FARM AND DAIRY

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1928, Page 16

FARM AND DAIRY

MAMMITIS AMONG DAIRY HERDS. INCREASING THE MILK YIELD. ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. (By the Department of Agriculture.) Mammitis is one of the great troubles of the dairy farmer. Quite a number of cows which become affected in a mild way recover by nature’s own methods, but acute attacks often result in the loss of one or more quarters. Like some troubles affecting the human race, it may be looked upon as being largely what has’ been aptly termed “a disease of civilisation,” and it may be taken as a general principle that the greater the extent to which the dairy cow is developed as a high milk-yielding animal, the greater will be her tendency to suffer from this trouble. .Therefore, the higher the standard of productiveness reached by our dairy herds, the higher must be the standard of care and management exercised by the dairy farmer in handling his cotvs in order to obtain the best return from them, combined with the minimum of loss through sickness or death. The cow is a money-maker, but it must always be borne in mind that trouble may be expected if she is treated simply as a piece of milk-producing animal machinery. As a matter of fact, the good dairy cow of to-day is a highly sensitive organism, and in her first flush of milk production especially, her udder is the most sensitive part of her —the part most likely to suffer when exposed to any unfavourable or any injurious influences. The prevalence of mammitis is an illustration of this. Good husbandry methods can go far in preventing this trouble, and though micro-organisms can be looked upon as being an important factor in producing the inflammatory condition of the udder, which is termed mammitis, there can be little doubt that these organisms become most active, and do most harm, when the udder is in a suitable receptive condition as a result of some cause which lowers the natural resistant power of the organism to the attacks pf disease germs. Among such causes are: (I) a temporary lowering of the vitality of the cow, I due to digestive disturbance caused by unsuitable or indigestible food, such as as unusual growth of grass produced in the later winter months, and not kept eaten down as fast as it has grown, thus persisting into the .natural season of spring growth; (2) a temporary weakening of the system by calving trouble; (3 direct chills to the udder, which is in a specially active and consequent.lv a specially sensitive condition, especially immediately, after calving; (4) by the damaging effect of casual microorganisms associated with dirty conditions; (5) by overstocking; (6) by tae improper management of milking machines, particularly as regards working them at too high pressure, by not removing the cups immediately all but the strippings have been milked out, or bv uneleanliness.

These are some of the predisposing causes of mammitis, and it is desired to impress dairy farmers with the necessity for using the best methods of management, or, in other words, to practise the best of animal husbandry, in order to prevent, so far as is possible, less through this trouble. There is plenty of room yet for improving and increasing the milk yield of our dairy herds, but it is must never be forgotten tl t the better the cow as a milk producer, the better her owner must be as a dairy farmer if he is to maintain her in good health, and at her maximum yielding capacity. With the best of care some cases of mammitis will occur, but the better the care and the greater the exercise of practical com-mon-sense preventive methods by the farmer, the fewer they will be, and the greater will be the amount of the milk cheque. THE FEEDING OF DAIRY COWS. Ju a country placed under such favourable climatic conditions as New Zealand, which enables dairy ’herds 4 > obtain the greater part of their maintenance from the pastures, their feeding and management should present

fewer difficulties than do those herds kept in colder climates which necessitate their being housed during the winter aarmths. To the casual observer New

Zealand conditions seem ideal, yet to those fully acquainted with the position the difficulty in maintaining an adequate supply of balanced rations during all seasons of the yea is considerable.

In New Zealand we may have several seasons during which but little extra feed is required, and then, when least expected, a drought or a severe winter arrives, for which the farmer may be unprepared. It is during such periods that our herds suffer. Such a period emphasises the necessity for the farmer having a supply of feed on hand, further than wliat is apparently required to carry him through the season. MANAGEMENT OF PASTURES. It is well-known that grasses during the earlier stages of their growth are far more nutritious than at a later stage. This being so, every endeavour should be made to keep them at this stage for as long a period as possible. This cannot be accomplished without subdivision, and a judicious grazing of the pastures in rotation. Certain portions of the farm should be kept in ensilage and hay, to be fed at a later period when required. Catch crops, such as peas and chou moellier, will also be found useful, as will roots such as turnips or mangels, for winter feeding.