HIGH PRODUCTION GOAL

Taranaki Daily News, 31 March 1934, Page 24 (Supplement)

HIGH PRODUCTION GOAL

299 L85, OF BUTTERFAT TO ACRE.

RESULT OF GRASS MANAGEMENT.

An average production of 3001bs. of butterfat per acre seems very ambitious, yet that is the goal which Mr. J. M. Blyde, Lepperton, is striving for, and it looks as though, with continued good management and reasonably good fortune, he will achieve his aim in the near future. Last year his average production was 2451b5. of butterfat per acre and this year he had already reached that mark with three months of the season yet to go. There is therefore every prospect of his production reaching 2901b5. of butterfat before the season closes. The splendid record has been achieved by proper attention to grassland management, and serves to further exemplify the fact that in that respect Taranaki farmers have nothing to learn from any other part of New Zealand. It is also further evidence that a small farm well sub-divided can be made the most productive.

Mr. Blyde’s property consists of 51 acres at Lepperton on the comer of the Manutahi and Corbett Roads. Eleven seasons ago when Mr. Blyde took over the property it produced 72001b5. of butterfat or 1441b5. per acre. That was considered a good average at the time. This year that production has been doubled. The property is carrying 41 cows, a bull, two yearlings, nine calves of which five have just been sold, and is carrying them all the. year round, for Mr. Blyde has no other land. Moreover he does not feed any concentrates to his stock, and all the feed they are given is grown on the farm. The condition of the stock and their production show how effective that feed is, whilst the bloom on the paddocks, with their dense swards of rye and clover, show that the farm has not -been overstocked. There are also on the farm two • large hay stacks as well as some ensilage from three seasons, representing a total of 35 acres of pasture, of which 13 acres is this season’s, 13 acres last season’s and nine acres from the previous season. That is remarkable in view of the fact that the stock has not been off the property for two years and that Mr. Blyde only grows about half an acre of root crops, consisting of carrots and mangolds. Some of the latter go to the pigs, a few of which are kept in the winter when the milk is separated and are got off as porkers. Mr. Blyde has achieved his results by pasture management, by top-dressing, harrowing and utilisation, for he has only turned over and resown six acres during the period that he has been on the farm. He has, however, top-dressed consistently. For the first few years he used slag and super. No super has been used in the last three years when super and up to 7 ton of 30 per cent, potash or nearly 2 cwt to the acre have .been applied annually. This season Mr. Blyde used 5 cwt of super to the acre and last season 6 cwt to the acre. In the spring he top-dresses with supei- and in the summer with super and potash. This season, however, he intends to top-dress in the late autumn, instead of in the spring. Mr. Blyde has . already top-dressed with 2 J cwt of super and 11 cwt cf potash, and in the late autumn he will probably give a dressing of 1% cwt blood and bone, li cwt super and 1 cwt bone. Mr. Blyde harrows the pastures three or four times and if the grass appears to be getting away he tops it As a result there is a beautiful even sward of rye and clover with a remarkable freedom from weeds. The pasture presents an appearance more; in keeping with spring than with autumn. That was reflected when the pasture was judged last week, as it pointed up 14 points more than it did in the spring. The pastures have certainly been built up wonderfully by top-dressing and, as Mr. Blyde’s , herd of 41 included 10 heifers, it looks as though it might not be beyond the realms of possibility for that Lepperton farmer to achieve Dr. Annett’s ideal of one cow to the acre producing 4001bs. of butterfat.