LIVE STOCK AND THE FARM

Southland Times, Issue 18077, 2 May 1919, Page 7

LIVE STOCK AND THE FARM

Thorough Cultivation. CATTLE TICK KOI QUEENSLAND VARIETY. VALUE OF HEED TESTING. (BY HARVESTER.)

The question of cow-testing is one to j which up-to-date dairymen arc giving more j and more attention, and it is rather unior- | lunate that the South Island is a 'great | deal behind the North Island in regard to j this important matter. An illustration of | the piugressiveness of the North island ■ dairy iarmers is given in the last annual . report of the Kaupokonui Co-operative Daily I Co., Ltd. The directors in their annual re- | port mention that the cow-testing has been j continued with good results, and an instruc- . live article by Mr S. McKenzie, dairy in- ■ structor at Mauaia, is attached to the re- ] port. The Kaupokonui Company carries on | operations on a very large scale. In the | year under notice it hanuied 58,195,100 ibs 1 cf milk for 2,275,2981bs of butter-fat, mak- j mg over 5,623,07-iibs of cheese, and paid out 22id per lb tor butter-fat. The company runs a co-operative store for its members and the turnover was £61,378, yielding a profit of £4477. Mr McKenzie says in his report that Kaupokonui provided an outstanding example of the practical value of cow-testing. Emphasising the value of testing, he stresses the tact that conditions have changed since the early days. With cheap land and labour, any cow could pay i her way, even at the low prices paid for butter and cheese. Now, however, though prices for dairy products have advanewl they have not kept pace with the advancing ! cost of labour and land, and only a decent | sort of cow can show a profit for her keep. ; The difference in capacity and quality makes ] the difference between profit and loss, and ; it is not safe to guess about cow produe- j tion. The only tuing to do is to make ■ sure by keeping records. ' One Kaupokonui farmer who has been testing his herd of 37 cows for eight years, raised the average production of fat from 1701bs per cow to over 3041bs per cow. A neighbouring farmer who commenced testing the same year increased his average from lß3ibs to 2961b5. The increase per cow tor the ’ Association during the eight years was most remarkable, the average per cow having increased from 2221bs fat to over 2961b5. Cow-testing was the chief means of increasing \he Company’s output from 1,947,9061bs in 1910-11 to 2,275,129 ibs fat in 1917-8. In the Association there are 10,500 cows and had they produced the same average in 1917-8 as in 1910-11 the total production would have been less by 252,0001bs of fat. In other words, an increase of quarter of a million lbs ot fat was obtained, not by increasing the number of cows, but by getting rid oi the poor yielders, and bringing up the average by careful testing. The increased production of butter-fat obtained by testing was worth £12,600 calculated at only 1/per lb. If the calculation is made on the price paid out by the Kaupokonui Com'pany, the increase is more than £25,000. The results achieved by the pokonui. Association are a striking practical illustration of the value of systematic testing, and the lesson is one that Southland dairymen would do well to take to heart.

Wherever cultivation is carried out it is essential to increased production that it be as thorough as the season, labour, and facilities available permit, says Mr A. MeTaggart in the course of an article in the Journal of Agriculture. Thorough and timely cultivation makes available.' plant-food and conserves soil-moisture, the two most important factors in promoting abundant crop-growth. In adverse seasons attention to thoroughness and timeliness as regards cultivation frequently means the ditierence between success and failure in crop production. A fine firm seed-bed is important in giving a crop a good start—a highly important factor,; and the rule to follow in the seeding of crops is, the finer the seed the finer the seed-bed. Elimination, as far as possible, ot rough-and-ready cultivatoin will go a long way toward materially increasing production from our soils.

The adoption of methods pf cultivation and the use of implements suited to varying conditions of soil, climate, and labour supply will, where possible, contribute a great deaL toward increased output. Labour-sav-ing machinery can materially assist in this direction. The farm tractor, on land suitable for its use, can play an important part. In parts of the country where the rainfall is generally somewhat limited, or where in seasons the weather conditions are dry during the growing period, implements designed for “dry-land” farming could be used to advantage. In preparing a seed-bed under such conditions use could be made of the subsurface and surface packers, as used lin the Western States and provinces of North America. These implements pack the soil, both lower and upper portions, and thereby encourage moisture to travel upwards by capillarity. The thin dust mulch ■ that, in addition to packing, is produced by | the subsurface packer tends to check evap- | oration from the soil. Thus moisture is both ; conveniently concentrated and conserved, ' and so made the most of by the crop sub- ■ scquently sown. Disc drills, especially the : double disc, also pack the soil around the j grain as it is sown, thereby causing the ' young plant to have the beriefit of a maxi- [ mum of the moisture available in this com- ' paratively dry soil. i Failing the use of these special-purpose ■ implements, the roller, of as heavy a type i as made, should be made plenteous use of I in preparing “dry-land” seed-beds, and their j use should always be followed by a final j stroke of a chain or brush harrow to pro- ' mote a dust mulch, and so prevent evaporj ation. After every shower of rain in such i climates or seasons a stroke of the harrows i (light tine', where possible, will conserve this extra moisture to a marked extent. In- ! deed, during a dry spell when a cereal or turnip crop seems to “stand still” a stroke of the harrows (crosswise) often works like magic in promoting growth. This, again, is due to evaporation of moisture being checked and concentrated at the roots of the crop.

In like manner the intercultivation of drilled crops during a dry season often means the difference between success and failure with respect to such crops. This being so, the expenditure on labour for such purpose where at all available or procurable is thoroughly justifiable. In other words, it pays.

A statement regarding the cattle tick which is causing so much anxiety among pastoralists in the North Island was made by the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald) on Saturday week:—

There seems to be considerable anxiety amongst pastoralists about ticks in cattle, said the Minister. It is a matter that has been under observation by the Agricultural Department for some years. As far as the scientific men , of the Department are concerned, they think there is no cause for alarm. The question of dealing with these ticks has been given very careful consideration, and it has been decided to draft regulations for the purpose, and these are now in preparation. The question has had to be considered very carefully from every point of view, seeing that the most careful enquiries and investigations which have been made, and are still going on in those parts of the north where the parasites are most prevalent, have failed to reveal any single case in which a cattle-beast has shown indications of suffering in health as n result of their presence upon it. The ticks are of a different variety from those which in Queensland act as conveyers from animal to animal of the disease known as “'tick fever,” which causes very serious loss to stockowners in that State. This

disease, “tick fever,” is not present in New Zealand, ami never has been, and the additional quarantine regulations made specifically to prevent “worm-nests” and pleuropneumonia gaining entrance into New Zealand from Australia have further strengthened our position in keeping out this disease. Ticks themselves cannot cause lick fever. Any repressive action taken now, therefore, must be taken on the lines of preventing possible future trouble, by destroying the ticks when found, and of doing what is possible to prevent the spread of these parasites to other parts of the Dominion. Their spread in the north is no doubt due largely to the warmer climate, which is favourable to their propagation. As a matter of fact, ticks of this class have been present for generations past in most other countries, including Great Britain, and practically the whole of Europe, though under the colder weather conditions prevailing there, and also the different conditions under which cattle are kept, they have never been any source of trouble. In New Zealand, enquiry shows that they were found in the extreme north at ‘least twenty-five years ago, and again in another area north of Auckland twelve years ago. and during the whole of the intervening period no instances occurred in which any ill-effects have been trated to them. It is necessary to make the position clear from the point of view as stated, but in order that no risk may be taken in the direction of possible future trouble, it is, as already stated, proposed to take reasonable and proper measures to cope with these parasites, as information obtained from other countries, where the climate is suitable for their easy dissemination, indicates that seme monetary loss can be caused by them when they become very numerous. How monetary loss is brought about may be sum -marised as follows: — (a) By the lowering of condition throughloss of blood when large numbers of ticks are harboured by one animal. (b) By decreased milk-yield of cows hari bouring large numbers of ticks. 1 (c) By deterioration in the value of hides. When large numbers of ticks are present the value of the hide for conversion into leather is reduced. It is stated that a badly affected “ticky” hide is worth from 4/- to 10/- less than if sound.

(d) Possible mortality among animals harbouring large numbers of ticks when they are already weakened by various forms of sickness, insufficient food, etc. The conclusions arrived at by the scientific officers of the Department as to the identity of these ticks have been confirmed by high authorities in England, to whom specimens were sent for examination.”

A notice in the Gazette states that section 3, 1790 acres, Hokonui Survey District, part of the Ardlussa Settlement, is to be thrown open for selection to discharged soldiers under the Lands for Settlements Act, 1908. A German-owned business for extracting lanoline or wool grease from wool taken over by the U.S.A. Government at the outbreak of war is remarkable for its suggestiveness to New Zealanders who are on the look-out for post-war enterprises (says the Auckland Star). The business referred to was evidently carried on very extensively, as the plant included a ‘‘battery” of 44 Sharpies wool-grease separators, and an inspection indicated that they -were all kept fully employed.' The commercial possibilities of wool grease have not so far as we know been seriously taken into consideration in New Zealand, and it is believed that to those capable of dealing with this valuable by-product there is a ready field waiting to be utilised. Our London correspondent, says the Weekly Press, states that in a lecture on anthrax at the Chadwick Trust at Bradford, Dr T. M. Legge, Milroy lecturer on industrial anthrax, stated that the wool from Australia and New Zealand was fortunately so free from risk of conveying infection that disinfection was not contemplated. The dates fixed for the National Dairy Show are June 17, 18, 19, and 20. It is at Palmerston North that the butter and cheese championships are contested, and the various dairy factory managers have interested themselves to such an extent that the entries are nearly seventy in excess of last year. The existing halls are inadquate, and another spacious annexe is being added. Hunting and various other ring competitions, including dog trials are on the programme. Schedules, etc., can be had on application to the secretary. A Gazette notice declares that section 1, Ardlussa Settlement, containing 5031 acres with a half-yearly rental of £63,' will be open ior selection on renewable lease on April 30. An Order-in-Couucil dated April 24 notifies that all butter manufactured during the season August 1, 1918, to July 31, 1919, and not already in the grading stores, together with a certain proportion of the butter already in the stores, is required for local consumption within New Zealand, and therefore is not exportable surplus. No butter of a quality fit for local consumption will hereafter be purchased by the Government, or be subject to advances by the Government, unless it is in the grading stores on April 17. No butter of a quality fit for local consumption and already in the grading stores on April 17, on which no advance has heretofore been made by the Government, will be made the subject of Government purchase or advance, except such proportion as in the opinion of the Controller of the Department of Imperial Government Supplies is not required for local consumption and is exportable surplus. The Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald, with the Board of Trade, is dealing now with the payments to be made to producers of butter under the equalisation scheme agreed upon last year in respect of the output for the season 1917-18. The Government has received from the Imperial authorities the sum of £307,000, this being 50 per cent, of the profit on the sale of the butter in England. By agreement with the factories this sum has been credited to an equalisation fund, and it is being applied to pay an interim distribution of one penny and one-eighth on butter exported, and one halfpenny on butter sold locally. Up till the present £215,000 of this money has been distributed, representing 90 per cent, of the amount to be paid in this dividend. There will be a balance remaining, and some more adjustment will have to be done to give the whole amount to the persons entitled to receive it.

Last year three factories stood out of the equalisation scheme, but it is hoped that this year all of them will come in. The butter producers have been fortunate this year in that practically all the exportable surplus has been got out of the country. Since the necessity for military supplies has diminished, there is not such a demand for cheese, and a large quantity has been left in store here. At present there are between 400,000 and 500,000 crates of cheese in stores in New- Zealand.

As one traverses almost any district in New Zealand he is convinced of the great need there exists for systematic drainage of not only agricultural but also pastoral lands, says Mr McTaggart, writing in the Journal of Agriculture. An extensive carrying-out of adequate drainage will of itself vastly

increase production from the pastures and cultivated areas of the country. How many of our pastures are growing plenteously rushes, sedge grasses, and other inferior and worthless vegetation; whereas these could be replaced by superior profitproducing grasses and clovers. True it is that the capital involved in carrying out adequate drainage in many instances is a barrier, but this is not always the trouble. It has been demonstrated over and over again that within a reasonable time drainage pays for itself in the increased carrying capacity of, or enlarged crop returns from, the land. Apart from the question of lack of capital, it inay be asserted that vast areas of country could be betjter drained, and so have their productiveness greatly increased, were land-owners to give more thought and attention to this important subject. They would find that there has already been designed and successfully used labour-saving machinery that could materially assist them. The drain or mole plough, for instance, has done extensive valuable drainage work for Southland, and to a lesser degree for other districts., Its use, particularly on posture lands of stiffish subsoil, is of very great economic importance. In North America the traction ditcher has been used extensively, its function being to dig daily long stretches of ditching and place pipes along the ditch-bank ready, for subsequent placing in proper position. This labour-saving machine is of much importance for certain types of country, especially where extensive under-drainage is badly needed owing to the stiff nature of the subsoil, where the land is otherwise of high value, and where no stumps or buried tim-. ber exist. Again, wher»labour is fairly abundant, how much more drainage of land could in many instances be effected by using ordinary farm implements, such as the single-furrow plough and the subsoil plough, and employing manuka, stones, or rough timber for placing in these ditches when completely excavated! Further, as a last resource, the system of providing good surface drainage, particularly for land to be laid down to pasture, could be employed. This method consists of ploughing the paddock in comparatively narrow lands, high in the centre and low at the sides, running, with the natural slope of the land. Under diainage in addition makes, of course, for greater soil efficiency, and is of permanent benefit to the pasture and other crops. As a final emphasis of the importance of this subject, it may be stated that drainage is the first essential in the treatment of any soil, and without adequate draining the land cannot respond to any extent to any subsequent treatment it may receive. It cannot grow crops—pasture or otherwise—successfully. It may, then, well be asked; Are New Zealand soils as a .whole growing as they should the staple crop of the country —pasture ?

A better understanding of the chemistry and use of commercial fertilisers on the part of a great number of our settlers would be a highly important factor in promoting an increased agricultural output, says Mr A. McTaggart in the Journal of Agriculture. These valuable crop-stimulants are not as well understood by farmers generally as they might be. An understanding by the farming community of their use from the standpoints of soil, crop, climate, and economics is of first importance. A good deal has been accomplished in this educational matter, but much remains to be done. Official experts are at the service of producers, and it behoves any settler who is in doubt as to the manures to use for his particular soil, crop, and climate to obtain advice on the subject from a scientific source.

The Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald, President of the Board of Trade, made a statement as to the outcome of the conference held last Friday with reference to the embargo placed on the export of hides for the purpose of assuring supplies to local tanners. The conference comprised representatives of the Board of Trade, and of brokers, freezing companies, producers, tanners, and boot manufacturers. The difficulties were narrowed down at the second meeting to—(1) The necessity of allowing freezing companies to export a portion of the hides bought prior to March 6. (2) The difficulty of dealing with hides offered at auction. It was estimated that if the freezing companies were allowed the right to export approximately 20,000 hides no other difficulty would be raised in making all the balance available for use in New Zealand. A sub-committee was set up to work out an equitable allocation of approximately 20,000 hides among the various companies, the tanners undertaking to free the quantity so ascertained for export.

With respect to the second difficulty, the conference decided to recommend that the Order-in-Council be amended —(a) That ox hides offered at auction in the following grades and at the following prices, and not purchased by tanners, shall be deemed to have been refused in such circumstances as to show that the goods are not required for local purchase at those prises:— Superior, 33-44, Hid; 45-52, Hid; 53-58, 12?; 59-69, 13id; 70 and over, 14d (all f.0.b.); Ist grade, Id less; 2nd grade, lid, less; (b) that cowhides offered at auction in the following grades: 33-39, 40-49, 49 and over, and not purchased at the prices fixed in the schedule of the regulation, shall be deemed to have been refused. The conference expressed the opinion that if these suggestions were given effect to the scheme would work smoothly. The producers’ representatives objected in toto to .any limitation of prices. The Board of Trade recommended the adoption of the conference proposals and the Minister has approved. The local stock markets are still very dull, and very little sale business is being effected. The congestion of the freezers has a very marked effect on the local markets and fanners will have to endeavour through their , unions to obtain more shipping space for Southland. There are at present in home ports several vessels loading for London, but apparently they are not coming south for cargo. The claims of Southland for more space should be pushed on every available opportunity or the farmers here will find that they are being left and that their interests are being overlooked' to the advantage of northern ports.

The inquiries ns to “whether the Alderney and Jersey breeds of cattle are practically identical, or, if not, what constitutes the difference?” have moved the Live Stock Journal (England) to institute an investigation. from which it is concluded that the cattle of all the Channel Islands appear to have sprung originally from a common stock, which has become gradually differentiated into three varieties. Accounts of the Channel Islands, written in the early part of last century, describe the cattle of Alderney and Jersey as at that time practically identical in appearance, though the Guernseys were even then considerably larger. An alleged purebred Alderney whose progeny were brindled is thus commented upon;— ‘•The facts as to the colouring of this Alderney’s calves are extremely interesting. In Guernseys the colouring of both bulls and cows appear to be identical as it is in most British breeds; but perhaps the Alderneys in this respect resemble the Jerseys, and among these the difference between the tint of the males and females is striking, though, oddly enough, there has never been noticed any reference to it in descriptions of the breed. Moreover, since all Jerseys are pretty much the same tint when calved, and rmain so for several weeks, the destiny of superfluous bull calves is usually settled long before it is possible to determine what colour they would eventually become. A glance, too, at a carefully kept private herd book relating to Jerseys shows that Ihe female offspring of any pair of animals are almost invariably far higher in colour than either their sire or their own brothers which have been reared to maturity.”