DOMINION FARMING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21248, 30 July 1932, Page 17

DOMINION FARMING

VIEWS OF A NEWCOMER FAT LAMB PRODUCTION IMPROVING DAIRYING PRACTICE "Agriculture to-day is a business of fine art. To make it a paying proposi tion farmers have to use scientific methods, adopt intensive culti'vat'on, feed dairy cows with balanced rations, conserve fodder on a large scale, and have a definite object in view." This opinion is expressed by Mr. W. S. Watson, N.D.D., recently a dairy, stock and veterinary inspector in the employ of the Government of India, who has perman ently settled in Auckland after two previous visits to the Dominion. Mr. Watson is well known in Australian farming circles as a judge of all classes of stock. "To-day," he writes, "one hears of low prices and that agriculture is not a paying business But what has the average New Zealand farmer done to combat these low prices ? Take the position of Denmark, Germany and the Irish Free State. Years ago the farmers of those countries had a definite object in view—the improvement of livestock and the lowering of the costs of production. For a number of years representatives from Denmark and Germany visited Scotland for the purpose of purchasing stud bulls to lease to the farmers for a nominal sum. Look at the position they are in today. "The Irish Free State has been doing the same on a much larger scale and her export of surplus cattle to the British Isles has improved 100 per cent, in this last ton years. In New Zealand legisla tion should be passed licensing all stallions, bulls and rams which are to be used for stud purposes. Scotland has embarked on that principle. Efforts in Victoria "'Another good way is the Victorian system. There, should a small farmer wish to improve his dairy herd and has not thp money to purchase a bull with butter-fat records, the Government will do so for him and the farmer pays on an easy instalment system. Another way in which Victoria is endeavouring to improve her stock is by a compensation fund. This involves a stamp duty, which has to be paid on all cattle sold. Should the animals develop any contagious disease the Government orders its slaughter and the full amount is paid providing a receipt is produced with the stamps affixed. This gives encouragement to farmers not to hold unhealthy stock. " In New Zealand all cows that are under test should be tattooed. In the event of a sale the purchaser could soon find out the amount of butter-fat she has produced. No doubt a lot of cows here are rejected by energetic farmers only to be purchased again by another and submitted to test in another associa«tion. "With regard to the wool and sheep industry there has been such a demand for fat lambs in the past that breeders have lost sight of the wool question and the replacement of breeding ewes. Many of the sheep I have seen in my travels seem to be only culls from the fat lambs. How do farmers expect to get prime lambs from these ? Fat Lambs and Wool

"While judging in Australia I always considered wool and carcase in breeding ewes. I have samples which averaged Is 4d per lb. at the last Melbourne wool sales, and the lambs from these ewes averaged 18s each. A German wool buyer not long ago informed me that the New Zealand wool was not attractive enough for them to come here. The sheepfarmer has to have an object in view, and that is better breeding stock. He must go back to where the earlier generation started, and use Lincoln or English Leicester rams. Ho will then obtain good ewes of carcase and wool. "The dairying industry throughout the world has made great strides in a few years. If New Zealand wishes to keep or better her position she must improve her methods from the cow to tho consumer, as Australia and the Argentine will bp great rivals in the near future. Farmers to-day do not treat milk, etc., as tho vital food it has proved to be. Conditions on Dairy Farms "I have visited numerous farms, and have frequently found that the most nonhygienic conditions exist. With these methods, do farmers expect their produce to be of tho choicest ? "I have studied the question of the milk supply to Auckland. Milk is delivered in utensils which in other countries would have been condemnvd. The bottle milk is practically all pasteurised. When bottled milk first came into vogue it was meant that it should be from special sources, produced from cows' free of any disease, and under the most hygienic methods and fit for infants and invalids to drink without being pasteurised. By pasteurising milk you kill the vitamins, which are a necessity to tho human body. New Market for Butter "The conservation of largo stocks of fodder should be practised by the farmer. While I was in Australia 1 made it my object not to allow any stock on my pastures daring the winter months. This gives the land a rest, and the stock were always in great condi ion, and I secured the utmost from them. Hand feeding with balanced rations should be practised all the year round, and any cows that do not respond to it should bd discarded immediately. Australia has proved what, can be dono in this direction during the last few years. "No second grade or \\hey butter should be exported, as I have seen how this is dealt with in England. A market untouched so far is that in India. Australia exports a lit le, but Irish butter is to be found everywhere, packed in attractive Üb. and £lb. cartons, and selling as high as 3s 4d per lb. The market could bo easily captured, as the native butter is produced under tho most filthy condi ions."