Intensive System of Farming Could Double Production in Decade

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27039, 25 March 1949, Page 3

Intensive System of Farming Could Double Production in Decade

NORTH OTAGO NEWS

With a more intensive farming system in New Zealand, dairy production, as well as beef and fat lambs on the lowland dairying and fattening country, could be doubled in 10 years’ time, said Mr E. Bruce Levy, director, Grasslands Division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, in an address on a “ Plan for Greater Production from Grasslands in New Zealand,” given in the Wear street hall last night. The production of store stock and wool, with an increasing amount of fat lambs and beef on the deforested hill country, could easily be doubled or trebled within a period of 10 years, he said, provided that phosphatic fertilisers were, available at reasonable prices per ton and labour was available to clear scrub, fern, etc., to fence the country, to give a better control of stock, and to help generally in the management of that stock.

Mr Levy said that by increased growth and carrying capacity, by top-dressing, and by the introduction of better grasses and clovers not only was the production of growth increased, but also the food value of that growth could be doubled. High soil fertility and plants that could fully utilise that fertility were of paramount importance in grassland farming Measurement of grasslands showed that a sward of New Zealand pedigree white clover, well grown, could extract from the air nitrogen to the equivalent of one ton of sulphate of ammonia per acre per annum. This nitrogen was the key to high production grass development and to the efficient utilisation by the growing swaid of applied minerals, phosphate, potash and lime. Phosphates or phosphates and lime resulted in the fixation of nitrogen, and New Zealand’s immediate demand for the task of doubling production lay in a plenteous supply of raw phosphates. Given an increase of soil fertility the hills would grow first-class grasses and clovers such as pernennial ryegrass, white clover, crested dogstail and cocksfoot, Mr Levy said. These would carry between four and six ewes, plus cattle. The unimproved hills carried one to one sheep and a-half per acre, plus some store cattle and store lambs, but there was no future for that country until the soil fertility was increased. The fertility must come from the clovers and from minerals supplied out of the bag Mr Levy said his plan for increased production involved ploughing under much weedy and worn-out grassland; development of new easy ploughable areas now in logs and stumps, secondary growth, or scraggy bush; giant discing or surfacing harrowing of the more difficult ploughable areas; surface seeding particularly with clovers; stimulation of certified seed production; adequate topdressing; and the conversion wherever possible of extensive grassland farming into intensive grassland farming. In conclusion, Mr Levy said that the call to-day was to produce more, and that production drive demanded unity of thought and effort, and a new spirit behind that effort. In his opinion farmers had been political pawns and political chopping blocks too long. It was time to collaborate.

PORT OF OAMARU High Tides.—o. 27 a.m. and 12.51 p.m. Coastal Shipping Wainui arrived last night from Wellington, and after discharge will sail to-day for Dunedin. She will return after discharge and will load for Napier and Gisborne. via Timaru. Kanna arrived last night from Dunedin and will load for Wellington. Kairanga is expected early in April from Auckland. Holmdale is expected on Monday from Dunedin to load for Wellington and Wanganui