SANATORIUM PADDOCKS.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XIII, Issue 2, 21 August 1916, Page 125

SANATORIUM PADDOCKS.

At shearing-time every sheep is. probably handled in a more thorough manner than at any time during the sheepman's year. An excellent opportunity is offered for picking out the sick and weakly and making endeavours either for their cure or disposal. On every farm special paddocks should be provided for this purpose. The area need not be great, but should contain at all seasons of the year good and succulent feed. The following are suitable temporary-pasture crops : Italian rye, prairie, and cow grass; oats and vetches ; . rape and white mustard ; barley and rye-corn—sown as mixtures; soft turnips; barley 1 Western Wolths, &c. As permanent crops lucerne, also, sainfoin, are recommended.

- The hill-farmer who has no. ■ ploughable ground may also do something to. provide himself with “sanatorium paddocks.” A good bit of pasture, lying dry, warm and sheltered, and conveniently subdivided, can be utilized. This work is best put in hand at the close of winter. The grass should be hard-grazed by healthy stock, and should then, if possible, be harrowed; but if the country is too broken the harrowing must be dispensed with. A dressing of fine ground limestone should then be given—say, anything from 5 cwt. per acre upwards —-together with a somewhat heavy dressing of some form of phosphate suited to the soil. A few blocks of rock salt placed in these paddocks will also help to improve the health of the stock. G. de S. Baylis.

Thirty-five cows of the Ruakura Shorthorn' herd have been accepted for registration in the herd-book of the New Zealand Milking Shorthorn Association, Palmerston North. ' All these cows have been previously tested for milk and butter-fat production, and more than half the number are already registered by the Waikato Dairy Shorthorn Association. The inspection of the Ruakura herd on behalf of the Palmerston North Association was made by Mr. E. Law, of Shannon, who specially commended a number of the animals as excellent types of the milking Shorthorn.