DAIRY FARM COMPETITION

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1678, 27 April 1904, Page 64

DAIRY FARM COMPETITION

(Special to the “Mail.”) mi . PALMERSTON. The judges of tho Manawatu A. and P. Association’s Dairy Farm Competition Messrs Reakes and Cuddy, Agricultural Department, and G-. , V/ °Tata, dairy farmer, Waitara have submitted their award to the Secretary Mr J. C. Lane. As there are less than ten entrants who secured 300 out of 600 points, the prizes are: Ist, £ls; 2nd, £10; 3rd, £5. The judges give their award" as follows :—> Pts. O. Whitehead (Shannon) ... 462 ] J. B. Veal© (Woodvil'le) ... 458 2 O. B. Ofslon (Bunnythorpe) 330 3 C. B. Robinson (Shannon) ... 249 4 The winner. Mr C. Whitehead, was formerly a resident of Palmerston. The judges say that of the four farms entered, two showed a much higher standard of quality generally than the others. As a matter (of fact, the farms of Messrs Whitehead -and Veal© had so many good points that in the aggregate it was extremely difficult to separate them. Neither was unifoirmify good tliroughout, yot both were far beyond the standard of the average dairy farm in this colony. . Reference is made to Mr Whitehead’s difficulty in obtaining a good water supply,, and the report sayiS he deserves every credit for what ho has accomplished in this direction. In both sheds the milkers appeared to observe care in the important matter of cleanliness. . A lengthy comparison is given of these two sheds as regards arrangement, convenience, structure, and drainage. With regard to the herds, except in the matter of bulls Mr Whiitehead v ’s was, on the whole, best, .and be may be congratulated on having considerably improved his stock since last year’s competition. In making provision for winter feed, (Mr Whitehead showed to the greatest advantage, he having provided a silo in close proximity to the shed. His paddocks were, also, superior. Mr Olsen, while possessing a farm superior to those held by many small! daily farmers in the colony, will need to effect many improvements before his can be considered a first-class farm. It seems to be utilised to a far greater extent for sheep than for dladry cows, and owing, doubtless, largely to the dry season, the feed available for the cows was short in quantity, the animals in consequence suffering in condition. Mr Olson had taken care to provide a very fair milking shed, well floored with concrete and kept clean. ( After congratulating Mir .Whitehead,

the judges refer to the bulls used on dairy (farms. They say: “The gross neglect exhibited by a Jorge proportion of dairy farmers in this colony in the •matter of obtaining good bulls of good milking breeds and stamina .is a really serious question. Even when a.purebred bull is found on a farm, it often® happens that he is of a breed quite unsuitable for the purpose of crossing with the cows composing the milking herd. A’ few pounds extra spent on the purchase of a well-bred suitable buM are'always well spent and this fact cannot be too strongly impressed on dairy farmers.” In a letter to the secretary, the judges say they observe with regret the small number of entries. The aim of the competition is such an excellent one and its possibilities for good so great that they are anxious to see it become more popular. They therefore recommend (1) that the entrance tee of £1 be reduced to IQs or ss; (2) that in the announcement off conditions, etc., the scibeduT.© of points be omitted, and in place of the table setting forth aill the various sections, there 100 substituted a comprehensive statement to the effect that all matters necessary to the successful carrying on of a dairy farm will be taken into consideration by the judges. This, they consider, would tend to induce some farmers to compete who now refrain, considering that in certain matters contained in the present schedule their places are badly deficient.