FARM & DAIRY

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1924, Page 15

FARM & DAIRY

| DRYING OFF THE COW. BEST MEANS TO EMPLOY. NECESSITY FOR STRIPPING. There is a teonsiderable divergence of opinion as to the best methods to employ in drying off a cow. Given an animal of extraordinary, or even average, milking capacity, there must be a right and a wrong way of setting about drying her off when this becomes desirable in view of her ap-proaching parturition, or when milk production is a drawback because we want her to fatten rapidly. It may be taken that there is not much difference of opinion as to the time the in-calf cow should be dry previously to calving again, and moat cow-keepers accord from a month to six weeks. In the case of the poor milker there is no difficulty. A cow in poor condition may be allowed two months to recruit her strength, with advantage to herself and her prospective calf, but this is largely a matter of keep, and if the feeding is high, the animal healthy, and the quantity of milk yielded is profitable, there seems no reason why, in the -case of the average animal, milking should not be continued until within a month, after calving. It is the extraordinary milker that lands us in a difficulty, both as to the policy of drying her off at all, and, if it ie considered that this is necessary undesirable, in the matter of stopping the secretion. This is the kind of animal that it is highly dangerous to leave unmilked if inflammation of the udder is to be avoided.

With ' cows whose milking qualities are of such a lasting character we favour the plan of milking only once a day for several days, and then on alternate days, as the supply falls off, but taking care at each milking to strip the udder of every drop. Experience of Nature’s methods teaches us that organs not used or exercised disappear or cease to perform their functions. It is the persistent dragging at the teats, the patient asking for more, that, in combination with selection has produced the modern dairy cow. If the drying is egected gradually, by prolonging the intervals of milking, the secretion gradually becomes less without the risks of half milking, or, worse still, in the case of the deep milker not milking at all. It is well understood that neglecting to strip th© udder, beside© the loss of the richest of the milk and lessening production, is a very ready way of causing induration or ‘‘hard quarter,” and converting the cow into a useless animal for milking purposes when she comes to calve again. On farms where udder troubles are very frequent imperfect stripping is generally at the bottom of it, and a change of milker has often resulted in its entire disappearance. Leaving the animal alone altogether so far as milking is concerned must be regarded as a highly dangerous proceeding in the case of a cow giving any quantity of milk, and it is only practicable in those cases where secretion i© small indeed. Allowing a cow to remain too long without milking to ensure a full and tempting bag at the time of sale, has often resulted in acute mammitis, and to do this with any animal giving a fair quantity is to run grave risk of injuring the cow, and of a prosecution for cruelty. This refraining from milking is known as “over stocking,” and is rightly regarded as cruelty. That the action of milking induces secretion and retards the process of drying, there is no manner of doubt, but better this than eubject the animal to the pain of prolonged retention and over distention, and risk of inflammation of the udder. When the gland 1© obviously distended it ©hould be relieved.

TOPDRESSING GRASS LAND. This is a practire which gains in favour every year, and it is a satisfactory matter to find that the majority of inquiries which come our way are concerning topdressing. Farmers are finding out for themselves that the great benefits to be gained by topdressing grass land do not exist merely in the minds of theorists, but that they are realities open to all. The greatest need is undoubtedly for phosphates. Phosphatea are used most extensively by all classes of live stock, and as this element is rarely ever in excess in the soil, it follows that frequent applications are necessary in maintaining fertility. One cannot go far wrong in the choice of a suitable form of phosphoric acid, but still some forms are better than others. •Since experiment© have proved very conclusively that phosphoric acid is not washed out of the soil by drainage or floods, the more soluble forms of phosphate, principally superphosphate, have increased in popularity. Super will always give good results, especially if used on paddocks that have been limed. It is only when used after lime that super gives its maximum result, and, in the same way, the fult benefit of liming comes only after the phosphate has been added.

It is a safe thing to say that a topdressing of 2J to 3 cwt of super per acre ■will quickly repay 100 per cent. Super is not easily sown by itself, at least through the manure feed of a grain drill, so, to make it better to handle, it is a good practice to mix with it a fair quantity of finely ground carbonate of lime. The lime and super may be mixed in equal quantities, or in almost any ratio, but when intended for use on limed land there is no need to use more lime than is necessary to make the super run. The aim should be to get at 'Teast 24 cwt of super on to each acre. Stock thrive better on pasture that has been topdressed this way, and, in addition, weeds are given much •lees change to take possession. Haytaken from a topdressed field has a much higher feeding value than that ■ which comes from non-dressed land, and I thus the growth comes earlier and cariries longei into the autumn. Topdreseing unquestionably shortens the winter, and as a result reduces the requirements of supplementary fodders. Any time is the right time to apply itopdreaaings. Certainly there k no

need to wait until growth has started before applying phosphates. By putting the manure on right away the effect will be to hasten growth, and, as early feed is obviously what is wanted* the job cannot be carried out too soon, and August should see all the topdressing work completed, the paddodks harrowed clean, and everything in order for the next season’s operations. FOR GOOD FEEDING. Recent years have brought larger unhealthy. knowledge of the composition of feeding stuffs. It would seem that the sub-;-, stances of which we had no definite knowledge a few years ago are to become the most important consideration in choosing feeds for making satisfactory rations for darm animals. The experienced feeder knew variety was essential to successful feeding, but was not advised as to the reasons until recent years. The results obtained by experiments in determining the relative differences in the feeding value between various kinds of feeds emphasise the importance of the feeder paying close attention to little things. If they are ignorant, it requires more feed to produce pork or milk, and may cause animals to become stunted in growth and

MINERALS FDR STOCK. I EFFECT ON THE ANIMALS, It has been clearly established that the inclusion of certain mineral substances is essential to the growth and well-being of an animal. Normally such substances are contained in adequate amounts in the ration fed to the animal. Owing, however, to the fact that certain foods are deficient in ore or more of these mineral elements, a ration is occasionally met with which is deficient in these elements. In such a case, the actual addition to mineral substances to the ration has been, shown to be followed by beneficial results and to be economically a sound policy. In the case of animals giving yields of milk in large quantity, such as a 0000 gallon cow, it may also be necessary to add mineral substances to the ration to allow for the drain on the organism caused by the heavy yield of milk. The elements that experience has found to 'be normally deficient in certain dietaries are calcium, phosphorus, chlorine and sodium. Recent research has also indicated that under certain conditions iron may be deficient to such an extent that severe metabolic disturbance may arise.

Cheap and convenient sources of supply of the above elements are to be found in chalk, common salt, steamed bone flour, and precipitated phosphate. It must be remembered that excess of phosphorus is normally excreted from the body in the form of calcium phosphate, and it is therefore desirably to supply any calcium deficiency in a dietary in the form of chalk rather than bone phosphate. AGRICULTURAL NOTES. At present Argentina has about 23,000,000 acres devoted exclusively to the cultivation of alfalfa or lucerne. 11 is usually cut five or six times a year, although in some sections as many as ten cuts are sometimes made. In 1916 Argentina exported to United States of America 543461 b of alfalfa seed. In 1919 the amount had increased to 2,016,2631 b and 1922 to 6,555,3001 b. There is a system for cabbages which far has not been practised to any extent; but which will give very good results on land infested with finger and toe. Instead of watering th© plants with sulphate of ammonia or nitrate of soda, lime water ia used; and at the same time a little salt is dusted over the ground, to be watered in. For some years past, Lincoln sheep have been introduced into Argentina with a view to the improvement of mutton production and have been crossed with Merinos which, however, tends to render their wool coarse. Recently, Lincoln wool Nos. 4,5, 6, has no longer been bought by France and Germany, a finer wool is required in those countries.

Experience has shown that sulphate of potash is the safest form of potash to use for potatoes where quality is the main consideration, while muriate of potash is slightly inferior in this respect. Lower grade sources of potash, such as 12) per cent, kainit, 20 .per cent, potash manure salts, and the various grades of sylvinite are less certain in their action and ofter give a crop of inferior cooking quality. This detrimental effect is attributed to the common salt which is applied' to the soil with the potash when kainit or sylvinite is used.

Farmers who have crude potash manures on hand and hesitate to apply them for potatoes in the drills in spring, should consider fche possibility of making the applications in winter, or as early as possible in spring, thus allowing the common salt to be washed out by the rain, while the potash is held back in the soil for the use of the potato crop. If a deep furrow is to be given to the potato land, the potash manures had better be applied after this operation to prevent thefti from being buried too deeply. Manuriai esperiments on leguminous crops go to show that peas, beans, vetches, clover, sainfoin, lucerne, etc., show a marked similarity in their food requirements. They are all highly sensitive to sourness in the soil, and liming is a necessary preliminary to growing good leguminous crops on soils poor in chalk; their response ta farmyard manure either as direct dressing or even as residues from recent dunging is considerable; good results are obtained fom phosphatic manures, and, in. many cases, from potash. The most thorough investigation ' of the importance of roots in the production of milk has been made in Denmark. Commencing in 1884 with pigs, and in 1887 extending his feeding trials to dairy cows, Fjord obtained results that completely changed the Danish farmers’ attitude towards root crops. The acreage under turnips, swedes, and mangolds in Denmark was Q«5,000 in 18R8. hut in 1919 it had increased to 678,990: and Fjord’s advic-a to grow ft

'statute acre of ~ roots for every three adult animals in the herd has been adopted for standard practice. The strenuous contest between the two British Friesian cows, Dtmiiina'ld Daphne (owned by Mr. E. Furness) and Findlay Clare 2nd (bred and owned by Mr. George Findlay) has ended in a victory for the former. Her production has been 3478 gallons in 365 days, and that of her rival 3449 gallons in 365 days. Daphne gave more than 12 gallons daily for some time, her best yield being 129£1b, the British record; while Clara’s highest output in one day was l()2I>b. Daphne’s highest weekly yield of 8691 b also constituted, a British record, comparing with Clara's best weekly output of 7201 b. Clara, however, finished very strongly at about 8J gallons daily, being two gallons more than Daphne was giving at the end of her lactation. VALUE OF SILAGE. The making and storing of silage for the feeding of cattle is a question which, of recent years, has caused considerable comment throughout the farming community. The importance to the owner of the silo is determined ■by-the number of stock which require feeding. The best silage has been proved to be a mixture of maize, peas, beans, oats, vetches. 'Peas and beans are sown for tae nitrogen they collect and are consequently invariable as a food for dairy cows. Vetches, as well as being a good food, act as a smother crop to cheek weeds. The oats are sown in order to hold up the peas and beans. The following are some of the advantages of making silage: (1) labour saving when compared with roots; (2) the peas beans are nitrogen collecting plants, by mean© of the hodules on their roots, and consequently leave the soil rich in nitrogen, which is the dearest artificial on the market; (3) the hay is reduced by half, thus, if the haymaking season is bad a very ■important factory (4) increased yield of milk; (5) smother crop of weeds. The use of silage will in future revolutionise the older methods of farming on account of the aforementioned advantages. VALUE OF SUBSOILING The results are just available of the first of a five years’ trial of subsoiling conducted iby the Ministry of Agriculture in co-operation with the East Anglian Institute of Agriculture, Chelmsford. A report on them appeared in the February issue of the Journal of th© Ministry. Typical Essex soils were chosen, namely, London clay, boulder clay, brickearth, and sand and gravel. In these trials, fields were divided into strips, some of which were ploughed and subsoiled to depths of five, seven and nine inches, and th© remainder ploughed only. Subsequently, the various plots received identical treatment and at harvest time the yield from each was carefully recorded.

The results have shown uniformly that in every case a greater yield has been obtained from the subsoiled plots than from the plots which were ploughed only. The maximum increase recorded was 67 per cent, in the case of potatoes, and 50 per cent, increase of subsoiled over merely ploughed plots were frequently obtained. The value of this extra yield has on every occasion more than paid for the increased cost of subsoiling over ploughing.