WAIKATO DAIRY FARMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20619, 18 July 1930, Page 18

WAIKATO DAIRY FARMS.

EXCELLENT RETURNS. Dr. H. E. Arinett, in a paper read before English agricultural authorities, speaking of certain farms in the Waikato, says of Farm A : "The present owner has had it for nine years and has never used a plough on it in that time. The farm is 150 acres in area and was carrying in this present season 917 breeding ewes, 450 hoggets, 22 yearling heifers, 20 steers, 3 dairy cows and 5 horses and even with this stocking the feed was difficult to keep down. Last year 1300 sheep were grazed during the winter and in that season the ewes and lambs netted their owner £1287. Tho system of management involved rotational grazing of small paddocks, together with heavy top-dressing —namely, with superphosphate and limestone. 1 ought to add that tho owner is a business man and developed his own system independently of the newer idea of grass land farming. Farm 15 is 50 acres in area and carried 40 cows. Two seasons ago it produced approximately 14,0001b. of butter-fat, or about 2801b. per acre; this was under a system of rotational grazing in small paddocks, together with a fairly good system of manuring. Farm 0 is 78 acres and carried 50 milking cows. The gross return in each of the past two seasons lias been approximately £I2OO. Tho owner is a skilled English farmer and grows a certain quantity of rootcrops. Farm D is approximately 150 acres and is carrying 85 milking cows. The farm is laid out in five-acre paddocks for rotational grazing. A good all-round manurial scheme is practised, including a fairly liberal use of nitrogenous manures. No crops are grown and the cattle are dependent entirely on grass, hay and grass ensilage. A large number of year ling heifers—approximately 50—are car ried and recently 200 breeding ewes were purchased. Last year the herd of 85 cows averaged 3641b. of butter-fat per cow. which is equivalent to approximately 2001b. of butter fat per acre. Tho full benefit of the subdivision of fields has not, yet been reached on this farm and it is anticipated that far greater returns will eventually be realised. The owner is so satisfied with tho system that he is applying it to another farm of 180 acres which he has in the vicinity. These instances are given, not as typical of dairy-farming conditions in Now Zealand, but, in order to show tho results which certain farmers are at present obtaining. However, there are quite a number of dairy farmers in New Zealand who aro producing over 2001b. of butter fat per acre.