FARM TOPICS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21189, 9 November 1938, Page 3

FARM TOPICS

STOCK REMEDIES’ ACT “There seems to be greater protection for animals than there is for us,” commented Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court at Palmerston North, when a company was charged with a breach of the Stock Remedies Act through not securing the approval of "the Registration Board for an advertisement inserted concerning a stock remedy. EXPORT PIGS At the Royal Show at Hamilton there were over 100 exhibitors in the export pig classes and on the whole the quality of the exhibits was outstanding. The farmers of the Waikato have seriously tackled the pig business during the past few years and are setting a great example to some, at least, of the other dairying districts of the Dominion. ROMNEY EWES FROM NEW ZEALAND The Tasmanian Government has started a Romney Marsh stud on the State Farm at Cressy by importing ewes from New Zealand. This is being done to assist the fat lamb industry, especially in the areas of heavy rainfall. it is hoped in this way to spread the Romney Marsh blood among ewes used for breeding fat lambs. CHAMPION BULL OF RHODESIA The most valuable cattle prize in the British Empire, the Thousand Guinea Trophy for the Champion Bull of Rhodesia, was won at the recent agricultural show in Bulawayo by Mr Duncan Black with his two-and-a-half years old Aberdeen-Angus “Esecudero of Selby.” The same bull, which is Rhodesian bred, carried off the championship at the Salisbury Show. LARGE LAMB CROP The largest lamb crop on record was reported by the United States Bureau of Agricultural Economics when the 1938 crop was estimated at 32,221,000 head. This year’s production is about 5 per cent larger than in 1937, about two million head, or nearly 7 per cent greater than the five year (1933-1937) average, and 606,000 head larger than the previous record crop of 1931. UNUSUAL FARM England’s most unusual farm must surely be that at Hemel Hempstead, Herts, belonging to Mr L. Cura, the London naturalist. Apart from 40,000 goldfish and thousands of tortoises, he has alligators, water-dragons, snakes and something like 40,000 frogs. He has customers all over Europe, and supplies zoological authorities everywhere. GERMANY’S OUTPUT OF STAPLE FIBRE Germany’s output of staple fibre during 1938 will total between 150,000 and 160,000 tons. compared with 102,000 tons in 1937 and 46,000 tons in 1936. The Financial Times says that experts estimated that in the spring of 1939 Germany’s annual staple fibre production will be at the rate of 200,000 tons. Particular attention is being given to improving the quality of the fibre and varying its texture in accordance with the ultimate use to which it is to be put. HONEY SEASON Prospects for the season were discussed by members of the Honey Control Board, who met to consider marketing plans. The bees have wintered well in all honey producing districts, and fine spring weather favoured early activity in the hives. It is too early yet, however, to make any forecast, and all that the beekeeper members would say was that, given sufficient rain to bring on the clover, and enough sunshine without too much wind, the season should be productive. MILK PROTEIN Research into the various varieties of milk has led to the classification of 108 ingredients in it. Rabbits’ milk has the most fat, followed by dog-milk. Rabbit’s milk contains about 10 times as much protein as human milk and about five times as much as cows’ milk. The milk of the average cow is 87.3 per cent water, but it contains most of the constituents necessary for health. But to live on milk alone, a person would have to drink gallons daily to maintain strength. WORLD’S SMALLEST COW “Midget,” world's smallest cow, has been making money for her owner at county exhibitions through England. A five-year-old, perfectly formed, purebred Jersey, she is only three feet high. Her sisters are of normal size, good specimens, some of them prize-winners. “Midget’s” first calves were almost as large as her when born. She is now in milk with her second, and her owner, Mr D. M. Farrar, of Hillfoot Farm, Polloxhill, Beds, thinks she will break a record by giving several times her own weight in milk. FEEDS AND FEEDING Cow comfort is a factor in milk production during the summer, as well as in winter. Professor Morrison states in “Feeds and Feeding,” that “if the weather is too hot for the comfort of the cows, it may cause a decided reduction in yield of milk, with an increase in the fat content and other changes in composition.” This demonstrates the value of growthy pasture for cows in hot weather, besides suggesting the importance of shade. High humidity can also lower production, heavy milkers being most affected. TOPPING OFF PIGS Is it an advantage to feed pigs an extra ration in order to “top" them off during the last period before marketing? In the past this has been the usual practice, but the present grading regulations may mean a definite alteration in this proced-re. Experimental work t Ruakura has shown that restricted feeding may play a big part in an improvement as regards the thickness of back fat, Pigs fed on a ration restricted to three-quarters of a normal maximum ration have been found to give t’ ? desirable proportion of back fat and to obtain the full premium under the* grading regulations.