of the milk; .second, the pressure of the gland? together on ♦•sell side, the forequarter being first manipulated' and then 'the hindquarters, followed by removal of the milk: and third, the- forequarters are pressed between hand and body, the hands holding the teats loosely, then the hindquarters also. followed by milking. Trials of the scheme made at the Wisconsin and New York stations afforded a daily average increase per cow of a pound of milk , and two ounces of butter. The after milk was very rich in fat, testing above 10 per cent. This after milking does not exceed five minute 4' time, often only two or three minutes". The two ounces of butter may be held at a low estimate to in? worth two cents. . This would be a fair pay for the minutes' work, . 24 cents an hour and. the skim-milk .thrown J in. Not only is mere milk and butter J mad:!,* but the .secretion is stimulated and the lactation period prolonged. It may be remarked, however, that the differences in milk and butter yields between this method and careful stripping are not great. | This Danish method emphasises more perhaps than has hitherto been done the actual and potential losses due to incomplete milking. THE BUTTER BLENDER "It something is not done by the Government and the producers . themselves to remedy the evils of the blender, we will find that in the course of two or three. years, with the exception of a few brands, New Zealand butter will be unknown on the British markets, and our individual system of branding will not count for much, so far as helping 'the producer with the quality of his butter is concerned. -In the event of this happening there will not be much need for a largo staff of dairy instructors; so long as • the factory can make a passable 'first grade' that will be good enough for the blender. In fact, we sec now that our producers in some parts are endeavouring to incorporate as much moisture as possible in order to meet, the blender. This if carried to extremes must mean an inferior keeping quality"—Mr. J. A. lvinsella. COW TESTING. Since January last 16 cow-testing associations have been organised through the initi- j ative of the Dairy Commissioner's branch at Ottawa, Canada, Records arc being kept of 4500 cows, owned by 350 members of these associations. The records so far show that the average yield of milk in Ontario and Quebec is not much over 3000011) of milk per cow per annum. They show, however, that there are herds of 20 cows and over that average 5000ib. • In every case these larger records have been obtained by just, such methods as these cow-testing associations are intended to promote, that is, finding out what each individual oow is doing and weeding out the unprofitable ones. - To encourage other dairymen to do likewise arrangements have been made by the Dairy Commissioner: whereby the addresses of the owners of any herd in * the records may be obtained, the idea being that others may learn from the owners of profitable herds how such satisfactory results have been reached. ■ The value of systematic cow-tasting was » shown in last year's records by the- Wisconsin (America) Experimental Station. A check was kept upon a series of ten head of cows in different parts of the State. In ono case the best oow gave S23011) of milk in a year; her percentage of fat in the milk was 5.03. She made 4831b of butter. The. poorest cow of the ten gave 19861b of milk per cent, of fat, 4.78, and she made 1111b of butter. By means of this cheeking the value of a dairy cow can be accurately told. Her pedigree and breed are important, but are less important than her milk and butter, producing powers. In the progress of civilisation - and the development of manufacturing industries it has been learned that it is possible to make bricks without straw; but the cow is still dependent upon feed for the making of milk, no less than for maintenance. In other words, the cow cannot make milk from nothing. The more feed, the more milk, lip to the limit of the cow't capacity. All experience therefore proves that the largest profit only results from liberal feeding and good care. It is always good economy to spend an extra shilling for feed or proper stabling where by so doing one can add two shillings to his income. SCIENTIFIC FEEDING. The chemists call that class of element in the food of the cow that corresponds to the red muscle of lean meat to the white of eggs and the cheesy part of cheese in the ration of men—protein. The sugar and starch and similar compounds they call carbohydrates. Chemists have worked over most of the foods in use, and the results of their work have been compiled into tables, which give the amount- of digestible protein in one column, and of digestible carbohydrates and fat in another, while in the third they give the ration between the protein on the ono hand and the carbohydrates on the other. All of these point* are important, because a well-nourished cow, turning out 20 or 30 pounds of milk a day containing a pound of fat, needs a good supply of protein for the support of her body and for the cheese in the r.iilk, and a large amount of carbohydrates and fat to keep her warm and to supply part, at least, of the materials out of which the butter of fat is made. IMPROVED MILK SUPPLY. A groat deal has been accomplished by ourdairy instructors in the direction of improving the milk supply or raw material on the farms; while that is true, thero remains a greater field for improvement in this part of the work than in any other lino of work that could be undertaken to help the industry so far as further improvement in quality is concerned. In order to accomplish this much-needed improvement more practical instruction is r.eeded amongst the farmers. Inspection serves its purpose, but it does not educate the farmer how to produce a cleaner and purer milk. STERILISING MILK. An English scientific authority says: — " During the sterilisation of milk, besides perhaps killing the germs present, certain changes are brought about. The taste is altered, and not for the better. Some of the soluble lime and other salts are rendered insoluble, the casein no longer forms a fine, firm, cohesive coagulum with rennet, and the colour is considerably darkened. The fat is apt to form a layer on tho top which cannot be again thoroughly mixed with the milk. 1 am decidedly of opinion that in sterilising milk we are beginning at the wrong end of the business. Our sanitary crusade should undoubtedly begin with the cow, the byre, tho feeding the milker, the dairy, the utensils, and the water supply. See to the sanitary, healthy, and cleanly condition and purity of these, and we may say, practically, the milk will look after itself. Sterilisation is only justifiable because of the shameful neglect of every measure needful to keep the milk free from pollution by germs, both before and after it leaves the ■cow."

, , FEEDING COWS. A great difference of opinion prevails with' ;:]£?! respect to the feeding of cows for dairy purpose*. Naturally, the milk-seller, pure ; 1 ami simple, regulates his feeding so as to obtain the greatest possible quantity of milk without regard to quality beyond a suffi- j ciency to enable it to satisfy the analyst. Tl*> butter-maker or purveyor of cream ia the country h«» to pay rnorf attention to the quality of his milk rather than the quaat.tv. in so far as he desires the greatest pos- j sfblo quantity of both the articles men- : tioned. How to feed - to" obtain thr-e dif- j ferent results is a matter that, need* not '*% only great scientific knowledge and study but also with this actual practical, shall we say working, experience which can only I*obtained tit the closest possible attention to the cows and their performances. ) THE CODLIN MOTH. In regard to arsenical spray for cod lin moth the annexed mixture is recommended by Mr. >1 George Quinn, of the South Australian Department of Agriculture. It has gone through many severe tests, and is known a* Kedzie's mixture. It i- made as follows: — lib white arsenic. 21b washing soda, 1 gallon rainwater. Boil until the arsenic and sod* are dissolved. This is the stock solution. To one pint of it add -10 gallons of water, into which the milk of lime from bib to 8!b newly slacked quick-lime is strained. Tlx* fresh lime is most important; otherwise to combination takes .place, and the wash will burn the foliage and the fruit. The stock solution is verv poisonous, anil should 1* 'kept under lock find key to prevent tb possibility of accident. DEHORNING CALVES. It is much easier, to say nothing of beinj more humane, to dehorn calves when the) are young, preferably when from three tc four days old. Clip the hair away from th& button, take a stick of caustic potash, wrap pod in some material to protect the fingers, moisten one end with water, and rub gently over the button until the skin become* slightly raw and smarts a little. In a lie* days ii scab will form, which will soon disapjK'ar, and, if the work is properly done, will leave the . calf without horns. One application is usually enough, but in case tho horns start again the application can be repeated. Care should l>e taken that . none of the caustic potash runs down over the hair, to injure the eyes and skin. In case the horns break through the skin before the caustic is applied, it will probably be necessary to use a knife to cut off the button, after which a little caustic potash can bo rubbed over the exposed surface. There are a number of chemical preparations which give good results, but a man cannot afford to pay very much for them, as caustic potash is comparatively cheap anil effective. THE horse. With the team it's spare the currycomb and spoil the coat. > Tho .slovenly driving horse is the product, of a careless driver. „ Always try to get something a little better in your breeding. ' You may feed a horse com to make him fat, but'oat's are what give him life. Thero is practically no need of having' sick horses on the farm.' Common hen so will prevent most diseases. . 'i In spite of the increasing popularity of automobiles, the harness horse was never in greater demand than now. There is little danger of over production in draught horse breeding. The increasing industrial development of the country keeps the demand up. If you want your team to pull without losing their heads sco that you don t lose your own head in driving them. It doesn't pay to whip or yell at horses. 1 'Horses are a good deal like men aftor all. ' Some are as treacherous as Indians, others 1 as tricky as gamblers and still others as i tried and true as your best friends. > Treat your horses as though they . were i your friends. Whether they are willing or dejected will dejxmd entirely on whether j they are treated kindly or unkindly. Have you ever noticed that some horses will pull like a steam-engine, while, others 1 go at it like a bulldog trying to break his ! chain? It lies with you to say how your ' team shall pull. ■ . *.' . t '' Science tells us that all breeds of horses : are descended from the same original stock, >, The 22001b draught horse and the light--1 footed trotter are the product of evolution , in breeding. . > BREVITIES. .' The Eltham Dairy Company is now mat* . ing 4i tons of butter per day. j,- Taranaki, like Auckland, is showing a , large increase in its output of dairy produce , this season. ' Thero is no surer way to produce " scrub* 1 bers" in the dairy herd than to mix breeds. : and so get antagonistic forces and purposes s into close contact. > During the month of November tho Eltham Dairy Company manufactured 112, tons of butter, or 12 tons more than during the same month last year. , ' . Auckland's butter exports for the present season show an increase of 700 tons over the corresponding period; last year, the increase in value being over £56,000. . , ■ You. cannot go on what a man will tet. ' you about his cow, for the most of them i will tell you that she is the best milch ( cow in the country and best in town. Good cows will not produce reliable pro- . geny if mated with inferior bulls. Thero is always a tendency for stock to detcrior--1 ate unless great car© be exercised in -so- . lecting and mating. i ■ In our report of tho dairying section of tbo [ Taranaki Show, our correspondent gave the L number of points award to the Norma factory at 86i- The number of points actu--1 ally credited to this factory butter was 92. ' The key to success is the record and account you keep of the entire busings of. your dairy. There is nothing that will enl courage a dairyman more than to look over » his books and tee just what he and tho > cows are doing. ; Go into a successful dairyman's shed and the cows will show that they are satisfied and comfortable, but go into an ' unsuccessful dairyman's, yard and his cows will either bellow or run. Offer them (something to eat and they will move away from fear. The daily milk, and test record will result * in better cows, and the breeding record wilS 1 enablo you to care for your cows when they t need care, and also show when they should : be dried up, and your books will then show which cows are using the profits of the ' dairy. i " _____ I Body or grain in butter includes texture, grain, and amount of moisture. Texture of butter is shown by its ability to stand up 3 or keep its condition at a high temperature. ! This desirable quality may be destroyed by employing too high a temperature during tho entire process of manufacture. A good, hardv.orking cow should have 60 days' rest before starting the fresh period. Many cows will keep up a good flow until a very few day? before calving; but it is a 3 poor plan to let them do this. The most a persistent milkers are tho ones who will do s this, ami they are just the cows who need f a good long rest.* They will more than mak<? ] up for lost time when they freshen. d The factories in the Inglewood district n will pay out £8322 to suppliers for Novemti ber milk, but it-is hardly fair to institute e comparisons with last year's figures, as this n November had five weeks, whilst , there e were only four weeks in November, 1905. y Moa Dairy Company paid out £4789 18s 4ci' a for 3.298,04811; of milk, which produced e 121,0081b of butter-fat. Make taw a received . 1,098,4471b of milk, containing 39,1921b of y butter-fat, and'paid to suppliers £1469 14s y 9d. Tarata Company, for 513.0591b of milk, :- with 18,3971b of butter-fat, « paid out £683 e lbs 7d, and Waitui's payment was £488 lis o 6d for 359,0941b milk, containing 13,0281b a butter-fat. Lepperton paid out to suppliers e £790 15s 9d, on account of 540,4321h. of milk: .which save oi