OUR CATTLE HERDS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14704, 3 June 1920, Page 7

OUR CATTLE HERDS.

For some time past. the Government has !>een faced with the possible depletion of the cattle herds of the Dominion. a depiction likely to be caused by the indiscriminate slaughter of young calves almost at- birth. "With a view to finding a remedy for this state of tilings the Agricultural Department has Iteen endeavoring to evolve a scheme for rearing calves on a mncHcum -of milk supplemented by other food?, and 'it. is satisfactory to note that the exJ perinients which, have been carried on simultaneously both at the Ruakun l and Worarca State farms have proved j successful. * i Mr J. L. Bruce (superintendent of I experimental farms) has a most in- ! tcresting article on the result of the j experiments in the last issue of the Nov.- j [Zealand Journal of Agriculture. He j [points out that- the present development | of the dairy industry in New Zealand j on lines which absorb the whole of th? milk or involve the extraction of prae- \ tically all feeding matter therefrom is bringing about a position which, threatens both dairying itself and beef production. The roaring cf calves is now j one of the main problems confronting our dairy farmers. V> ith the diminution in the supply of skim milk and even ordinary whey, it has become more and more necessary to turn to other foods. The present high prices of such feeding stuffs, if all purchased outside, may make rearing with their aid comparatively expensive, but ji great many more dairy farmers could and should grow the necessary farm crops, such as j outs, linseed, and beans for use on the j farm. The dairyman must consider iiis | future herd, and as a rule it will be | sound economr for him to save and rear well at least his best heifer calves. The ordinary run of calves could also be pro- . fitablv re-.red bv the system of feeding . here "dealt with, but in their case the- j feediii°" srems likely to develop in the , near future into a special and separate j business on large-scale lines. "\\ ith the j object of obtaining reliable local data i rearrdinc* the extent to which supple- j im-ntarv feeds (mainly home-grown) can ; be profitably substituted for milk and j whev. a scheme of feeding tests, com- j bine'd with the best ' practice m calf- l rearm" gc-nerallv. was undertaken at j the Department's experimental farms I during the-' past season. In each cas-e : 10 calves, most of which would otherwise have been slaughtered for their . skins, were purchased won after birth, j divided into four groups of four each, ■ and fed strici.lv on the respective dic-t- , arv assigned to each group, the period of the test being 17 weeks. The results of the tests are instructive, and go to , show that the produce of the dairy can , lie very largely eliminated from the dietary of calves. There have been no deaths, and at the time of writing the calves are in excellent health and com- i pare well with others reared mainly on _ milk. ' . ,- _ ! In regard to general rearing practice, the writer is more than ever convinced that the "'ancient calf-paddock lias; been responsible for more ailments m cattle than possibly any other cause. It is essential that it be and replaced by clean, new grass pasture, preferably linic-d when sown clown. 110 ; matter what the dietary of the calves may be. —Ruakura Tests. — The calves used for the tests at the : Ruakura Farm of Instruction at HamiJ- i ton were 16 non-pedigree heifers under I a week old. purchased in the local sale-. yards at a cost of a few shillings each. |; and representative of the ordinary . tirade stock which came into the market. Thev comprised 12 j four shorthorn-Jersey crossbreds. ""All j the calves were weighed on the same; clay, and then divided into groups of j four, according to their weight. The; variation in the* total weights of I various groups was only 2lb, so that all ! lots commenced practically at the same j mark For the first month the calves j were shedded at night, and were fed j three times daily in separate bails. , They had a clean run on fresh pas- [ tnre composed of Western Wolths rye- : grass and red clover sown the previous j season, and clean water and a salt-lick I i were alwavs within their reach. The 1 calves were first given one tablespoonj ful of castor-oil, and for the first two I weeks were fed on new milk, and at.j the end of that period on the dietaries which follow■ •_ Group 1: Whole milk ,81b per day for two weeks; whole linseed, eoz, flour 2oz, plus skim milk 151b per day .for 15 weeks. The result was that the weight of the four animals increased from 3011b to 10711b in the 17 weeks, which represented an ."verasre .daily gain for each calf of 1.611b. The total cost of food per head dunn & the_testine was £1 14s-lid- Group .2: Whole milk 81b per day for two weeks, linseed mean bean meall2oz,plus skim mUk 81b per da.v for two weeks after which this was replaced, by water for the remainder of_ the. 17 weeks. Th total gain in weight of the four animals was 6501b", an average daily gain of

j 1.361b per head, the total cost of food per head being £1 8s lid. Group 3: Whole milk 81b per day for two weeks, oatmeal Soz, crushed linseed 4oz, plus [ skim milk 151b per day for 15 weeks. The four calves gained 733 in weight, an average daily gain of 1.541b per head, the total cost of food per head being £1 19s 6£d. Group 4: Whole milk 81b per day for two weeks, crushed linseed 9oz; plus skim milk 151b per (lay lor 15 weeks. The total weight gained by the calves was 8471b', or a daily gain by each animal of 1.771b, the total cost of food per head being £1 14s 6d. The above shows that the dry crushed linseed added to skim milk gave the best results. This ration requires no preparation, and consequently requires less labor. The calves carriecl good condition throughout, but the others did not have tile glossy skins so noticeable in group 3. There is not the least doubt that the oatmeal and crushed linseed porridge gave the calves a better appearance. The results of the tests conducted at the Weraroa Central Development Farm, where the calves were treated under practically similar conditions, wcr P as follow: —Group I: Whole milk, 81b per clay for two weeks, skim milk 161b per day for two weeks, flour 4oz. and linseed meal 3oz per day for 13 weeks. The total gain in weight was 7181b, or an average daily gain per head of 1.51b. the cost of food per head beiug 17s 3£' d. Group 2: Whole milk 81b per day for two weeks, skim milk lGlb per day for two week-s, crushed oats lib per day for thirteen weeks. The total gain in weight was 8221b, or an average daily gain for each calf of 1.71b', the cost of feed per head for the period beiug 19s lOfd. Group 3: Whole milk 81b per day for two weeks, skim milk 161b (plus 1 quart per day of linseed gruel) for 15 weeks. The "total gain in weight was 7701b. average daily gain of each calf, J.Olb. Total cost of food per head, £1 7s 3d. Group 4: Whole milk per day for one week, skim milk 16ub Tier day for one week, bean meal 9oz. linseed meal 6oz, welF cooked and fed with three quarts warm water per day for 15 weeks. The total gain in weight was 10771b. or an averatre daily gain for r-.ieli calf of 2.3' 1 -- Total cost of feed per head. 18s 10d. Th° r-nh-- vend were crossbreds, comprising Friesian.l r rscy, Shorthorn-Jersey, AyrshireJersey. Frie.-ian- o korthorn. and Guern-sey-Jersey. also grade Jersey. The substitution of the various foods which finally replaced the milk ration was brought about gradually. Thus before the end of the new-milk period n little skim milk was introduced, and increased until the ration was all skim milk. Other food changes were nvndr similarly. and the animal--, at no time, suffered anv check. In summing tin. Mr Bruce claim that it- was clearlv demonstrated throughout the te=ts 111-it the mo;t important and essential factors in calfrearing (apart frr.m the dietary) wore (t) a clean new grass paddock, (2) a good supply of fresh drinking water, and (3) clean feeding utensils. Therewas no doubt that absence of scour among the calves was largely due to the latte- precaution.