THE RURAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23110, 9 February 1937, Page 3

THE RURAL WORLD

FARM AND STATION NEWS

By RUSTICUS,

Items of interest to those engaged in agricultural and pastoral pursuit#, with a view to their publication in there columns, will bo weicomsa. They should be addressed to Rusticus, Otago Daily Times, Dunodiss.

1937 SHOW SEASON ROSTER OF FIXTURES Agricultural and pastoral shows have been arranged for the 1937 season air follows: 1937 March 6.—Upper Clutha, at Pembroke. March lo.~Lake County, at Lake Hayes. Arrowtown. March 20.—Temuka and Geraldine, a: Winchester. , ~ March 29.—Strath-Taieri. at Middlemarch. DOMINION WOOL SALES DATES AND ALLOCATIONS Dates of New Zealand wool sales for the 1936-37 selling season, with the maximum aggregate quantities of wool which may be offered at the sales are as follows: 1937 Feb. 10 Dunedin SO.OOO Feb. 19 Wellington 30,000 Feb. 24 Napier 30,000 Mar. 1 Wanganui 28,000 Mar. 5 Auckland (No limitMar. 12 Christchurch 26,000 Mar. 16 Timaru (No limit) Mar. 19 Invercargill (No limit) Mar. 24 Dunedin 30,000 Apr. 3 . Wellington 25 ;? 0U ... Apr, 8 Napier (No limit) Apr 12 Wanganui (NohmfD Apr. 16 Christchurch Apr. 20 Dunedin (No limit) Apr. 24 Wellington (No limit)

SHEEP DOG TRIALS OTAGO PROVINCIAL ASSOCIATION Sheep dog trials under the auspices of the Otago Provincial Sheep Dog Association have been arranged as follows for the 1937 season:— Tahatika.—February 24. Ratanui.—March 3. Miller’s Flat.—March 4 and 5. Wakatipu.—March 11 and 12. Warepa.—March 18, 19, 20. Kyeburn.—April 1,2, 3. Kuriwao.—April 9 and 10. Waitaki. —April 13, 14, 15. Omarama. —April 19, 20, 21. Patearoa. —April 22, 23. 24. Clutha.—May 6,7, 8. Waihemo.—May 12, 13, 14. Strath-Taieri.—May 17, 18. 19. Tarras.—May 20, 21, 22. Wanaka.—May 24, 25, 26. Lowburn.—May 27, 28, 29, Tokarahi.— May 31, June 1 and 2. Palmerston.—June 3,4, 5. Ngapara.—June 7,8, 9. Tuapeka.—June 10, 11, 12.

Group Herd Testing The herd testing statistics for December for the 24 group associations testing a total of 239,178 cows show that the highest average return for any group was that of Okains Bay with an average yield, of 11771 b milk, 3.9 per cent, test, 461.1 fat. Second on the list comes South Canterbury, 11241 b milk, 3.9 per cent, test, 43.61 b fat per cow. The third group is Marlborough, 9991 b milk, 4.3 per cent, test, 43.31 b fat, with Southland 10941 b milk, 3.9 per cent, test, 42.91 b fat per cow fourth on the list. Okains Bay, South Canterbury, and Southland groups were the only three groups averaging over 10001 b milk per cow for the month, and they were the only groups with an average test below 4 per cent., yet they were first, second, and fourth in December, and they occupied the same position for the previous month, November. The cows that give a large yield of milk with a moderate fat content give the greatest return of butter-fat. Wool Organisation

NEWS FROM CLUBS

Practical business was accomplished at the interdominion conference of wool producers’ representatives in Australia during January, and a real policy, with finance to carry it out, has emerged from the proceedings. There will be an annual expenditure of about £50,000 on research and publicity, the funds to be provided from levies on wool marketed in the Commonwealth, South Africa, and New Zealand, our contribution being fixed according to our proportion of export during the last five years. On this basis it will amount to £9545 per annum, which can be raised by quite a moderate levy under the system already described in these columns.

Use of Cobalt Salt In the latest report of the Cawthron Institute it is stated that the use of cobalt salt in minute amounts has prevented completely the incidence of the stock ailments at Glenhope and Morton Mains, Southland, and has enabled satisfactory gains in live, weight to be made. The investigations have shown that the beneficial properties of limonite, soil, and other drench materials used in previous years at Glenhope and Morton Mains are dependent not on iron compounds, but on the content of cobalt. This discovery is likely to have a wide application in connection with bush sickness of the North Island, for it has already been noted that both bush sickness of the North Island and Glenhope ailment are cured by the use of the same drench materials.

Rugging of Sheep Sheep-rugging trials have been conducted for some years by various owners of sheep in Australia, and according to the Pastoral Review, the trials have now reached a very interesting stage. It is stated that the results are most hopeful, it having been substantially proved that sheep so protected will cut a better fleece of wool, worth more money. Reporting upon the effect of rugging part of the Glendon (lock, near Bendemeer, N.S.W., Mr Donald Copeland advises:—“After trying out 25 different qualities and designs of rugs during a period of six months before shearing, he found the 15oz duck ‘Aberdeen’ rug to be of the greatest advantage. The shearers stated that they shore the rugged sheep more easily than the unrugged ones, and also the latter were not in as good condition as those rugged. A number of the fine-wool fleeces of both lots were kept separate, heavily skirted, and sent to Schute. Bell, and Co., Ltd., for an opinion. Their report states that those from the rugged sheep were very well grown and more attractive than the unrugged samples, being brighter, displaying very little tip. and were perfectly sound throughout the staple, and practically free from oil.’ Mr Copeland is enlarging the experiment this year by rugging 500 sheep for the full shearing-to-shearing period, and a further 200 from dipping to shearing. Other than for show preparation purposes, is any rugging being done in New Zealand? If so, the writer would be glad to receive any particulars. Incidentally, one learns that a Canterbury sheep owner who farms a fair amount of wet country has placed an extensive order for rubber boots to guard the sheep against foot-rot. Great Herd Averages C W Henry, of Colorado, U.S.A., with his pedigree Friesian herd of 20 cows, has an average of 4131 b fat for the past 16 years. In 1920 his herd average 3261 b fat, while the average

for the past three years has been—--1933, 5101 b fat; 1934, 5171 b fat; 1935. 5231 b fat. One of his cows, Cragdale Valentine Skylark Ormsby, has a lifetime record of 61721 b fat, and another. Changeling Baker Mercedes, 60t91b. Mr Henry realises that it is a very difficult task to maintain a herd average over 5001 b fat, and any young bulls which he uses are mated only to a few cows and then held over, or else he retains a half-interest in them until the daughters prove their worth. In this way he hopes to eliminate the possibility of a “ dud ” bull ruining the breeding work of a quarter of a century. The Pastures It happens that two of the most important operations on the farm are carried out during February and March, namely, the preparation and mating of the sheep flocks, and the sowing of pasture seeds. Pastures and stock are inseparable, and the degree of success attained in the handling of live stock is largely determined by (he condition of the pasture. Our method of laying down and maintaining the pastures is improving slowly but surely, but we have still a long way to go before we arrive at anything resembling perfection. It has become apparent, however, that a few well selected varieties of plants make a more profitable pasture than a mixture of many varieties, but the most important change in pasture management in recent years has been brought about by the discovery of the incalculable value of fertilisers, when liberally applied as top-dressings. In days gone by, when pasture seeds were sown, it was confidently expected that the resulting pastures would maintain their initial vigour and carrying capacity for all time without the aid of applied manures. It was overlooked that the natural fertility of the soil was being carried off in the form of wool, mutton, etc., not to mention the great injury that was done by constant close grazing. ... , , Although a few farmers still look with some suspicion on the idea of spending money on artificial fertilisers, the great majority are fully convinced that no great height of production and profit can be reached in their absence, Britain's Meat Imports With Britain . keenly concerned to extend its home production of jneat, it is interesting to examine the latest survey of figures relating to meat production and trade recently published by the Imperial Economic Committee. •Taking the broadest glance at the general figures for the last seven years, it is evident that beef imports (including veal), have been remarkably stable. They totalled 11,507,000cwts in 1929, and were 11,647,000cwts in 1935. Mutton and lamb imports, 5,767,000cwts in 1929, rose in volume to 7,295,000 cwts in 1931, but have declined each year since that time, and the 1935 total was 6,989,000cwt5. Although it cannot be suggested that the English appetite for pork and bacon has declined, the imports clearly show the results of State encouragement of Home production. Imports totalled 12,829,000cwts in 1932, but in 1935 they were down to 8,684,000cwt5. There has been a considerable decrease in recent years in the exports of bacon and hams from Denmark to Britain-, and a heavy decline in shipments of pork from the Netherlands. The Economic Committee’s survey points out that the United Kingdom is by far the largest importing country in the world for beef and for mutton and lamb Of recent years, however, there has been a tendency for lamb to displace mutton in the imports. Arrangements for the restriction of imports of bacon and hams have operated as, from November, 1932. This regulation has had an adverse effect on world trade as a whole, owing to the relative importance of the United Kingdom as a market.

Now Zealanders, and colonials generally, have the name of being great meat eaters and tea drinkers. It is interesting to note that the credit (or discredit) as far as meat eating is concerned goes to our country as the following figures taken from the International Institute of Agriculture journal indicate. The figures given are in kilogrammes of meat per head consumed during the last available year’s returns: — New Zealand 11l Australia 97 • Denmark 66 Canada 64 United Kingdom .. .. 63 United States .. .. .. 63 Germany 54 Switzerland 50 Belgium 41 Norway 35 France 34 Czechoslovakia 34 Poland 19 Italy 15

The following is a further article on pasture plants in the series as prepared by Mr S. H. Saxby:— Crested Dogstail (Cynosurus cristatus) is a grass which demands a lower fertility standard than ryegrass but a higher one than brown top. It is suited to sheep grazing on second-class country where ryegrass does not hold and is of value in most of Otago except for the richer dairying and coastal districts. It is not a persistent grass in itself but lasts and increases in pastures on account of its very prolific seeding habit. The feed produced is small compared with ryegrass, but Is quite palatable and is said to be highly nutritious On the better second-class country when the permanent strains of ryegrass are sown, the sowing of dogstai! is of some value in that it adds to the variety of feed. On similar country when temporary strains of ryegrass are sown the value of dogstail is consider ably greater as it is very useful in filling in the sward when the ryegrass has died out. There is a considerable area in Otago which has run to pastures ol the latter type, namely a mixture of dogstail. brown top, some cocksfoot and a little ryegrass. These pastures are said to be very palatable and are usuallv closely grazed; in fact, much more so "than is any first-class pasture. This fact is frequently used as an argument for dogstail pastures. The explanation is very largely that as dogstail is a low producing grass, and that as stock are usually on these pastures fairly continuously, the dogstai! pastures are kept short with much greater ease than a ryegrass pasture. One seldom sees a dogstail pasture “ away “ except for the seed heads which sheep refuse to cat For temporary or hay pastures dogstail is of little or no value on account of its low production, but for permanent pastures it is useful in fill* ing in the sward after the ryegrass has gone and before brown top takes charge. The dogstai] plant is very like a dwarf ryegrass plant in most respects. The leaves go off the stem at a greater angle than in ryegrass, and are of a slightly stiffer and darker appearance. The chief distinguishing feature is the very definite, but often faint, yellow colour at the base of the leaf stems at or just below ground level. The following quotation from an English Agricultural iournal is of interest: — “ No bettei proof of the importance of the Y.F.C. movement is required than the growing interest taken in its activities by leading

agricultural firms. The ‘ farmer of to-morrow ’ who, through his club, is at such pains to recognise the best stock and has taken the trouble to find out the best way to feed them, is. they find, well worthy of special help and consideration. “ For example, a booklet ]ust Drough; out by Messrs Silcocks gives hints on feeding (particularly of young animals), and includes a list of their publications helpful to young farmers. Entitled ‘ The Modern Young Farmer,’ it also sets out the aims and activities of the movement for the benefit of those who are not as yet members.”

SHEEP DIPPING LOSSES A FREQUENT COMPLAINT NEED FOR GREATER CARE The loss of sheep after dipping is a common complaint—in fact, it is all too common, and the only explanation that can account for the frequency of the complaints is insufficient care at dipping time. That is the opinion of Mr William Pierson, B.Sc.. M.R.C.V.S., who is recognised as a leading veterinary authority. In conversation with the writer of this article (MnJ. O. S. Miller, of Timaru), he said that there were very few preparations, if any that were not perfectly safe to use. provided that ordinary care was-exer-cised and the manufacturers’ instructions strictly observed. He put the most common causes of after-dipping losses in the following order:— Mechanical or inhalation pneumonia is by far the commonest cause of afterdipping losses in sheep, and at times loss from this cause could be materially reduced if not eliminated altogether if greater care was taken in the handling of the sheep through the bath. Sheep in high condition suddenly immersed in a cold bath tend to gasp, and are liable to inhale the dip into the throat and lungs—much more so should the head be pushed under at this moment. Dip inhaled in this fashion enters the -lungs, and the resultant irritation induces what is known as mechanical or inhalation pneumonia. Smptoyms of this type of pneumonia are seen generally two or three days after dipping when a few of the sheep are seen to be lying about in a dopey condition. On further investigation they are noticed to be breathing heavily A few are generally found dead on the third day usually with a blood-stained, frothy discharge at the nose and mouth. On the fourth or fifth days the highest percentage of death occurs, the trouble later tailing off until the seventh day when, as a rule, it ceases.

Ordinary pneumonia is brought on by adverse weather following dipping before the sheep dry out, dipping too late in the day, dipping hot sheep, or driving freshly-dipped sheep. Sheep in an anasmic condition through internal parasites fall an easy prey to pneumonia. Blood poisoning (Malignant Oderna and other germs): Germs of this type linger in sheep yards, sheds, pens, etc. and enter the system of any sheep with shear cuts, scratches, bruises, or dog bites. Protruding nails in old yards are common cause of this trouble. Arsenical or carbolic acid poisoning: Both are very rare, although at times arsenical absorption is brought about by driving dinned sheep until they become heated. It is typical of arsenical poisoning that the carcasses do not rapidly decay, but become more or less preserved.