NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS

Otago Witness, Issue 3961, 11 February 1930, Page 12

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS

One Cow Silos. The Department of Agriculture of Japan reported in 1925 -1381 silos of less than five tons each. Since a cow should have around four tons of silage a year, these five-ton silos can truthfully be classified as one-cow silos. Another thing of interest concerning the silos of Japan is the fact that the vines of sweet potatoes come next in importance to corn as material used for filling. Practically all kinds of green succulent forage and crops grown on the farm is preserved and fed during the winter season. Silos are making rapid progress in Japan, according to reports, and are being widely used by dairy live stock men. Many men (says an English authority) are now constructing Bft, 10ft, and 12ft silos, because they find that there is less danger of spoilage when the herd is small. If the herd is enlarged, two small silos are more satisfactory than one large one.

Character in Sheep. It has been pointed out that in raising sheep for mutton not all the animals belonging to any of the improved breeds are possessed of excellence. Individuals always differ, and there are relatively few outstanding animals in any breed. This seems to be strikingly true of mutton sheep. As Professor Curtis, of the lowa Experimental Station, observes, let there be pronounced masculinity in the male and femininity in the female. Sheep should be neither sexless nor characterless. They should bear the stamp and character of the breed they represent. The breed character is a mark of good blood, and it. should be manifested in an unmistakable manner. The sire should be impressive, resolute, and of noble bearing, and distinctly the head of the flock in every sense of the word. To meet these requirements he must have good constitutional and vital powers. Without those no sire is fit to head a flock. In selecting a sire, first look at the head. If it is deficient look no further, but reject at once. Insist upon a head that looks at you boldly, with a wide face and a clear, bright eye. Sickle-shaped hocks and weak, sloping pasterns afford sufficient reason for condemning an otherwise good sheep.

Economic Value of a Silo. Summing up all the experiments conducted by some 23 different stations over a period of 15 years, Hoard's Dairyman says ensilage has proved the most economic food for the production of stock and stock products. There are over half a million silos now in use in the United States, and it is difficult to find a user who is not more than pleased with the results from his silo. The greatest expense connected with the live stock business is the cost of feeding the animals. The silo will lower the cost, and therefore it should be one of the first considerat ion« of the stock-keeper. Experiments and experience have taught, that the most profitable feeding is liberal feeding. such as will supply the animal with its requirements. Quick growth is profitable growth, large production is profitable production, and the feeder of silage is more inclined to feed well, which means profitable feeding. The man with the silo is supplied with a large amount of good feed, ami in emergency it can be carried over for several years, and still can be used with good profit. Competition is keen in all lines of industry, and the stock-keeper with a silo has an advantage over his neighbour without one. In order to compete with the silokeeper all _ stock -keepers must use silos. As the principal business of farming is to make money, the silo, especially on a dairy farm, will best accomplish this end. and is invaluable during a bad haymaking season. The silo stands ever ready

as an insurance against many of the common crop failures, especially sucli failures as damages from drought. W< t seasons often prevent the putting up of a crop of lucerne; this can be saved in the silo. Whatever is grown in the way of forage can be siloed and preserved for future use. The silo is a laboursaving equipment, and it saves in storage space. Eight times more feed can be stored in the silo than in the mow. Cattle can be fed quickly and easily from the silo, as it is in a condensed form close to the point of feeding. Silage is a succulent, grass-like feed, easily digested, and seems to stimulate digestion. It has much the same effect as grass, giving thrift to the animal, and as: it stimulates the milk flow all milking stock should receive it.

Hogget Mortality and its Prevention.

In the early days deaths among hoggets were but slight, and one did not bother very much about them. The land was clean, and the weaners had a choice of herbage available to-day in such quantity. Nowadays lambs are more valuable and pastures are dirty, and weaning time is often troublesome. Lambs should be weaned as early as possible within reason, and they should be encouraged to take nourishing food, and a salt lick should be provided. Some well-saved hay or oats make an excellent substitute for the loss of milk. Lambs should be encouraged to eat, and extra feeding will help in the treatment of parasites. Adult sheep harbour parasites, and the ova or eggs reach the pasture, where under suitable conditions of temperature and moisture the larva; hatch out, and are swallowed by animals grazing on such pastures. Several agents have been used for dosing infested sheep. Probably (says the live stock division of the Department of Agriculture) the most commonly used and most effective agent against the stomach worm is a 1 per cent, solution of copper sulphate (bluestone). The dose varies, with the age of the sheep to be dosed, from 6dr for a young lamb to 3oz for an adult sheep. Early dosing as soon as possible after weaning is essential in a rainy autumn. Dosing can be repeated every three weeks. Other agents used include turpentine, which may l>e given in milk or in raw linseed oil. If given in oil a littlcsoda may be added, and the whole made into an emulsion. From a tcaspoonful to a dessert- . spoonful may be given to each animal, depending on its age. Besides its vermieidal properties, turpentine in medicinal doses appears to have a stimulating effect in the case of weak animals. There are numerous other preparations used for worms in sheep, but those just mentioned are most commonly employed. The factors concerned in the prevention of hogget mortality may be summarised as follows:-— (1) Wean lambs early on to clean pasture. if available. (2) Pastures which have been grazed by cattle are most suitable. (3) If clean pastures are not available, the lambs should be taught to feed from troughs before or after weaning, weaned on to the driest paddocks, arid supplementary feeding increased after weaning. (4) In wet seasons early dosing soon after weaning is advisable, to be repeated as necessary. (5) Avoid overstocking with the young animals. (6) The possibilities of closer subdivision of paddocks, rotational grazing. the shutting up of paddocks in case of heavy growth, and the utilisation of the hergage as ensilage or hay offer great possibilities for providing a clean area upon which to wean lambs. (7) Where arable farming is carried out in the production of supplementary green crops a clean area should be reserved upon which to wean lambs. (8) Late lambs require more attention than early lambs; sick lambs are difficult to treat. Careful observation for the first indications of going off in health and condition are necessary, and one of the essentials is to train the young animals to take good dry feed while they are fit and well, so that if a flush of unsuitable autumn feed comes about the unfavourable feeding conditions can be corrected by a ration of good, dry feed, which the hoggets will then take readily. If not trained to dry feed, and an attempt is made to got them on to it after sickness has manifested itself, usually they will not take it at all, with a resultant heavy mortality. AGRI COLA.