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Milk-production Herd. —To carry out experiments to ascertain, if possible, the cause and control of feed taints in milk and cream, a small one-cow plant dairy was erected in Field 18a, an area of 14 acres, which was subdivided by fencing into twelve small fields. Fifteen cows were placed there and milked for the season. No cows were put under herd-test of any description during the year. A milking control was instituted to lessen, if possible, the incidence of mastitis. The herds were divided into three groups according to the intensity of the infection and kept as separate herds for the whole of the season. The results can be classed as very fair. Very little trouble was experienced at calving-time. The electric steam sterilizer and water-heater installed at No. 1 dairy has continued to give satisfaction and the grading of the cream has kept up to " finest " consistently, despite the hot, sultry summer, and autumn. An alteration was made in the water service so far as to link No. 2 dairy up with the main supply from the reservoir, resulting in a continuous supply of good water right throughout the summer. Southdown Sheep.—This flock was handled in similar lines to last year. One hundred and forty ewes were selected and mated to three rams, one bred by C. J. Hawken, one bred by J. H. W. Slack, and one bred on Ruakura. The following rams were sold during the year : —■ 1 stud shearling ram .. .. .. .. .. 14 guineas. 24 flock shearling rams at an average of . . . . . . 3 guineas. 15 flock mixed-age rams at an average of . . . . 2-88 guineas. 40 The year closed with the following sheep on hand : 139 breeding-ewes, 3 stud rams, 47 flock rams, 53 ram lambs, 47 ewe lambs : total, 289. Crossbred Flock Sheep. —The year commenced with the following sheep on charge : 1,947 breedingewes, 65 stores for killing, 27 store lambs : total, 2,039. An abundance of grass was available for the ewe flock during the autumn and winter. All the ewes, with the exception of a number of those purchased from Wairoa during the previous February, did well and produced a big percentage of lambs. The bought-in ewes did not flush up too well, and their lambing percentage was very low. Feed did not grow so freely during late spring and summer, and the lambs were much later in maturing than is the case in better seasons. The average weight was also below the usual standard for this farm. One thousand six hundred and ninety-five lambs were sold for export, realizing £1,815 Is. lid., at an average price of 21s. sd. Breeding-ewes were extremely hard to procure again, and the prices they were realizing at the various fairs were extremely high. Six hundred and seventy, including 320 two-tooth ewes, were purchased at an average price of 325. lOd. per head. One thousand nine hundred and sixty-eight ewes were placed out with the Southdown rams during February. The year closed with the following sheep on hand : 1,968 breeding-ewes, 53 culled ewes to fatten, 38 fat sheep for killing, 73 store lambs, 2 romney rams. Wool sold during the year was 48 bales for £630 16s. (£l3 2s. lOd. per bale), as against 43 bales last year for £953 Bs. 4d. (£22 3s. 6d. per bale). Beef Cattle. —The Polled Angus and Polled Angus - Hereford cross cows have bred very satisfactorily. The progeny of the 105 heifers purchased in February, 1936, now total 100 plus 28 sold as yearlings. Sixteen steers, calved in December, 1936, and January, 1937, and 17 calved during July and August, 1937, were selected for experimental purposes, and their daily weight-gains checked by weighing twice monthly. All animals made satisfactory progress until the extremely dry weather set in last January. Since the autumn rains came and good grass growth started they have commenced to do well again. On 7th June last nine Polled Angus eighteen-month-old steers of good type and conformation were purchased for £50 off a run for the purpose of fattening on grass and testing their weight-gains over a period of four to five months. The results were extremely gratifying, the daily body-weight gains being remarkably good. Four animals from this group were selected as being of suitable type for the chilled-beef trade and were entered in the chilled-beef class at the Waikato Agricultural and Pastoral Association's Show held at Claudelands during last October. None of these animals gained a place on the hoof at the show, but two were placed first and second on the hooks at the Horotiu Killing Works three days later. The carcasses were then forwarded to Smithfield, London, to compete for the Borthwick Cup, but were not placed. A new bull from a good strain was purchased last spring for £37, and one that was not leaving good type calves was sold, ft is the intention to purchase from Flock House early in the coming year thirty heifers and a bull of good type. The following cattle were on charge as at 31st March : 2 bulls, 100 cows, 24 yearling heifers, 33 yearling steers, 43 calves : total, 202. Annual Sale. —As has been the custom for the last few years, all yearling and maiden two-year-old bulls were sold by auction at the Waikato Combined Breeders' Association sale. Twenty-seven yearling and two-year-old bulls were disposed of at an average of £19 10s. 2d., realizing £562 13s. 7d. Both Ayrshire and Shorthorns were again in demand. The sale for Jerseys was not too brisk. Any bulls that were offered but did not sell at the sale were disposed of later by private treaty. Pigs.—Pedigree breeding of boars and sows for sale to the public was carried on on similar lines to previous years until July, when it was decided to discontinue pedigree breeding and concentrate entirely on research work in pork and bacon production. All surplus animals not required for this particular work were sold by public auction.

5—H. 29.

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