AGRICULTURAL ITEMS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19803, 19 May 1934, Page 15

AGRICULTURAL ITEMS

EXPORT OF PIGS So far this year over 2,000 more pigs have been killed at the Kaiti Works, Hawke's Bay, than was the case at this time last year. It is expected that 10,000 pigs will be killed by j the end of the season. Representative on Meat Board An effort is being made, on account of the importance of the bobby calf and pig export industries, to have direct representation of these industries on the Meat Producers’ Board. Good Season in Hawke’s Bay With the exception of a bad start the season in Hawke’s Bay has been a remarkably good one for sheep and lamb fattening. There has been a sufficiency of rain to leave the feed in good condition for quick fattening. Land Settlement • Empire migration and land settlement were discussed at a meeting of members of Auckland patriotic bodies and several speakers urged a policy of migration of English settlers to New Zealand. It was pointed out that although a primary producing country, 50 per cent of our population was in the metropolitan areas. Destroying Diseased Cattle The State of Wisconsin in America is setting New Zealand just the example it needs at the present time. It is going to have a round-up of all its dairy herds and destroy all dairy cattle reacting to the tests for tuberculosis and abortion, the State to pay compensation for the stock destroyed. Balanced Soil Treatment In an extensive fertiliser experiment on perennial pasture land in West Virginia, U.S.A., outstanding results were obtained where lime was used with superphosphate and the land harrowed. Superphosphate by itself gave much poorer results. Where lime was used with superphosphate, but the land was not harrowed, the result was decidedly inferior to where harrowing accompanied the lime and phosphatic dressings. The Culling Problem Many men are finding that it pays handsomely to cull out every cow not showing a definite profit. It is paying those particularly well who have been employing labour, necessary. only because of the number of the unprofitable or border-line cows being milked. By culling the low producers, costs and labour are not only reduced, but there is more food for the profitable by reason of having all the food they need. Obviously the high producer needs more food than the low producer, but she seldom gets it, except where the low producers are eliminated and the farm is under-stocked in consequence. Grain for Pigs Grain for pigs should always be gristed fine. Molasses is not used by many breeders. Those who do use it should not feed more than 10 per cent. Do not feed milk that has been allowed to putrefy. Sour milk is no better

than sweet. Do not feeci sour milk one day and sweet the next. Remember that, as a pig gets older, he requires a broader ration. One should feed 31b. of grain to one gallon of skim milk to a pig at eight weeks old; 351 b. grain at 10 weeks; 41b. at 12 weeks; 4Ub. at 14 weeks; and 51b. to the gallon of skim milk at 16 weeks; and fatten off on the latter amount. A good grain mixture for bacon pigs would be 251 b. peas and 751 b. barley. Always give pigs good, clean drinking water. Green pasture not only cuts down feeding costs, but also keeps pigs in good health.