Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

TOLL OF DISEASE

IMPROVING THE DAIRY INDUSTRY BALANCED RATIONS It is a matter for congratulation that the New Zealand Dairy Board has decided to approach the Government with the request that it combine with the board in providing funds for the extension of essential research into dairy cow diseases. The incidence of disease in this Dominion is becoming increasingly more alarming and it is high time that some national action was taken to ensure that the present toll of stock by disease was checked writes C. E. Cummings in the Waikato Times. Half measures are not wanted, but some spirited action to embrace all the Dominion.

It is no use denying that a large proportion of the cows of New Zealand are diseased for this is quite obvious. 'Cognisance must be taken of the fact that feed and feeding methods here are almost entirely different from those in other dairying countries. It would be interesting to learn to just what extent wrong methods of feeding are responsible for the amount of disease in this country’s herds. Perhaps farming has come too easy to us because of the lavish extent to which the country has been endowed by Nature and we have not learnt to feed our stock correctly. Here, stock feeding practically consists in turning the cattle out to graze and giving during the winter period hay, too often made from stalky, innutritions grass. It seems certain that if disease is to be checked effectively then the whole feeding question must be thoroughly examined. Even to the uninitiated, it must seem that our feeding is far too one-sided and rations need to be more “balanced.” When a flush of grass is experienced how many make it a practice to feed good hay but rather on the other hand allow the herd to graze the rich, luscious grass throughout the whole day? And then how many others are there who although they feed their herds fairly well during the lactation period practically neglect them during the winter, being content to feed them a limited quantity of poor quality hay of little nutritive value. In the case of very many farms there can be little wonder that disease is rife. As a general rule, little interest is taken in disease until it makes itself apparent in the herd and too little thought is given by the farming community as a whole to the question of disease prevention. This question must be taken up in the near future if the Dominion is to check effectively the spread of disease.

be seen that in each of the columns (7), (8) and (9) there is a double peak Of feed required, occurring in July, October and November respectively, and again six months later. It will be obvious that by a little manipulation and by sales of weaners or porkers or baconers, the peak or peaks of feed required could be made to occur at any month.

Production of Pork or Bacon This ability to vary the food requirements by selling pigs of light or of heavy weight is one of the most important characteristics of the pig business, and full use amounting almost to abuse of it has been made in the development of the industry. Because there was little milk in April, May and June few second litters were obtained, with the result that sow-keeping tended to be unprofitable. This point is discussed elsewhere. Now that sows more generally have two litters per year the second litter is often soid as light pork in March or April, thus eliminating the April-May peak which would result from keeping them to bacon. The fact that the same sows are used to produce baconers in Nov-

ember and porkers in March is another feature of the industry that calls for careful deliberation. It means that a type of pig must be selected with a carcase suitable for either pork or bacon, or that different boars be used for the spring and the autumn litters, or that the pig-raiser must forego this natural safety valve he now possesses for getting out of the difficulty of insufficient winter feed, and find a cheap and efficient feed supply that allows him to produce bacon only. The last proposition appears to be the best, but only if it can be done profitably.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THD19370306.2.61.35.2

Bibliographic details

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20669, 6 March 1937, Page 15 (Supplement)

Word Count
721

TOLL OF DISEASE Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20669, 6 March 1937, Page 15 (Supplement)

TOLL OF DISEASE Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20669, 6 March 1937, Page 15 (Supplement)

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert