HUGE DECREASE IN AMERICAN CATTLE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20509, 29 August 1936, Page 15

HUGE DECREASE IN AMERICAN CATTLE

WHAT DROUGHT AND SLUMP CONDITIONS REVEAL “This year’s drought in the United States will further reduce the cattle population of that country, according to a statement issued recently by the United States Department of Agriculture,” states the July issue of The Canadian Countryman. The article goes on to state that on January 1. 1934, the number of cattle and calves in the United States reached an alltime peak of 74,000,0000. The drought of that year, combined with the normal operation of the cattle cycle, reduced the number of cattle so that on January 1, 1936, the population went down to 68.000.000. Despite the decrease that took place in 1934 and 1935, the number of cattle was about 11,000,000 more than the total estimated for January 1. 1928, when the last peak of the cattle price cycle was reached. “The probability is,” continues the article, “ that drought or no drought a reduction in cattle numbers would have taken place during the past two years, and it is also probable that this reduction will continue for the next five years or so. In the past the cattle population has increased for seven or eight years and it has decreased for a

| regardless of the method of sowing and subsequent treatment, the temporary ryegrass in the seed mixture, has quickly died out and left much more ground for the establishment of inferior species. This rapid “running out” has necessitated the renewal of large areas each year with the result that pastures more or less have had to be sown every available opportunity (i.e. with every supplementary crop) in an attempt to cope with the large areas awaiting the plough. This state of affairs has been characteristic of many farms and unavoidable on those where temporary perennial ryegrass and red clover alone have constituted the pasture seed mixture. As previously explained the method of sowing also, adds to the subsequent poorness and openness of the new pasture. Top-dressing has never been able to compensate for an unsuitable seed mixture sown indifferently or otherwise. “The balanced feeding value of turnips and grass and rape and grass is also an important factor favouring the sowing of grass with a supplementary crop. Progressive farmers, however, who are "practising an improved grassing policy and cannot feed a good pasture run out. hay and/or chaff, along with their turnips, usually sow with them 4 bushel per acre of Italian ryegrass. The turnips are grubbed in the usual fashion and the land ploughed for the sowing of new permanent grass in the approved method regardless of the Italian ryegrass that may still be present.

“Sufficient has been said in this paper to demonstrate the fact that in spite of certain apparently sound reasons for sowing grass with a supplementary crop, a re-adjustment of pasture and cropping policy on the lines indicated can only result in a general improvement while circumventing these older methods. Example of Progress "A few particulars of progress and development under an improved grassing policy on a foothill farm should be of interest. The farm is situated near’ the Rakaia Gorge on the Lake Coleridge road. The altitude is about 1500 feet. Falls of snow in winter are often experienced. The area of the property is 800 acres of which 60 acres are in plantations and 100 acres are in steep hilly tussock. The remainder comprises flats and gentle downs. A medium quality loam grows natural pasturage of browntop, sweet vernal, trefoil, etc. as well as some tussocks.

“In 1932 turnips and grass were grown together and provided the winter feed as well as the new pasture. No fattening feed was grown at that time. The cropping last season—l93s-36 consisted of 45 acres turnips and swedes, 64 acres new permanent pasture sown with 41b. rape per acre. In the past chaff has provided what winter reserve feed has been used. The total area sown by new pasture to date in the improved method is 130 acres. “Allowing one cattle beast to equal 6 sheep units there was an increased carrying capacity from 1931 to 1936 at the end of stock year, June 30th. of 550. 175 more sheep were shorn and there was an increase of the wool yield

last year of over 21bs. There was an increased lambing of 19 per cent.

“The above figures. giving an average carrying capacity of 44 dry sheep per acre over the whole period, are convincing proof of the scope for improvement of the foothill areas of Canterbury. This is especially so when it is remembered that the carrying capacity of the farm as a whole prior to this winter has been only 11 sheep per acre. The light grazing in November and December 1934 was purposely carried out to allow of clover development as discussed earlier in this paper. Up to this last autumn when some damage by grass grub has been experienced this particular pasture was a good dense sward with a low proportion of sweet xetnal and some trefoil in association with the higher producing species. Cocksfoot was not very prominent but on this land volunteer white clover is excellent. So far browntop is practically non-existent in this pasture. Conclusion “Nearly every farmer in the foothill areas of Canterbury would benefit by maintaining high producing permanent pastures on the greater portion of their properties. An alteration in the management of cultivation and supplementary feed crop production can be made with economic advantage on most foothill farms to permit of th esowing, establishment and management of new permanent pastures in a ’better fashion. Top-dress-ing maintains these well sown high producing swards in which browntop, sweet vernal and other low producing species can thus be kept at a minimum.

“Some of the resultant effects of good pastures, assuming there is satisfactory management in other directions, are decreased hoggett mortality and “store” lamb sales, increased carrying capacity, lambing percentage, lambs fat off the mother and wool

clip. The top-dressing costs are the only important enlargement of the annual expenditure, and the greater returns are much more than a compensation for this. Successful and progressive farmers have demonstrated the value of this policy of pasture improvement here outlined, both in practice and financially.”