ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXVII, Issue 2, 20 August 1923, Page 124

ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES.

IN order to ensure reply to questions, correspondents must give their name and address, not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith Letters should be addressed to the Editor.

CHEESE-YIELD FROM FRIESIAN AND JERSEY MILK. ‘ Anonymous,” Hastings : —

Does the milk of a Friesian cow with a 3-6 butterfat test produce more or less cheese than that of a Jersey cow with a 5-0 test, the milk being in equal quantity ?

The Dairy Division

Under ordinary working-conditions there will be quite a variation in the yield of cheese from the two milks. The richer milk not only contains more fat, but also more casein. These are the two principal solids of milk which are found in cheese. The casein content varies in milks from different cows of the same breed, but if we assume that the Friesian milk contained 2-3 per cent, casein and the Jersey 3 per cent., the yield of cheese from 100 lb. of the Friesian milk would probably be about 9-6 lb., and from 100 lb. of the Jersey milk 131b.

ABORTION - CONTAMINATED PADDOCKS. M. A. W., Tirau :— '

I have been unfortunate in having some of my cows and heifers affected with abortion after carrying their calves about eight months. The animals have been confined to two small paddocks which are used as calf and bull paddocks during the early part of the milking season. Kindly inform me if any harm will result from the present use of the paddocks.

The Live-stock Division :—

It is not advisable to graze either bulls or calves on paddocks contaminated by the discharge from aborted cows. Such paddocks should be kept free of cattle for at least six months. . Probably the best procedure would be either to graze sheep there or cultivate the paddocks.

HUBAM CLOVER.

“ One in Doubt,” Mangaohae :—

Will you kindly give any information you may have as to the usefulness of Hubam clover? Is it an annual or a perennial, and has it any advantages for particular purposes or positions, as ' compared with other clovers ?

The Fields Division : —-

Sweet or Hubam clover {MMlotus alba var.) is a biennial, and should be sown in the spring at the rate of 10 lb. per acre on a well-consolidated seed-bed. Seed can be obtained from Messrs. Law- : Somner Proprietary (Limited), Block Placeand Swanson Street, Melbourne. Sweet clover, except in its young stages, is not relished by stock on account of its bitter taste. The stems become woody at flowering-time, and hence the crop is not very palatable either as hay or ensilage. It shows no advantage over our ordinary forage crops.

LUPINS FOR ORCHARD GREEN-MANURING. R. S., Ripponvale : —

Would you kindly inform me the best kind of lupin to sow for green manure in an orchard ; also what quantity of seed and superphosphate to sow per acre, and where good reliable seed could be procured ?

The Horticulture Division :—

The blue lupin is recommended, being quicker in growth than the white variety. If sown in November the crop should be ready for turning under in May—• a very good season, giving time for decay before the trees become active in spring. Sow 60 lb, of seed, in drills 12 in. , to 15 in. apart, with 2 cwt. of superphosphate. If the seeds are broadcasted 80 lb. is required. Seeds should be procurable from any large seed firm. ,

DRYING-OFF OF COWS.

“ Red Clover,”. Parkhill: —■

How long do you consider a heifer should be milked before having her second calf ?

The Live-stock Division ; —

It may be accepted as a common rule that a cow or heifer should be dried off at least two months before calving. This is necessary for the well-being of both cow and offspring. The fact of carrying a heifer on right up to the time of calving again will not improve her as a milker, and is detrimental to the calf she is carrying as well as to herself. About the end of the sixth and beginning of the seventh month of pregnancy the quantity of milk naturally diminishes, and the animal dries off of her own accord even although she is well fed and attended to. This, however, does not hold good in many of our highly developed deep-milking breeds, with which it is not unusual to have the milk-yield going on with no tendency to stop in the late months of pregnancy. In such cases it may be necessary to milk once a day or once in two days right up to calving, to avoid udder troubles. This is seldom followed by any harm to either cow or calf where the dam’s tendency is to milk on, but to try to encourage the term of lactation beyond the seventh month of pregnancy, especially when the tendency of the animal is to dry off, is bad practice, and, as already stated, will not improve the cow as a milker.

HORSES AND WHEAT.

“ Subscriber,” Ashburton :—

Please advise treatment for horses that have had access to wheat by accident. I would like to be prepared.

The Live-stock Division :—

The treatment necessary depends largely on the amount of wheat consumed by . the animal. If a horse is not engorged the first symptoms noticed are those of laminitis, or founder. If the amount consumed is large it causes dilation of the stomach. The main treatment in both cases is the evacuation of the stomachcontents by the . aid of purgatives. For this purpose an aloetic ball containing from 5 to 7 drams may be given.. For heavy draught horses 7 drams is sufficient. All dry or solid feed should be kept from the horse, but the animal should be given an ample supply of drinking-water. Luke-warm-water enemas should be given every three hours until the bowels respond and the contents of the stomach and bowels are evacuated. The horse should be starved for forty-eight hours, and only easily digestible. food, such. as bran or linseed mashes, , should be given for a few days.

CONTROL OF SLUGS AND SNAILS.

H. S. Stratford, Crail Bay,’ Pelorus Sound : —

We are very much troubled with slugs in our locality. Many people from outside districts have recommended hedgehogs to combat the pest, and I would like to have your opinion regarding their use. There are no frogs in our locality. Do. you think that if we brought them here it would be a step in the right direction ?

The Horticulture Division :—

.'Hedgehogs are now becoming fairly plentiful in a number of places in New Zealand, but are, of course, not often seen, as they lie hidden during .the. day." They certainly do devour slugs, snails, worms, and large insects, and naturalists regard them.as friends to. gardeners. Gardeners,, however, usually regard . them . as friends, only when they: are. outside the garden, for. they also eat young plants and roots— to mention milk, meat, hen’s eggs, and young chicks. English horticultural journals frequently contain matter regarding slugs and snails, but they never advise the use of the hedgehog, which is a native of England. Frogs are useful for the control of woodlice, but so far as we are aware they do not eat slugs and snails. Readily effective means for the control of these pests are clean cultivation and the free use of air-slaked quicklime after dark. '* ; V 1

Grading of Butter and Cheese for Export.— During the twelve. months. from August, 1922, to July, .1923, the following quantities were graded by the Dairy Division at the various ports, amounts for the corresponding previous yearly period being given in parentheses : Butter, 67,850 tons (50,548) ; cheese, 61,220 tons (63,790). These figures represent a net increase of 20-i per cent, in butterfat production for butter- and cheese-making in the 1922-23 period. . ?

' Fees for Grading of Dairy-produce. -Amending regulations under-the Dairy Industry Act fix the fee for butter at i-o5d. per box and for cheese at i-4od. per crate. In the case of butter or cheese forwarded for export from , a registered factory, creamery, or private . dairy, the fee is payable by the manufacturer on demand otherwise it is payable by the owner of the produce. Where, it is found that the total amount paid in respect of grading-fees in any year' ending the 31st March exceeds the cost, as determined by the Minister of Agriculture, of the dairy-grading service, including the salary and expenses of the Government Dairy-produce Officer in London, the Minister may credit to the payers of fees, towards the fees payable by them during the next succeeding year, the amount paid or payable in excess of such cost, in the proportion in which each payer contributed during the period in question.

Grading of New Zealand Hemp.— Amending regulations dealing with the grading and export of stripper-tow (carded stripper-slips) were published in the Gazette of 12th July. Three grades are establisiied for this by-product, together with prescriptions - for size of bales, tagging, .

x - Local Wool-sales. During the season 1st July, 1922, to 30th June, 1923, there was offered at the wool-sales in New Zealand a total of 509,880 bales of wool, of which 457,547 bales were sold, the average price per pound being 10-406. In the 1921-22 season 440,014 bales were offered locally and 405,125 sold, at an average of . 6-o6d. per pound.

British Market for Peas and Beans. — The following information was cabled by the High Commissioner, London, on 4th August: Peas— Zealand' Maple have arrived freely ; stocks on hand and awaiting discharge at docks are more than sufficient for present requirements. July shipments sold for 80s. per quarter ; September-October shipments, 82s. 6d. ; very little forward business. Tasmanian are scarce July-August'shipments sold at 92s. Small sales of blue reported; New Zealand 90s. ex store, and 82s. 6d. asked for parcels to arrive. ; Japanese cheap ; new crop hand-picked marrow-fats, delivery to be in two equal lots in November and December, quoted at £22 1 os. per ton. Beans — Sale slow. English winter making 8s. rod. to 9s. 6d. per cwt., according to quality; Pigeon, 12s. to 18s. per cwt. Chinese horse, August-October shipments, quoted at 10s. 3d. per cwt.