FARM AND DAIRY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 109, 28 October 1911, Page 7

FARM AND DAIRY

REJECTED DAIRY COWS. SHOULD TIIEY BE BRANDED? The country is over-run just now with large numbers of rejected cows with Mind teats, defective quarters and all sorts of ailments which render them unfit for the dairyman's purpose. So says the Otago Witness. A good sort of an animal makes its appearance in the saleyards, and the owner has the effrontery to*state that the animal is a first-class milker; that if he had sufficient feed lie would not part with her, and so on, and on the strength of these recommendations the dairyman gives a moderately high price for the cow, only to find when he gets home that he has been deceived, and that the animal is not worth one-quarter of what he gave for her for his purpose. It may be said that he has only himself to thank, but the question is: Should the buyer be placed in that position? Is it not desirable that rejected cows should be branded in some way, so that everyone could recognise them at once, and buy them for what they really are, viz., grazing cattle? Such a brand would only affect the dairy value, the grazier's competitions being still available at store prices. The number of rejects will increase as testing and wecding-out becomes general, and progress will be delayed bv having to test the same animals time after time. If they have the appearance of being decent milkers they will make their appearance at intervals in the saleyard, and one buyer after another will be put to needless expense. SHEEP AT THE CHATHAMS. There are, roughly speaking, 100,000 sheep on the Chatham Islands. In order to ascertain if these are being managed to the best advantage, especially those of native owners, an officer of the live stock and meat division was recently detailed to visit the islands and make a thorough inspection of the live stock depasturing thereon (says the Journal ,of the Department of Agriculture). Tn bis report, the officer in question (Mr. I<\ | MacKenzie) says he found the flocks he- ! longing to Maori owners were very badly infested with lice and ticks, the* sheep never having been dipped. The hoggets on almost every property on the islands were, affected with parasitic gastritis, the annual loss from this cause being a heavy one. As there is practically no feed grown on the islands with the exception of grass, which is verv soft and watery 011 account of the wi't climate, successful treatment of the trouble is almost out of the question. A considerable number of sheep Mere also affected with foot-rot. L-.'.mbs on certain areas of the Chatham* were found to be subject to i! peculiar form of paralysis, generally occurring when the lambs are between eight and thirty days old. l.'nfortimately at the time of the inspector's visit eases could not be studied, but arrangements were made to have affected lambs sent to Wellington for the purpose of investigation. There is a stock committee on the islands, elected annually by the farmers, a member for each district. A special meeting of this committee \yas held to meet Mr. MaeKenzie, and after some discussion the committee undertook to do all in their power to see that the regulations of the Department were carried out, each district member promising to report to the local inspector (who is also postmaster) any failure to dip sheep at the prescribed time. A meeting of native owners was also called, and the provisions of the Stock Act in regard to dipping was fully explained to them, through the leading Maori stock owner, Mr. Daymond. The natives promised faithfully to carry out the regulations and to use their influence in inducing other Maori owners to do the same.