FORTHCOMING SHOWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19688, 15 January 1926, Page 4

FORTHCOMING SHOWS.

1926. January 15. —Waikooaiti January 22.—Waihemo. January 27. —Tapanui. February 16. 17, 18, 19. —Masterton. March .17. —Lake County. March 25.—Geraldine. April s.—Mackenzie. A point that is often overlooked in the feeding of the dairy herd is the necessity for change. Too often are the cows turned on the same paddocks day after day the year round. Some farmers do not fully realise how beneficial it would be to stock their paddocks in rotation, thus providing a new bite at intervals and whetting the appetite of the animals. There is no stronger argument in favour of small paddocks. Mot only do the pastures receive better treatment, but, what is of prime importance, the cows get better feed. Clean, fresh, luscious pasture—nothing compares with this for milk production. The ideal side of bacon must be, above , all else, light in the shoulder and well developed in the ham. In nautical language, the pig must carry its weight aft. Mo consumer buys shoulder when he can afford streaky or ham, and no retailer will stock heavy-shouldered sides if he can help it. Unfortunately, some of the best breeds of pigs have a distinct tendency to thick shoulders, and the need for skilful crossing is manifest. Next, the side must be symmetrical, and not too thick; it must be long, and the back and belly must be not only straight but parallel. Back-fat is not wanted in any quantity; the cheif fault with pigs that have been fattened too slowly or too long, is that they develop excessive fat on top of the spine. On the other hand, the flank and streaky (nnder- " line) cannot be too thick, provided that there is a good proportion of lean to lat. This is one of the most valuable cuts. » • » ♦ In Denmark where the co-operative system has been brought to a high state of perfection, it is customery to have each cow’s pedigree and milk and butter-fat record hung in its byre. Recently an Australian vlstior was being shown over a dairy farm, and the farmer, pointing to a cow’s record, said she would have to be got rid of as she was not giving sufficiently ri good results. The Australian said; “I suppose you’ll sell it to the other fellow?” “Would you do that in Australia?” asked the Dane. ‘T daresay we would,” was the reply. “Then,” said the farmer. "I’m afraid yon can’t be very civilised out there. Here no one would think of selling an unsatisfactory cow, except to the butcher, and its record is always sold with it.” * * ♦ * The addition of separated milk to barley, eta, will provide an increased proportion of lime, but cannot furnish the full amount needed for healthy growth, and, whatever the diet, adequate provision must be made for the lime requirements of the pig, either by means of ashes or by adding powdered chalk or limestone, bone-flour, wood ashes, or a proper mineral mixture to the food. * * * * For the citrus family the soil cannot be too well prepared, while free drainage must in every case be provided for. The best method of planting after the ground is prepared is to spread out the roots on the level of the surface, so that when the roots are covered the plants stand upon a slight mound. This not only gives added warmth to the roots, but prevents an excess of moisture around them. • * * * Cross-breeding is the mating of two purebred animals which belong to different breeds. Mating two animals which belong to different families within the same breed is usually called “out-crossing.’ For all practical purposes, cross-breeding is the extreme opposite of in-breeding. The breeder of pure-breds cannot practise cross breeding, and therefore out-crossing is as far away as he can get from the practice of inbreeding. * * * * A.n English authority, writing in the Live Stock Journal, states that in order to ' obtain a sufficiency of lime from its food, the pig should consume daily one or other of the following quantities of food;—Skim milk, ISlb; sharps, 191 b; peas, --lb; rye, °81b: whey, wheat or barley 5.1 b; maize, 7Slb: potatoes 1001 b. It is. therefore, obvious from the magnitude of these figures that lime is one of the substances of which pigs are always in need.

Most districts in the North Island and especially those in the far-north, are now erving out for rain. The season, which opened -with an abundance of ram, has now swung to the opposite extreme, and farmers find that they have a new grievance against Nature. A large type heading in the New Zealand Herald says. The North Needs Rain,” and in some districts there is a danger of grass fires starting. Hawke’s Bav appears to be in the worst plight of all, and farmers are faced with a serious position. Many have been compelled to truck stock to the coast districts. * * * *

nOe of the features of the Dairy Show, London, this year was the outstanding successes of the Gloucester Old Spot breed of pigs. The three principal challenge cups were carried off hy their quality was such as to give tho judges no choice in the matter of awards. Ihe celebrated Whitley Cup. considered the most prized distinction in tho pig world, fell to an exhibitor who had never before «howu, and intended to offer his pigs on the market as fats. . The pigs were not specially fed, and the- win was a great credit to tho breed. In this competition the pigs aro slaughtered, cured, and exhibited under the supervision of the British Dairv Farmers’ Association and iudged by members of the bacon trade. It is considered the fairest competition yet devised -'to put before the public the merits of the various breeds.

Though the butter-fat returns for the season m Taranaki so far still show a decrease as compared with the same portion of last season, indications show that a good deal of loss sustained in the early part of the season is being made up, and provided tho late summer and autumn, do not prove too dry, there is every probability that by tho dose of the season it will be found that the output this year will be quite up to that of last Season-

While butter-fat prices in New Zealand have slumped to Is 4d per lb they have jumped to 5s on the Pacific Coast of the United States, with no immediate prospects of reduction. Danish butter was on sale -in Seattle, said Mr Herman Seifert, a wellknown Manawatu farmer, in an interview with the Manawatu Times. He was there recently, and naturally he wants to know why tho Dairy Control Board cannot land New Zealand butter on the Pacific seaboard as cheaply and as easily as Danish can b (/shipped over the Atlantic and railed across the continent.

What is considered to be the “star” property of tho North Island comprises 9000 acres. It carried 18,800 sheep 'last year, of which 3000 were breeding ewes, and also 200 head of cattle. Tho whole of the adult sheep clipped averaged 111 b of wool. The property is situated in the Porangohau district (Hawke’s Bay). It certainly takes beating.

The export operations of Hawke’s Bay fruitgrowers are being held up by the embargo in South America against New Zealand apples, owing to the fear that the fruit fly pest is present here. The fruit fly is not present here, and the New Zealand Fruit Federation is in cable communication with Buenos Aires on the subject, so it is hoped that, as a result, the embargo will be removed in time for the export season.