LIVE STOCK. AND THE FARM

Southland Times, Issue 20219, 2 July 1927, Page 14 (Supplement)

LIVE STOCK. AND THE FARM

PASTURE MANAGEMENT. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH NEEDED. Pasture management is a subject of great national importance, since it deals with the maintenance and improvement of our grassland, which is the foundation upon which our farming has been built. The size of paddocks should be in accordance with the stock at our disposal. This is particularly important on hill country, which tends to revert to secondary growth, since concentration of stock at certain times of the year is necessary for control. Without the application of scientific research, and the use of scientific methods in agriculture, there can be no further progress in the producing industry. The producer has gone as far as he possibly can without the aid of science, and, if he is to advance further, modern scientific methods must be applied. It is recognised that quick-growing, leafy grass and ciover is more nutritious and more palatable to stock than coarse rank growth, or matured herbage. It should be our mm, therefore, to keep pasture in the former condition. The first essential is subdivision, to enable us to control the stock so that pastures may be spelled and closely grazed alternately. If swedes are sown with the mangolds, it serves two important purposes, viz., it indicates the rows sooner, and if there should be a gap in the mangold row, when singling, the swedes may be left to fill up these gaps, and allowed to grow with the mangolds, and pulled and pitted together. CHARACTER IN SHEEP. Dealing with the raising of sheep for mutton, Professor Curtiss, director of the lowa Agricultural Experimental Station, points out that not all the animals belonging to any of the improved breeds are possessed of a high degree of excellence. Individual animals always differ more than breeds, and there are relatively few really good animals in any breed. This seems to be strikingly true of mutton sheep, and the following brief observations by Professor Curtiss on what constitutes ' a good mutton sheep may, therefore, be of interest. ‘first, let there be pronounced masculinity, in the male and feminity in the female Sheep should be neither sexless nor characterless. They should bear the stamp and character of the breed they represent. “This breed character is a mark of good blood, and it should be manifest in an unmistakable manner. The sire should be impressive, resolute, and of good bearing. He should be 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 these no animal is fit to head a herd of flock. In selecting a sire, look first at the head. If deficient there, look no further, but reject at once. Insist upon a head that faces you boldly with a wide face, a clear bright eye. Sickle-shaped hocks and weak, sloping pasterns afford sufficient reason for condemning an otherwise good sheep.” CARE OF THE HORSE. ATTENTION TO THE COLLAR. CAUSE OF SORE SHOULDERS. Most experienced farmers will agree with the statement that the shoulders of many horses are ruined when the animals are being broken in through the use of illfitting collars, and neglect on the part of the breaker. To quote Mr. W. Tonkin, a member of the Windsor branch of the Agricultural Bureau in South Australia, “When breaking in a young horse, great care should be taken to prevent the skin of the shoulders being broken, for if once broken there is always a weak spot, and one apt to become sore again.

“The colt should have a well-fitting soft collar, and if there are any siges of the shoulders chafing, the animal should be turned out for a few days, or a breastplate should be substituted for the collar. That will give the shoulder chafed a chance to recover.

“When using a breastplate, it is advisable to use a back band. Otherwise the horse will in all probability develop a sore neck. This will apply also, of course, to the broken-in horse.”

Continuing, Mr. Tonkin advised that the shoulders of horses should be examined every morning, and if any showed the least sign of being chafed or tender the collar should be put aside, and the breastplate used, because it seldom happened that a collar would so chafe the shoulders that a breastplate could not be used. Some horses were very tender in the skin, and it was almost impossible to work them in a collar. That class of horse generally worked well in a breastplate. Boils on the shoulders were in most cases caused by injudicious feeding of corn. Horses that were not used to grain should only have a small quantity each day to start with, and as they became accustomed to the feed the allowance could be increased.

Horses that had had a long spell should be given light work for a few days, to enable their shoulders to harden or set. If that was done, there would be very little trouble with sore shoulders. Wooden collars had also proved very satisfactory for sore shoulders. In the discussion that followed, one speaker claimed that a bag breastplate, if not given due attention, would cause as many sores as a collar. A breastplate of bag, he asserted, when in use, became saturated with sweat, which, when dry, became hard and sharp, and would cut the horse. To prevent that, a bag breastplate should be washed frequently in water. Another member believed that the ability of the wooden collar to prevent sore shoulders was due to the fact that it always kept a smooth surface and an even temperature.

A third speaker claimed that the number of sore shoulders would be considerably reduced by washing the shoulders with cold water every morning before going to work.

It was also asserted that if an extra horse were added to the team when the shoulders of the others were becoming chafed many sores would be prevented. If the team were rested for a few minutes at intervals of about an hour and a half doing work, so, as to allow their shoulders to cool off, sores would be reduced to a very great extent.

Probably the greatest feature of the World’s Poultry Congress to be held in Ottawa from July 27 to August 4, will be the live bird exhibition. It is expected tthat some ten thousand fowls will be on display, and this number, while not the largest that has ever been housed at one exhibition, will be the most representative. Before being exhibited, each bird will have to pass a severe test of a special committee appointed for the purpose, and it is safe to say that any kind that are finally admitted to Congress exhibition will be of the superbird kind.

The Weraroa Friesian herd is one of the finest dairy herds in the Dominion, and the production records on the farm under ordinary herd conditions, on twice a day milking, have been exceptionally good. Many of the foundation cows of the herd were of the pure Dutch Friesian strain, imported by the Late J. C. N. Grigg, of Longbeach, Canterbury*

CARE OF PASTURES. RESULTS OF TOP-DRESSING. INCREASE OF PRODUCTION. SOME STRIKING RESULTS. A phenomenal increase in pasture topdressing has been recorded in New Zealand during the past three years, and this practice, formerly confined almost exclusively to intensively farmed land, is now becoming fairly general in the hill coun- I try. The increased production which is ' so necessary to the country at the pre- i sent juncture, must to a very large ex- | tent come through the more general adop- I tion of this practice, for the quantity of j virgin land awaiting settlement is fast diminishing. Certain districts will lag i behind in this progressive practice, and it | is no exaggeration to say that production I could be practically doubled in some areas in the Dominion, were top-dressing universally practised. The returns compiled showing the importations of fertilisers during the present season, are illuminating as showing the increased tendency to manure with superphosphate, and also illustrate a steadily growing interest in the practice. The re- ‘ cent substantial reductions in the price of j certain types of fertilisers must of neces-1 sity encourage top-dressing, and next sea- : son’s figures will therefore be almost cer- I tain to show a further increase. Phos- | phates from well over half the total im- I poriation of fertilisers, some 189,512 tons I of different phosphates being imported out , of a total of 257,870 tons of fertiliser i brought into the country. The phosphates imported this season • are more than the total imports of last ! year, and farmers used nearly 100,000 tons more fertiliser this year than last! That is suficient to show the tendency with regard to fertiliser. NECESSITY OF TOP-DRESSING. The absolute necessity of top-dressing where high production records arc wanted ‘ in dairying, has long been recognised, and 1 broadly speaking, it can be said that the basis of Auckland’s success has been her use of fertilisers. Taranaki, once the < leading dairying district in the Dominion, ' 1 has been outdistanced largely through the more up-to-date methods adopted by farmers in the Auckland province, and their advocacy to top-dressing. The Auckland district now holds pride of place in dairy production, and last year sent forward 9043 tons more dairy produce than Taranaki, which was the second largest producer. It is very important to recognise that there can be no letting up. If the use of fertilisers in this province were to drop considerably, for any one season, production would inevitably show a corresponding drop. To-day there are hundreds of herds throughout the province producing l an average of over 3001 b. butter-fat per I season. The production of such quan-. tity means the withdrawal of large quan- i tides of minerals from the soil. These have got to be replaced, and top-dressing provides the only satisfactory method. THE FARMER’S BEST DIVIDEND. An investment in fertiliser returns the farmer the best possible dividend he can get. Hundreds of farmers have already proved that for themselves—hundreds more will prove it during the next few years, and will wish they had started top-dress-ing earlier in their lives. Two typical instances have recently come under public notice. One comes from the Auckland province and one from another district. In both instances the farmer had to borrow mon°y for the first fertiliser investment, and in both instances, it is pleasing to record, their faith in top-dressing has put them in a comfortable position to-day. “I have a place of just over 100 acres,” said one of these men, “and on it I milk 38 cows. Three years ago it struck me that I wasn’t getting the returns I should. I was hard up against it, but eventually persuaded a firm to let me have some superphosphate on credit. I used that at the rate of about to the acre, doing only asmall portion of the farm the first season. The result was so immediate, and my increased butter-fat such that I was in a position to go in more heavily the next year. Now lam giving my paddocks from 3cwt. to 4cwt. a season, and I believe I could give even a little more than that and show still greater returns. To my mind the question for the farmer to consider is not whether topdreasing pays, but whether a 3cwt. 4cwt., or scwt. application pays best.”

ANOTHER PRODUCER’S RESULTS. The second farmer had much the same tale to tell, except that he is farming land for which he paid an absurdly high price. Because of that his profits must necessarily be small. But he is l emphatic in stating that had it not been for topdressing he would not now have been there at all. He started top-dressing in the 1921-22 season and from £3OO a year his butter-fat returns increased to £550 a year. Despite heavy mortgages he has been able to carry on, and is slowly but surely getting ahead of things. His experience in purchasing land at more than its value is the same as that of hundreds of other farmers in New Zealand. Many have gone to the wall. How many of those could have saved their farms through top-dressing? As in the other instances quoted, the initial application of fertiliser was made when the farmer had no funds to purchase. He was assisted by the merchant who agreed to wait six months for his money. That assistance has been the making of his farm. The need for the top-dresing of hill country is, naturally enough, not so great as in the case of intensively farmed land, but the constant stocking of pastures over a long period of years tends to deplete the natural soil resources. Experiments made by progressive farmers indicated that the application of phosphates to hill country land not only increases the quantity of herbage but also increases its palatibility for stock. This has led to the gradual introduction of hill country top-dressing, which will eventually add considerably to pastoral progress. REVERSION TO NATIVE GRASS. While scattered throughout the Dominion there are certain areas where definite pasture detioration has taken place over a period of years, in almost every district land is to be found which is not producing as much to-day as it was ten or twelve years ago. In some districts, such as Hawke’s Bay, there has been steady reversion to native grass, while in others fern and noxious growths have come into evidence. There is reason to believe that top-dressing will deal effectually with these problems, and will in the long run induce English grasses to again take charge. Farmers in the Hawke’s Bay district who have top-dressed hill country have had some remarkable results, both in increased production and in pasture improvement. One farmer, after a season of topdressing found that he could fatten twice the number of sheep, and still keep his flock in better condition than previously. A typical instance of the way in which stock relish top-dressed pastures was provided this season, when a farmer top-dressed a portion of one paddock, and subsequently had it lightly stocked. He found that the topdressed portion was eaten close, while the remainder was growing long and rank through neglect of the cattle and sheep. With the present low prices fpr fertilisers the time is opportune for a commencement of hill country work. While an application each season is not necessary, those who have experimented have found that the returns from seasonal application more than compensate for the money invested in manure.

DONATION OF PEDIGREE STOCK. CHAMPION FRIESIAN SIRES. The latest donations of pedigree stock for the foundation of the herds of the New Zealand College of Agriculture, to be established at Palmerston North, are two Friesian bulls with noted records. The Hon. George Fowlds, chairman of the Council of the College, has been offered by Mr John Court, a yearling Friesian bull, Hobson Ensign Zozo Acme, from the Hobson Farm herd of pedigree Friesians. The second offer, made through the New Zealand Friesian Association, by John I. Royds, of Fendalton, Christchurch, is of the purebred Friesian three-year-old bull, Fendalton King Dell. Both beasts are of aristocratic ancestry and will be mated with the 30 pedigree Friesian cows and heifers being taken over by the college from the Levin herd of the Agricultural Department. It is hoped, with the co-operation of the Jersey and Ayrshire Breeders’ Association, that the College will be equally successful in establishing high grade herds of Jerseys and Ayrshires without incurring excessive expenditure. The Hobson Farm bull under offer is a double grandson of the imported sire Ensign Pontiac Valdessa Fayne who has two junior two-year-old daughters with records of over 6351 b of fat and has for his two grand-dams Zozo 2nd of Ashlynn (23,274.71 b milk, and 905.891 b fat), and Pauline Acme 3rd (with two records over [6351b fat). His dam, under adverse con- | ditions, produced as a junior two-year-old, ; 4001 b in the first 10 months, and her half- ‘ sister has a record of 832.591 b fat and 23,158.61 b milk. The bull's dam secured a first award at the Christchurch Royal Show and Dunedin Exhibition Show, while other branches of the family have scored at fixtures all over New Zealand.

Feildalton King Dell is exceptionally well bred from high butter-fat producing

strains, being a grandson of the world’s champion long distance cow, Burkeyje Sylvia Posch, and his dam, Bainfield Delhurst, has a record of 16,0551 b milk and 6181 b fat. His sire, Rosevale King Sylvia, has 13 C.O.R. daughters with records as high as 22,4561 b milk and 863.801 b fat.

The two gift animals complete the college herd of pedigree Friesians. The balance will be grade for it is purposed to carry a substantial proportion of such in all breeds.

AGRICULTURAL JOTTINGS. The New Zealand Meat Board draws attention to the injury likely to be done to North Island bush farms if cattle are not kept to eat down fern and rough feed. The beneficial effects of top-dressing with I fertilisers to keep down noxious weeds has been frequently demonstrated. The top-dresings so encourage the growth of pasture grasses that more stock can be carried. There is a tendency in breeding some animals to give too much attention to fancy points, rather than to utility points. There are few animals that respond so rapidly to the influence of the sire as sheep. From very ordinary class of ewes, if put to good rams, wonderfully good progeny will be obtained at the first mating. When these animals are in their turn put to equally well -bred and good quality rams a well-defined type will be obtained. Tattooing of calves of identification.— This has been only a recommendation to breeders up to the present time. It is now proposed to make tattooing compulsory.

Potash is a most essential plant food of all fruits, and an ample supply of available potash should be at the service of every tree; if not present naturally it should lie added by means of a fertiliser, but potash costs money, and no more should be used than is actually required. That Is just plain business, and everything done on the orchard should be on the same basis.

It is announced that the champion hen will be on exhibition at the World’s Poultry Congress, to be held in Ottawa. This bird, known as “Hen Number Six,” was one. of a pen owned by the University of British Columbia, which took part in the egg laying contest conducted at Agassiz, British Columbia, in 1926. Her marvellous record of 351 eggs in 364 days is the wonder of the poultry world.

The Agricultural University Council has decided to establish a purebred pedigree Friesian dairy herd on the college farm near Palmerston North, and as a foundation for the herd they have selected thirty females from the New Zealand Government’s Friesian herd at the Central Development Farm, Weraroa. These comprise four mature cows, three three-year-old heifers and five two-year-old heifers, twelve two-year-old heifers and six calves.

The common poppies (Papaver sp.) are not only very troublesome light-land weeds, but are actively narcotic and poisonous. The common red poppy (P. Rhoeas L.) is stated by Cornevin to be poisonous in all its parts, and to be the cause of accidents every year. Poisoning of domestic animals may occur if they are fed with fodder crops which are infested with poppies, and also when they ingest the capsules and seeds with other waste matter from the winnowing or grading of cereals. Cattle have been occasionally injured by eating unripe poppyheads.

There was a large attendance at the sale of Mr E. C. Banks’ pedigree Friesian cattle, which the Farmers’ Co-operative Auctioneering Co., Ltd., held at Matamata, and buyers were present from all parts of the province. Bidding was spirited for all lots, and highly satisfactory prices were realised. Every lot was sold. For the 49 heifers in calf the splendid average of 18 guineas was realised, and the 67 cows averaged 17 guineas. The bulls averaged 16 guineas. These figures compare favourably with any recent sales of the same breed held in the Dominion. For the heifers the highest prices and the buyers were as follows—The highest price of the sale was realised by the heifer Matamata Belgian Lass, which was bought by Mr F. Thomas of Horotiu for 31 guineas. Mr Thomas paid 30 guineas for another heifer, while several others realised over 25 guineas. The top price for a cow was 30 guineas, paid by Mr R. S. Tuck, Junr., Waharoa, for Matamata Netherland Posch 6th.