LIVE STOCK AND THE FARM

Southland Times, Issue 20664, 20 April 1929, Page 14

LIVE STOCK AND THE FARM

BAD HABITS OF COWS. KICKING AND HOLDING UP THE MILK. Cows have few bad habits, and all that belong to them are caused by faults of management. The most troublesome are the habit of kicking and holding up the milk. Cows kick owing to fear, and the act is an effort to defend themselves. Some young heifers may kick when first handled in the effort to milk and from nervousness, but if they are gently used this trouble is easily got over and nothing further may be seen of it. But if the young animal is struck the association of the punishment with the act becomes fixed upon the memory and ever afterwards the cow may be a kicker, because it naturally expects the punishment at milking lime ajid tries to defend itself from it. The frequent change of ownership also greatly helps to produce this habit, because some cows will resent the approach of a stranger; but this only happens with very fretful cows or those which have been habitually ill-used. This habit may be prevented by the cautious and kindly treatment of the calf and heifer before she becomes a cow. A young calf will usually make an attempt to kick when the udder and teats are handled, but the objection is soon removed by gentle persistence in the treatment previously recommended both lor calves and heifers, in regard to handling, brushing, and other familiar attentions. A cow that has been thus reared and trained will never become a kicker except by very brutal treatment. To cure this vice is sometimes if not always easy. I have never found any difficulty about it by using patience and kind and gentle treatment, notwithstanding some occasional relapses and annoying accidents. The method of treatment has been as follows :—

First, to secure the confidence and friendship of the animal; second to approach her cautiously, both to avoid alarming her and to secure myself egainst an attack; lastly never to strike or punish the cow for an attempt to kick, but, instead, to soothe her and so remove the fear of danger which has given occasion for the kicking. All this may be done by gently patting and stroking the cow, speaking to her when approaching her and familiarizing her to the handling. After this milk her in a small pail which can be held so that it cannot be. upset, and with the left arm pressing upon the cow’s legs so that a kick can be warded off as much as possible. While milking, the cow is spoken to, to attract her attention, and every movement about her should lie slow and deliberate, so as to avoid anything to cause her to suspect that a blow might follow the movement.

When the milking is safely over the cow is petted and spoken to, and a handful of meal or oats may be given to her. If a kick is made or threatened the cow is never to be beaten for it, but spoken to kindly. No other person than the milker should approach the cow during the milking. Having entirely cured some cows that had been in the habit of kicking badly by thus treatment, wholly dispensing with sticks and ropes and other arrangements to prevent the kicking, and which only iritate the cow, I have confidence that there are few cows that have been so utterly spoiled that they may not yet be made quite gentle by it. Some cows kick because their sight is defective and they cannot distinguish the person approaching them. Such cows should be aprpoached and handled always with gentleness, or they may be'very easily startled when it is instinctive with them to kick. Holding Up the Milk. Holding up the milk occurs chiefly when the cow is fresh. A cow that has been used to suckle her calf will naturally prefer that way of being milked. It is most frequent with cows that are so habituated and for this reason it is rare among those cows whose calves are not permitted to suck them. It is a fault more easily prevented than cured, and at the same time one that is very troublesome and mischievous in its results. A fresh cow that holds up her milk nearly always provokes thereby an attack of garget and future loss of milk all through the season, so that the dairyman or owner of a family cow should be on the watch to avert the trouble. When the calf is habitually taken from the cow before it has had time to suck the cow will come to her milk, naturally and without resistance, and this practice cannot be too strongly recommended' as a constant rule in the dairy. When, however, the trouble has occurred and a remedy is sought we find how powerless we are to strive with the natural instincts of an animal excited to stubborn resistance. Many devices have been tried and recommended to overcome this vicious propensity, but none of them is of much value. One of these is to hang a heavy chain across the loins; another is to press upon the loins forcibly with the hands while efforts are being made to draw the milk. Others are to give some feed at milking time, or to distract in some way the attention of the cow from her supposed grievance. Soothing measures and perse-’ verance, or the use of milking tubes, are the only effective remedies. To give some feed or salt, and to sit down and rub the udder and manipulate the teats as in milking, and to persevere with gentleness, is often effective; but the only successful method by getting the milk is by the use of milking tubes, by which the milk flows by force of gravity, in spite of any unwillingness of the cow. The tubes arc inserted gently into the teats, and the milk runs in a stream until all is drawn off. This method, or any other, is only temporary, and to be used only in the special emergency, because of the danger of injuring the lining membranes of the teats and producing inflamation of the udder. CANADA’S LIVE STOCK. AN HISTORICAL SKETCH. The Canadian Bureau of Statistics at Ottawa recently issued its final report on the live stock and animal products statistics for 1927, the ninth of a, series 7 now covering the .period from 1909 to 1927. The latest issue of this report contains, in addition to the usual annual data, a special historical sketch of the stock and kindred industries in Canada from the earliest times up to the present, including the salient figures of the several decennial -censuses for the period since Confederation. -This new feature is included in view of the fact that in 1927 the Dominion of Canada celebrated its diamond jubilee, and the statistics printed will prove of permanent value. The number of animals on Canadian farms in June, 1927, showed increases in all classes as compared with the 1926 totals. The number of milch cows was 3,894,311, of other cattle, 5,277,927, sheep 3,262,706, and swine, 3,694,789. The total number of poultry bn farms was estimated at 50,178,485. The total value of farm live stock was estimated at 591,621,000 dollars in 1927 as against 502,390,000 dollars in 1926. The report contains information respecting the marketing of liVe stock during the year, and also relative to slaughtering in inspected establishments, mentioning that the total value of all products of packing houses and abattoirs was 167,127,091 dollars in 1926. Particulars are also given relative to creamery, butter, and factory cheese production,’interprovincial and foreign trade in animal products, consumption statistics, etc.

concentrates for calves

RESULTS OF ENGLISH TESTS. There are three feeds which are exceptionally good for young calves—whole maize, whole oats; and linseed cake, states a writer in the West of Scotland Agricultural College Bulletin. Bran, although not taken by calves to any great extent when offered in a self-feeder with other foods should probably be also included in many calf mixtures. Wheat Bran has a valuable phosphorus content, helps to supply some of the vitamins, and is laxative in action. Tire linseed cake can be replaced by decorticated earth-nut cake, but it is perhaps best to delay this until the calves are two to .three months -old. Fish meal can also .be used to some extent where a high protein food is required—for example, as a supplement to whey. Flaked maize is relished by calves, although the question of cost must be kept in mind. There is one group of feed that must be guarded against—the cotton seed products. They should never be fed to calves under weaning age, as they lead to unthriftiness and very frequently cause death, anti should only be fed in limiteel quantites, if at all, to cows providing milk for calves. With Whole Milk. A variety of mixtures can be made up to feed when the calves are getting whole milk, and a considerable variation in protein content is permissible, although there is no necessity for an exceptionally high protein content, as this is expensive and not too good for the calf. Suitable mixtures are:— 1. —Whole oats, or whole maize, or mixtures of the two. 2. —Two parts whole oats, 1 part whole maize, 1 part linseed cake. 3. —Three parts whole oats, 1 part wheat bran, 1 part linseed cake. Mixtures (2) and (3) are perhaps the best, but the calf can be started out on the whole grains alone and then put on to a mixture. Grain feeding should commence when the calf is about three weeks old, and as soon as the calf will consume it. about ■]lb a day can be given. This in increased until Jib a day is being fed, and then--Jib up to jib will he sufficient until the calf is eight to ten weeks of age. From this time on lib to 111 b a day will be required until weaning. The amounts fed must he confrolled by the size and vigour of the calf. With Dairy By-Products. Where skim milk, bufermilk, or dried dairy products, other than whey are fed a good concentrate mixture is needed. The following are suitable: 4. —Four parts whole oats, 3 parts whole maize, 2 parts wheat bran, 1 part linseed cake. 5. —Seven parts whole oats, 2 parts wheat bran, 1 part linseed cake. 6. —Seven parts whole maize, 2 parts wheat bran, 1 part linseed cake. The feeding should start, aa with calves on whole milk, at about three weeks of age, and the allowance of concentrates is gradually increased until, around six weeks of age, the whole milk is entirely replaced by skim milk, and the allowance of concentrates will be -Jib to Jib. From then on the allowance is gradually increased to a maximum of 1-1 to 21b, which will be sufficient until weaning time. Where whey is fed a concentrate mixture of different type is required than with other dairy products. Whey is deficient, in butterfat and protein, and these must be replaced. The following mixtures have been found satisfactory:— 7. Two parts oatmeal, 1 part fish meal. 8. —Two parts fine thirds, 1 part fish meal. 9. —Palm-nut meal. The first two mixtures are fed as a gruel along with the whey, whereas the palm-nut meal should be given dry. The concentrates are introduced gradually along with the whey until an allowance of Jib is reached, and then increased. GROWING OF FLAX. PROGRESS WITH RESEARCH. The Flax Research Committee of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research met at Palmerston North recently, when a survey of the flax areas of New Zealand, with conclusions as to the best method of growing the leaf; was submitted by Messrs. A. H. Cockayne and A. Seifert, chairman, who emphasized the importance of cultivation and the benefits to be obtained from planting flax seedlings as compared with fans. It was stated that if those practices were adopted there was no reason why flax should not become the most profitable crop in New Zealand. Regarding yellow leaf disease, it was reported that the selection and testing of immune varieties, and the excavation and examination of the root system of healthy and diseased plants, would form the main part of the work this year, as well as the growing of selected strains so that the best varieties might be propagated. The immediate objective was a variety that would produce over 90 per cent, of high-grade seedlings. It was also reported that the question of producing manure sacks from flax fibre was being looked into, also the question of improving the scutchers, strippers and bleaching process. MINERALS AND STOCK. INTERESTING EXPERIMENTS. In addition to nutrients which are required in relatively large amount?, such as proteins, calcium, phosphorus, sodium chloride, and potash, other substances, such as manganese and iodine, though required only in traces, have important functions in connection with the growth of pasture and the nutrition of the grazing animal. Work on manganese in relation to plant growth is being carried on at the Waite Institute, and iodine in relation to goitre is being studied at the Adelaide University. It is possible that the latter problem is of considerable economic importance, as deficiency of iodine is an important factor in the health and disease of sheep. It has been observed by pastoralists that the improvements of pastures by top-dress-ing with phosphates improves the carrying capacity and the nutrition of the sheep, but this is accompanied by deterioration in the quality of the wool. It is probable that the quality of the wool depends upon certain dietary factors as well as on the general condition of the health of the sheep. The question is of economic importance, as it involves the whole question of pasture improvement. Research of a fundamental nature in the composition of wool is being undertaken at the Adelaide University, and at the Waite Institute the effect on the wool of feeding a protein constituent to sheep is being tested. It is known that the nutritive value of pasture is at the maximum at a certain period of growth, after which it deteriorates. Under normal conditions this seasonal wave of pastoral wealth comes once a year, but only a fraction of the material is eaten by the animals when it is at its maximum value. There is need for a cheap method of conserving pasture at this stage and putting it into a form in which it would, be easily stored and cheaply transported.

CHEESE DIFFERENCES. NEW ZEALAND AND CANADIAN. DR RUDDICK AT ONTARIO. Dr J. A. Ruddick, Dominion Dairy Commissioner, gave an address at the annual convention of the Dairymen’s Association of Eastern Ontario in January. It will be of special interest to New Zealanders to read what he has to say because he was for many years connected with the industry in. this Dominion.

He mentioned that the output of cheese in 1928, for all Canada, would exceed that of 1927 by eight million or ten million pounds, possibly more. There was a wider spread than usual in the comparative prices for butter and cheese, and this favoured some diversion of milk from the creamery to the cheese factory. The average price of cheese for the season was exceptionally high, and very nearly three cents per pound above the price obtained in 1927. The premium paid in the United Kingdom for Canadian cheese over all competitors was higher than it was ever before. According to the grading returns, there was more improvement in 1928 than in any other year since grading was inaugurated. “There are dairymen in Canada,” continued Mr Ruddick, “who pin their faith on the making of cheese, and who refer to it as the ‘basic branch of the industry which, of course, is hardly the correct view. The production of milk is the base of the industry. The making of cheese, or any other product, is only a means to an end. The decrease in cheese production in this country, from the maximum of the year 1903, is sometimes referred to with regret. Surely those who take that view overlook the fact that if Canada had continued to produce cheese at the maximum rate, the market would have been greatly over-supplied with the constantly increasing production in NewZealand. It was a very fortunate tiling indeed for all concerned that some Canadian producers of cheese milk found other and more profitable channels for its disposal.

"It has also been a fortunate coincidence that the increase in New Zealand exports have been very evenly balanced by the decrease in the Canadian exports. It is not true, as is sometimes said, that New Zealand cheese has supplanted Canadian cheese on the British market. No cheese can supplant Canadian cheese on the British market so long as the quality is superior. However there is consolation for those who would like to see the cheese output increased, regardless of consequence, in the fact that the production in 1928 shows a substantial increase over 1927, and there is this to say, also, that those producers who have stayed with the cheese factory arc. benefitting because a certain number have found it profitable to leave it.

‘The factors that were responsible for this increase in price should be of some interest. There is, in the first place a general increase in cheese consumption, to meet which larger supplies are required every year. Our production of cheese in 1927 dropped some 34 million pounds below that of 1926. This decrease contributed to a shortage which was felt during the season of 1928, especially as supplies from New Zealand for 1927-28 (the New Zealand season ends in July) did not show any increase. The main factor, however, in my judgment, was the great falling off in cheese production in England and Scotland. Until recently, the per capita consumption of milk in the Old Land was very small, and undoubtedly the reason for it was that in the large consuming centres the milk supply was very unsatisfactory. Some three or four years ago a movement began for the improvement in the transportation, handling and distribution of milk in London and other large centres, and very remarkable progress has been made towards that end. Premium for Canadian Cheese. "Assertions that Canadian cheese is the best cheese on the market carry just about as much weight as mere assertions are entitled to, but fortunately the case for Canadian cheese does not rest on mere assertion. We have the solid fact that it received during the past year a substantial premium of over cne cent per pound over all competitors. There is justifiable pride in this achievement, because it is a real achievement to beat the world in any line of effort, but I suppose the jingle of nearly two million dollars of solid coin, which this premium represents in the pocket of the cheese producers of this country is the thing that really matters. I wonder if the 60,000 patrons of cheese factories realize that this premium gave them on the average, something like 30 dollars each for the season, and that they are indebted for it in a large measure to the skill and ability of the cheese-makers, and to those patrons who supplied milk of the right quality. But this 2,000,000 dollars which the cheese producers received tells only part of the story. The price of cheese affects the general price level of all milk and milk products sold in Canada. The cream and milk shippers all receive a higher price for their products when the price of cheese rules high. As only about 12 or 13 per cent of the milk produced in Canada is converter! into cheese, this 2,000,000 dollars which the producers of cheese milk received may be multiplied several times. I believe it is a conservative estimate to say that the milk producers of Canada have received at least 10,000,000 dollars last year, because of the superior qualify of the cheese produced. The Cheddar Flavour. "They want the full-bodied and true Cheddar flavour that they find in our cheese to a greater extent than they do in any other. It is a well-known fact that the body of

New Zealand cheese is open and rather loose, a matter which gives the New Zealanders some concern. Then again, the flavour of New Zealand cheese, speaking generally, falls a little short of the ideal Cheddar, a lack—l would not call it a defect —which has been intensified rather than remedied by the adoption of the practice of pasteurizing cheese milk. Again I emphasize that I am not trying to show that New Zealand cheese lacks quality. It is different, that’s the point, and it so happens that the difference is in our favour. It would be a mistake to think that the competition is any less keen because of these differences. We must always realize that the New Zealanders are most competent and aggressive competitors.”