TOO MUCH RAIN

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21041, 17 February 1940, Page 9

TOO MUCH RAIN

PRIMARY PRODUCTION QUALITY OF FAT LAMBS DAIRY FIGURES JUST AHEAD It is something rather unusual at this time of the year for farmers to be hoping for dry weather, but such is the case at the present time. The long wet spell since the beginning of January has resulted in abundant feed throughout the district, but while producers are not concerned on the score of the quantity of feed there are other problems to be faced. The luxuriant grass growth is not suitable lamb feed, and the quality of the district’s fat lambs during the past few weeks has noticeably deteriorated in many areas. Excellent quality lambs were being despatched to the works during the dry weather after Christmas, but quality, which was also rather poor at the beginning of the season, began to fall away with the continuance of the wet weather. Producers are being troubled with scouring in the flocks and have had to exercise careful management to ensure that the lambs are not having access to lush feed Waikato Dairying: Despite the ample feed, dairy production in some areas is not so much ahead of last year as is generally considered. One company in the Cambridge district reports that its production to the end of January is roughly 3 per cent ahead of last year, while a Morrinsville company estimates that its production to date is 10 to 12 per cent better. The manager of a Te Awamutu company expressed the opinion today that production in his company’s area is just a little better than last season. The wet weather, while it has ensured rapid pasture growth, has not been conducive to the growing of quality feed. Although there is ample grass it is not of the same quality as it would have been had a spell of dry weather been experienced after the first fortnight’s rain. If a period of dry weather does not come before winter, producers fear that a hard winter will be experienced and that stock will not be in good condition for the opening of the next dairying season. On the other hand, farmers have better supplies of hay and ensilage than last year.