LIVE STOCK AND THE FARM

Southland Times, Issue 21997, 22 April 1933, Page 12

LIVE STOCK AND THE FARM

ON THE LAND NOTES FOR THE WEEK. (By “Working Farmer.”) The past week, has been boisterous and unpleasant both for work and holiday-making. The milk supply is falling off and owing to the cost of manufacture and low prices ruling, some of our cheese factories may close down a little earlier this year. The rumour that farmers may dry off their cows earlier, however, is for the most part only a rumour. A dairy farmer who knows his job would rather milk his cows and pour the milk down a drain than dry them off too early. Cows which are dried off early one year have a habit of drying themselves off early the following year. In any case there is no need to pour the milk down the drain as there are butter factories quite willing to receive the cream, and although the price is low every pound earned will help to keep the pot boiling till the factories open in the spring. Even the skimmed milk need not go down the drain, as pigs can be got for next to nothing and skimmed milk with a bag or two of oats at 1/- a bushel makes bacon fit for a king. Most potato crops are now ready for lifting and the sooner they are out of the ground the better. The land is dry at present and although potato lifting is not much of a job at any time it is less unpleasant when the potatoes leave the ground clean and dry. If present prices hold there is little to be gained by pitting. A big pit of potatoes provides an everlasting job, picking over, and sorting out any rotten ones. There is usually so much loss in weight between rot and shrinkage that it needs a big price in the spring to make up for the work and wastage. Clipping the Team.

When horse-clipping was first adopted by a few owners, the practice, like every other innovation, was the subject of considerable discussion. An old carrier who belonged to a very exclusive religious body used to argue that if Providence had intended horses to be clipped they would have been born with bare bellies. It was pointed out to him that at the time of Creation horses were not provided with stables and covers, nor had they to put in eight hours in the yoke, but it was like arguing with a brick wall. At that time stabling the horses over-night was fairly general and as the horses usually came in at night with their abdominal thatch coated with mud and wet, it was customary in well-regulated stables to spend five or ten minutes on each horse rubbing legs and belly with straw, to clean and dry them. It was a dirty and disagreeable job, but if it was not done the horses were frequently still wet in the morning and those which had dried would need something like a tripod harrow to break the crust. When the horses were clipped it was a pleasure at 8 p.m. when bedding down and suppering up to find the underpart dry and warm and all that was necessary to leave them comfortable was rub with currycomb and brush. Clipped horses will step freer and keep their condition better, besides looking much tidier. Some horses enjoy being clipped, while others resent it and would give trouble. The twitch (a.weapon of. torture) which consisted of a piece of wood two or three feet long with a hole bored through the end and. a loop of rope through the hole is sometimes used. The loop of rope is placed round the horse’s, upper, lip. and the stick turned till the rope is screwed tight. The pressure of the rope is supposed to act as a counter-irritant and make the horse stand still, and it does sometimes. A much better, safer, and more humane way, if the horse is a bit skittish, is to rope the hind leg. A loop is made on the end of the rope large enough to pass over the horse’s head and fit where the collar goes. The rope is then passed between the front legs and between the hind legs, round the off fetlock and back through the collar. By this means the off hind foot may be pulled forward till it is just touching the ground, when it will be found that the horse has no objection to being clipped on the near side. When one side is finished the rope may be brought round the near hind foot and the other side may then be clipped. When the horse is roped it gives the man operating the clipper a feeling of safely and the chance of cleaning up any tickly parts which otherwise it might take a bit of nerve to do. The clipping of a team smartens its appearance, makes grooming much easier and in this way encourages the horseman to make good use of his curry-comb and brush. An unwashed and dirty man is usually a pariah among hiis fellows and an ungroomed team is nearly as bad. Chilled Beef.

It is reported that in view of the satisfactory results from their trial shipment, Messrs Thomas Borthwick and Sons have decided to send further shipments of chilled beef from the North Island. If chilled beef can be landed satisfactorily in England from the North Island there is no reason whv it should not also be possible to deliver it in good order and condition from the South. Southland fat cattle as a • rule show a better bloom than the northern cattle, and it would not be difficult to supply cattle in the desired condition at any time of the year. There may not be sufficient margin for operating at present, but it would not require much of a rise in price at Home to encourage export and effect a welcome clearance. The Value of Herd-Testing. Whatever disadvantages arise from boomed land prices (and their name is legion) there are certain advantages also. Before the present slump occurred in butter and cheese there were many parts in the North Island where it was only possible by intensive farming to make ends meet. Their farming consisted of keeping as many cows as the place could carry and testing and culling the herd until only profitable animals were left. It was not a case only of so many pounds of butterfat per cow, but so many pounds of butterfat per acre. The price of the land is so high that anyone depending on guess work is running a risk of losing his farm and all he has put into it. In the far north a competition designed to show the difficulty of selecting good butterfat cows by appearance alone was held recently. Five cows which had all calved about the same time and had been tested for the season were chosen for the test For the pur-

pose of the competition the herd-tester had been instructed not to divulge the tests even, to the owner. Ninety farmers entered for the competition and only one placed the cows in the correct order of merit. In his estimate of the production even the winner of the competition was over 601 b from the correct figure. It must be admitted that some farmers have much keener iudgment than others in selecting high producing cows, but the dairyman who backs his judgment against the test bottle and weighing machine is liable to lose his bet. Practically every farmer who has adopted herd-testing will readily admit the many surprises which his test sheets contained. It was seldom that the favourite cows, before testing commenced, were found on actual figures to be the herd leaders. On present day prices for dairy produce, given cheap land and a herd of proven producers, there is very little in dairying, but with a herd containing a percentage of duds the position is hopeless. Testing is also an incentive to better feeding as the test sheets quickly show when the cows are getting well fed or otherwise. The Economic Situation. There seems to be a fairly general feeling at present that the country is bordering on a desperate state. Naturally the Government is blamed, because when things go wrong it is usual to blame the other fellow. The chief complaint against the Government is that it is trying to live within its meagre income and the fact that the growl is fairly widespread seems to indicate that a number of people who would fain stand aloof are being asked for their contribution towards keeping things going. It is prophesied that there will be an election in six months and no doubt there will be several new parties promising to repeal certain measures and bring in legislation that Will make New Zealand flourish. The party which can make New Zealand flourish with wool at 4d, cheese at 41 d and butter at 7d i>er lb would need to be a wizard. Unless prices improve considerably there will be need of more retrenchment. It would be most unfair to retrench public ser- | vants at a time when there is no prospect of their getting employment elsewhere, One of the best means of effecting a considerable saving would be to retrench fully half of _ our representatives. It would expedite the business of Parliament and reduce the size of Hansard by 60 or 70 per cent, to say nothing of the saving in salaries, stamps, Bellamy’s, travelling expenses, etc. To ensure legislation which will help New Zealand we need a buffer between the electors and the governing body in much the same way as we now have with the Meat Board. The straight answers given by Mr Forbes and Mr Coates to some of the deputations which have waited on them recently were well deserved, but they were not vote-catching answers. The trouble is that while the recipients of these rebukes will use every endeavour to unseat the Government, the electors who are benefiting by emergency legislation are not appreciative of the fact. There are farmers who have not bought scwt of wire in the past five years bemoaning the fact that wire has been increased in price by two or three shillings.. They make a fuss over every shilling which the sales tax adds to their expenditure and seem oblivious to the. fact that the increased exchange rate is putting a pound into their pocket or credit for every shilling it takes out. They also say that we are now getting less for our meat and butterfat than before the exchange was increased and forget about glutted markets. A man who can’t see past the point of his nose can scarcely be expected to see on which side his bread is buttered, or to discriminate between legislation which is helpful and otherwise. EMPIRE PORK SHOW DISPLAY AT SMITHFIELD. NEW ZEALAND AWARDS. London, February 16. The High Commissioner (Sir Thomas Wilford), and Mr S. M. Bruce, representing Australia, attended the Empire Pork Show at Smithfield Central Markets. A great deal of work was undertaken in. decorating the three shopfronts at the market with green foliage. Over the foliage the carcasses and joints were arranged. On the left were the produce from New Zealand; on the right, that from Australia, and in the centre were the carcasses for competition by the Southland Boys’ and Girls’ Agricultural Club. Mr L. Zwanenberg, the master of the Worshipful Company of Butchers, and the deputy master (Mr F. Bonser), were present, and other speciallyinvited guests were:—Mr R. S. Forsyth, Sir Gordon Campbell, Sir Philip Procter, and other prominent members of the trade.

The master of the butchers’ company, in welcoming the guests, said that it seemed fitting that he, in his official capacity, should have the privilege of awarding the prizes gained by a competition for pigs among the sons and daughters of New Zealand farmers. These pigs, having been judged for prizes alive at the Invercargill Winter Show in New Zealand, had been killed and shipped to this country, where they had been judged in their several classes by experts in London, and now they were to be seen in an attractive display. Mr Bruce said the exhibition served not only to bring out the efficiency of the producers, but what was probably more important, what the consumers in this country really wanted and not what the producers thought they wanted. The following were the New Zealand awards:— Porkers: Gold medal, Messrs R. and W. Hellaby, Limited; silver gilt medal, New Zealand Pig Marketing Association. Baconers: Gold medal, Waione Model Piggeries, Limited. Southland Boys’ and Girls’ Agricultural Club:—Light porker group: No. 4, E. Dowling, 69 per cent marks, 1; No. 3, J. Dowling, 63 per cent marks, 2. Heavy porker group: No. 10, A. Collie, 74 per cent marks, 1; No. 18, J. McKerchar, 62 per cent marks, 2. Baconer group: No. 2, F. J. Balkie, 78110 marks, 1.

COLOUR IN THE STALL . EFFECT ON COWS. We have learned something in recent years about the effect of colour on the mentality of children, but we have yet to find out whether colour would have any effect on the well-being and productive capacity of our cows, comments an English writer. A friend thinks it will, and he proposes to carry his theory into practice. It was at my suggestion that, nearly 12 months ago, he modernized some calt pens, putting in additional . windows, repairing the walls and finishing off. with a colour-wash of sunshine-yel-low. The whole effect was most pleasing and bright, and my friend says he has never had calves do so well as those which were kept last year in these pens. Hence, his determination to carry colour into his cow byres. I feel sure that cows would, to some extent, be influenced by bright surroundings, and since it is only a question of a few shillings to colour-wash a cowshed as against whitewash, it seems to me to be worth trying. RECORD PRODUCTION A CANADIAN FRIESIAN. The American dairy journal, the Holstein-Friesian World, in its issue of January 14, states:—“To-day, January 14, 1933, the Canadian Friesian cow, Springbank Snow Countess, will have passed the 4001 b. fat mark on the 147th day of her eighth lactation. Add this 4001 b. to her total of 71471 b. fat produced on Canadian R.O.P. test in her first seven lactations and you have her lifetime record to date, less than 7J lactations of 75471 b. fat, or about 2.31 b. fat above the lifetime record in eleven lactations of the former champion, Sophie 19th of Hood Farm, that stalwart of the Jersey breed. This record of Sophie 19th, 7544.5111 b. fat in 11 lactations on register of merit test has stood unchallenged by any cow of any breed for the past ten years or so.” PIG INDUSTRY ADVISORY COUNCIL. MEETING AT WELLINGTON. VARIOUS TOPICS DISCUSSED. Topics considered at a meeting of the Pig Industry Advisory Committee at Wellington last week included the system of grading for export and home supply, a scheme for supplying sows to farmers on easy terms, the best breed of pig to produce the desired type of carcass, and the suitability of various meat meals in the production of by-pro-ducts. The chairman, Mr J. Fraser, presided. Dr C. J. Reakes said the system of grading had now been placed on a definite basis. The conclusion had been arrived at that the principle should be to start on not too severe a basis, but to take present export grading as a basis with the intention of working the standard up gradually. He had had some discussion with the Bacon Curers’ Association and realized fully that the curers had established a good standard and wanted to see it maintained. He had drafted a proposed notice regarding grading, and if the committee agreed with it he would recommend the Minister of Agriculture to approve it. The notice would be supplemented by instructions to graders and inspectors. The specifications for the various grades were those adopted previously by the committee with two exceptions, one that weight classification of porkers was included as adopted by the Meat Importers’ Association, Smithfield, and the other that on the recommendation of the Bacon Curers’ Association the maximum thickness of back fat in baconers weighing 1201 b to 1401 b was reduced from IJin to Ilin. Grading Specifications. The following motion was carried:— “That as the specifications provided for porkers up to 1201 b., baconers should commence at 1211 b; that the division 1211 b to 1401 b for baconers be subdivided to give a range of 1211 b. to 1301 b and 1311 b to 1401 b; that the minimum length from aitch bone to first rib should be 26in for pigs weighing 1211 b to 1301 b and 27in for pigs weighing 1311 b to 1401 b; that the maximum thickness of back fat at shoulder not to exceed Ijin in pigs weighing 1211 b to 1301 b and ljin in pigs weighing 1311 b to 1401 b.” Mr W. A. Phillips referred to the advisability of adopting a scheme for supplying breeding sows to farmers. In Canada, he said, a farmer could apply to the Department of Agriculture for a breeding sow or sows, which would be selected in the saleyards by an officer of the department, mated with a pedigree boar and consigned to the applicant, who was charged only a very reasonable amount for the transaction. The chairman said that a somewhat similar system was operated in the United States by meat packing firms. When lines of sows were sent to the works good quality breeding sows were put aside, bred to suitable boars and then sold to farmers at the original cost, plus expenses. He had suggested that the Waikato Pig Recording Club should look into the idea. Recording Club’s Efforts. Mr E. E. Hale said the Recording Club had written to three freezing companies in Auckland on the subject of instituting such a scheme, but the replies received were not helpful. The club had, however, put a scheme in operation with one large breeder, who had agreed to segregate good sows and mate them with a good boar. A number of such sows had been purchased for members of the Recording Club so that they could ascertain the value of the scheme. It was decided to take no action in the meantime, but to await developments from the scheme being tried by the Recording Club. The opinion that the committee should take a definite stand regarding the type of pig required in New Zealand and should impress on the farmer the type he should have was expressed by Mr C. Hausmann, who moved: “That this committee recommends that farmers should get the type of pig which will give the kind of carcass required, for which purpose the Large White or the Tamworth boar should be used.” Mr Hale seconded the motion. Discrimination Resented. Mr J. A. Russell moved an amendment, that the words, “the Large White or Tamworth boar,” de deleted and the words, “any long type, fine-shouldered boar,” be substituted. He said it was wrong to single out two breeds when it had been proved conclusively that other breeds were satisfactory. There was no seconder to Mr Russell s amendment, and Mr Hausmann’s motion was carried, with one dissentient, Mr Russell. . The need for the standardization of meat meal was emphasized in a resolution from the Waikato Pig Recording Club, which read: “In view of certain cases, which have recently come before the club in relation to variations of meals of the same brands, we feel we are obliged to appead to the Pig Advisory Committee to ascertain if something

standardization of meat meals and meat-and-bone meals. Failing anything being done, this committee feels it will be forced, in self-defence, to recommend by their brands those meals which have been tried out and proved satisfactory.” Analysis of Samples. Dr Reakes advised that the Department of Agriculture had been obtaining samples from all works with a view to examining them, and where they were not of good quality to taking the matter up with the manufacturers. In reply to an inquiry by Mr Phillips as to whether a standard analysis could not be fixed by the department, Dr Reakes said that when the samples were all analysed, from the data obtained a standard composition could be set out, but the manufacturers could not be expected to conform strictly to that so long as they made a material that approximated it. He did not think regulations were required. Sufficient pressure could be brought to bear on manufacturers by advertising the names of brands of meal which complied with the standards set up. - It was decided that the matter be left for the department to deal with in the manner indicated by Dr Reakes.

The estate of the late Mr Duncan Sutherland, of Oamaru, retired runholder, has been proved for probate purposes at £27,000. People who are afficted. with stuttering frequently have a bigger vocabulary at their command than those without an impediment in their speech. Motor car drivers take the name chauffeur from a band of eighteenthcentury French brigands who tortured their victims by burning their feet. Cobra venom is harmless if swallowed. A bee’s wings beat 2,500 times a second.