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To cope with the volume of experimental work planned, and to enable the experiments to be carried out in similar, if not identical, conditions adopted by the more progressive pig-farmers, it was decided to discontinue using the big concrete pig-house at No. 1 piggery and adopt the open-air system entirely. With that object in view a new lay-out has been partially built in Field 25 opposite the No. 1 dairy. As much as possible of the old material (houses, posts, wire, &c.) is being utilized, and any old buildings now unfit for the purpose originally built on other sections of the farm have been converted into pig-houses. Fair progress has been made with the work, but a large amount still remains to be done before the whole lay-out will reach the extent desired. All our experimental baconer pigs are purchased by Messrs. J. C. Hutton (N.Z.), Ltd., at Frankton Junction at ruling market prices. They allow us to inspect all the carcasses on the hooks and allow us to take all measurements and perform what tests we require, even at times when it is somewhat inconvenient to themselves. For affording us such facilities and consideration I desire to place on record my thanks and appreciation. Poultry Section. —During the year preparations have been made to lay down an experiment to demonstrate the value of curd as a poultry-food. One hundred White Leghorn pullets were purchased and equipment prepared for an early start in the forthcoming year. Feed-flavour Investigation. Towards the close of the 1936—37 dairying season the co-operative experiments in the feed-flavour investigation were discontinued. Since then the Divisional officers have kept in touch with the farms concerned so as to maintain the interest of farmers. These co-operative trials showed that clovery pastures give the strongest feed flavour and grassy pastures the least; that artificial nitrogenous fertilizers will not change clovery pastures to grassy pastures unless suitable grazing management assists ; by suitably controlled grazing management of pastures the desired change could probably be made without recourse to expensive artificial nitrogen. It is obvious that a more complete knowledge of the fundamental principles governing controlled grazing of pastures with predetermined ends is essential before further progress is possible, and accordingly the feed-flavour investigation has developed into a stiidy of the technique of pasture control and its effects on the sward. Grazing 1 rials. During the winter of 1937 a field of about 14 acres was taken over at Ruakura and subdivided into a dairy-farm of twelve fields each 1-05 acres in grazing area. The farm is typical of dairyfarms in Waipa, Waikato, and Piako Counties where feed flavour gives more trouble than in most other parts of New Zealand. The soil is a complex of Horotiu and Te Kowhai loams, and the pastures when taken over were typical of those pastures in the district which give strong feed flavours. A milkingshed has been built on the farm and a herd of fifteen cows are grazed and milked. Their cream at each milking is critically graded for flavours by an officer of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Co., under the supervision of officers of the Dairy Division. Pastures are differentially grazed and manured. The results of the trial so far are : On a broad basis, pastures can be deliberately changed to a predetermined production-composition ; control of the grazing, particularly in the winter and early spring, has a stronger influence on the composition of subsequent pasture production than any other factor of management ; big changes can be made by wisely controlled grazing alone. Fields leniently grazed throughout have become grass dominant; fields hard-grazed throughout are clover dominant. Live-stock-feeding Experiments. The live-stock-feeding experiments at Ruakura were controlled by a committee comprising members of Live-stock and Fields Divisions—viz., District Superintendent, Fields Superintendent, Farm Manager, Extension Officer in Pig Husbandry, Poultry Instructor, and Veterinarians and Fields Instructor, Hamilton, and Assistant Experimentalist, Ruakura. Very little live-stock-feeding work has been carried out in New Zealand, and a complete study of the results of feeding trials and trial technique is necessary to put live-stock-feeding work in New Zealand on a proper footing. The live-stock experimental work at Ruakura is rapidly expanding to embrace all classes of live-stock cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry —from the nutritional point of view. Cattle-feeding. Trials in the production of chilled beef have been continued. One aim of the investigation is to vary the date of calving in order that calves will be born when there is a surplus of grass which is not required for sheep feed ; late calves have been wintered on their clams and weaned in the spring. Information on the rate of growth at various periods of the year is being obtained, and an endeavour is being made to formulate a standard of carcass measurement for the correct type of carcass for the chilled-beef trade. Dr. Hammond, on his recent visit, promised co-operation and to report on carcasses sent Home from Ruakura. Ihe influence of nutrition on dairy-bull sterility is being studied. Twenty-four bulls, in four groups, have been placed on experimental rations from weaning onwards, and the rations vary widely in their protein and carbo-hydrate content. One of the groups will be stall-fed under European conditions of feeding. Pig-feeding Experiments. The experimental work with pigs at Ruakura is now fairly comprehensive and deals with all aspects of the pig's life. A new piggery for experimental work has been erected and will be completed during the coming year. This new piggery is designed to facilitate the weighing and management of experimental pigs. The influence of nutrition on the pregnant sow is now under investigation, and twenty-four sows in four groups will be specially fed over various parts of the gestation period. One group will be run under conditions typical of many farms where the methods of feeding are inadequate. These groups will form the basis of comparison for differences in birth-weights, litter-numbers, mortality, weights at weaning, &c. An investigation into the relative value of the feed-stuffs commonly fed to sucking-pigs is in progress. Trials were commenced in the spring, when a number of litters were fed from specially constructed self-feeders. All feed-stuffs were measured and free access given to the rations fed. The trial will need repeating before definite conclusions can be drawn, but it was found that excellent weaning-weights (40 lb. and upwards) were obtained with separated milk only, separated milk and a small quantity of

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