STUDIES IN FARM MANAGEMENT A Poverty Bay Hill-country Farm

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 73, Issue 6, 16 December 1946, Page 519

STUDIES IN FARM MANAGEMENT A Poverty Bay Hill-country Farm

THROUGHOUT New Zealand there are many districts which J. have hill-country farm lands ideally suited to the raising of sheep and cattle, and in this respect Poverty Bay and the east coast are particularly favoured. The rich, fertile papa and mudstone soils combined with an adequate rainfall lend themselves to the development of highly-productive hill-country pastures. As a result breeding ewes and cattle raised on the Poverty Bay . and east coast hills are always in very keen demand by buyers from other districts. he following article describes the management of a typical hill-country farm in the Cook County, Poverty Bay.

By

V. P. BOOT,

Fields Instructor, Gisborne.

WITH no extremes of hot and cold and having only mild frosts—an isolated one perhaps reaches 10 degrees —the climate, of the Cook County is ideal for farming. The average annual rainfall is 43.41 in., -with a minimum of 26in. and a maximum of 60in. Generally the hill country receives more rain than the coastal area and the heaviest falls usually occur during May, June, July, and August, the average heaviest

fall being 5.12 in. in May. During the rest of the year the rainfall normally is ’ fairly evenly distributed. Soil Types

Hill-country soil is composed largely of papa, argillaceous mudstones, and some sandstones, and the soil of the rich alluvial flats is derived from papa and mudstone. Along the river banks the soil has been formed largely by floodsilting. . . Generally the soils on the flats respond readily to topdressing with phosphates and have , sufficient free calcium for plant food requirements. However, in certain areas, . before maximum results can be obtained from phosphates, carbonate of lime has to be applied to correct the soil’s condition.

Statistical Data, Cook County* Total occupied area (acres) .. • • 501,295 Number. of horses .. •• •• “,384 Number of cattle •• •• Kk.,668 Number of dairy cows in milk .. .. 9,797 Number of pigs ..... • • • • Number of sows 1 year old and over 684 Number of sheep shorn ... .. 688,006 Number of lambs shorn .. •• •• 232,773 Number of lambs tailed .. .. • • 370,446 * A, and P. statistics, 1943-44.

. A. MURIWAI FARM Although the farm has a greater area, of flats for fattening stock than is usual,’the management of the property t of Messrs. C. H. and H. C. Williams is typical of that of most farms in the

Cook County. Situated a quarter of a. mile from the township of. Muriwai, which is. 16 miles from Gisborne on. the main Gisborne-Napier highway, the farm was originally part of the Wairakaia Estate, of 9,000 acres, which was purchased by Archdeacon Samuel .Williams in 1905 and subdivided into five properties. The Williams brothers took' over two adjacent blocks, which they have since farmed on, a communal basis. 'The two blocks, known as Sherwood, and. Coventry, were about 2,200 acres and 1,740 acres, respectively, a total of 3,940 acres. Some years later 60 acres of alluvial flats were purchased, bringing the total acreage of the holdings up to 4,000 acres. When Messrs. Williams commenced farming the property in 1905 most of the bush, which consisted largely of kohe-kohe, rewarewa, tawa, and kaikawaka, had been felled and burnt and the area sown down in English grasses. Several remaining areas of native bush aggregating 200 acres were, with the exception of a small area, felled, burnt, and sown down during the . next five years. When the property was taken over the paddocks were very large and the fences in an almost complete state of disrepair. The whole area had to be subdivided and new boundary fences erected. Within a few years all sign of the'original fencing had disappeared. The pastures, even though .sown. ■ down in English grasses, were at that time dominantly danthonia. Owing to the large extent of individual paddocks, much of the growth was.' uncontrolled and the properties were covered with rank native grass MB Yorkshire fog.

Planned Development It was realised early that to encourage grasses and clovers demanding higher fertility it was essential to have the pastures well

controlled by stock. This focused attention on closer subdivision so that big numbers of sheep and cattle could be concentrated on to smaller areas and so ensure full ■'< utilisation of fodder and a greater ■ return of stock excrements. Consequently, subdivision was planned to facilitate stock control, and additional stockyards and fences were erected on lines which led to easier working of the property. The areas of the paddocks now are is follows: —

Hill More than 400 acres —2 300-400 „ —2 200-300 „ 3 100-200 „ 5 Less than 100 „ 7 Flats More than 20 acres 1 10-20 „ S 3 ■ Less than 10 „ —25

The closer subdivision undoubtedly paid handsomely, as in. three years the originally-sown English .grasses reestablished and for the’ most' part began to dominate the native grasses. With this improvement in the pastures came increased production in wool, fat lambs, sheep, and cattle. The planning of plantations was linked with the placing of drafting yards. Suitable timber for yard maintenance was planted. at, or in the vicinity of, the stockyard sites.

Topography and Soils

The two properties together consist of 3,800 acres of hill country and 200 acres of flat.

There is relatively little difference in the steepness of the hill country. The whole area is moderately steep with some easier country, the highest point on the stations being 1,500 ft. None of the hill country is ploughable and < development, therefore, has been dependent on stock and pasture management. The / soils are mainly of mudstone with several outcrops of limestone and sandstone. The. pastures are mainly ryegrass, white clover, dogstail, annual clovers, subterranean clovers, danthonia, and some browntop. Ryegrass and white clover are dominant on the topdressed paddocks, but on the lighter, drier northern slopes danthonia is dominant.

The flats are of rich alluvial soil and grow excellent ryegrass-white clover pastures. Careful'use of superphosphate has to be made, otherwise the stimulus to the white clover will result in its marked dominance over the perennial ryegrass. Excellent crops of rape, maize, lucerne, and meadow hay are taken off the flats, and on several occasions very payable white clover , seed crops have been obtained.

Pasture Development The felled bush land before 1805 had' been surface sown with a 151 b. mixture containing cocksfoot, perennial ryegrass, Poa pratensis, and clovers. Since then the mixture used both on bush clearings and on manuka areas which have been cleared from time to time has been as follows: — Perennial ryegrass .. 201 b. Poa pratensis .. .. lib. Crested dogstail .. .. lib. White clover . . .. lib. Yarrow .. .. .. loz. . In recent years some of the home hill paddocks have been surface sown with subterranean clover and paspalum. The paspalum has been very slow in establishment, but on the drier, topdressed hills subterranean - clover has done very well. Through careful management a dominance of ryegrass and white clover over the ' danthonia has been maintained, except on the dry, hard, steep 1 northern slopes. Very little surface sowing has been done, the aim always being to achieve a balanced sward through judicious stocking. Farm Equipment The well-built, spacious woolshed was originally an 8-stand shed, but has been reduced to 6. It contains a wellconstructed foot-rot trough with adequate floor space to dry sheep out after

passing them through the , bath. The modern type of tip-dip is situated by the stockyards and, all this equipment is. supplied with „ a plentiful flow of fresh spring water. The main cattledrafting ' yards are situated centrally land four, other complete yards and two docking yards are at convenient points on the station. The woolshed is constructed to serve as an implement shed, and there are hay barns and stables on the property. Water. Supply. The water supply for the whole property is excellent and . even during the recent drought the creeks fed by numerous springs ' were never dry. The supply for Sherwood is piped about 80 chains from a reservoir, which is fed by five springs, and the supply for Coventry •is piped about 240 chains and supplies the homestead and all the flat paddocks.. The normal supply from this spring is between 5,000 and 6,000 gallons a day.. Adequate water is assured under any conditions’ in all but two paddocks, and it is rarely that the creeks in these dry up. The flat paddocks are furnished with concrete troughs which serve two paddocks at once, and regular supplies are piped from the main spring. There are seven permanent troughs, twelve single movable concrete troughs, and three of tin. Shelter Two plantations were planted solely for shelter. ' An additional twelve

plantations on different parts of the station supply valuable shelter, but are also a source of' timber for posts, gates, rails, and battens. Eucalyptus and prickly acacia are planted for timber, ,and, shelter is . provided by macrocarpas and pines. Messrs. Williams have provided valuable shelter and have ensured a ready source of maintenance timber for many years to come.

Pasture Management

Of the 200 acres of flat land, about 40 acres are used for horses, bulls, and milking cows. Usually 20 acres are put in rape and maize and the remaining 140 acres are available for grazing. Although cattle will fatten on almost any of the hill paddocks in the right condition, they gain considerably in weight if given two months on the flats. During the summer and autumn, therefore, the flats. are used for this purpose. In addition, several paddocks are set aside for. lamb fattening. Cattle cease to thrive on the -flat land about the end of May or earlier if . , the weather is cold and wet, and provision is made for any bullocks not then fattened by shutting up six or eight weeks earlier a warm, sunny hill paddock where the bullocks will hold their condition or even improve until they can be disposed of. . Thus in the provision of forage crops and hay and as a fattening ground the flats are an invaluable adjunct to the run.

The hill paddocks are usually grazed by big mobs for a short time, with long periods of recovery, so that with the stock being kept on the move the pastures are clean and. fresh and growth is maintained.

Topdressing

Of the ' 3,800/acres of hill country, 600 acres of the more accessible paddocks have been topdressed with superphosphate. at the rate of 2cwt. to the acre. None of the hill country has been topdressed since 1940, because the small amount of fertiliser available has . been . applied to the flats or on cropping land. That the pastures unquestionably respond to phosphates is evidenced, by the sward in the topdressed paddocks compared with that of the non-topdressed.

Nearly all the flats have been well limed , and show a marked response to the, applications. ... . .-.

Grazing Management *

Messrs. Williams’s whole system of grazing ; management is aimed at successfully ■ combating their most serious problem eczema. .In certain seasons the : stud and breeding flocks suffered very heavy losses from this complaint. Some years ago officers of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research drew attention to two

methods which could be successfully employed to minimise the danger •of attack— use of (a) special perennial ryegrass-free pastures or fodder crops, and (b)' mature feed. It was decided to evolve a management practice whereby special crops, pastures, and mature feed would be available during January? February, and March, the most dangerous months. .

Grazing, practice may differ widely from year to year according to the seasonal conditions. The stocking of pastures is heavy or. light* according to the amount of growth. However, the common management practice is to endeavour to shut up part of the farm in the spring before growth ceases and hold it completely empty of stock until required.

When the property was first taken over it carried 7,500 sheep and 400 cattle. These numbers were maintained for three years to eat out and clean -up the pastures thoroughly. In 1909 the sheep were reduced to 6,500 ■. and the cattle increased to 800.- For many.years the normal stocking was 6,500 .sheep (400 breeding ewes) and 900 cattle (150 breeding cows), and it was the practice to buy and fatten cattle -rather than to breed extensively. In recent years this has become unprofitable and the breeding herd has been increased to 300. Cattle are bought for fattening only'when it is warranted by a surplus of feed.

' The ; present stocking figures are 6,000 sheep (3,800 breeding ewes) and I’ooo cattle (300 breeding cows). This balanced stocking undoubtedly benefits the pasture and results in a more economic fodder utilisation. The usual

management practice is to put big mobs of sheep and cattle on a paddock to eat it out rapidly and then allow it a long recovery period. It ' was found that this method had the following advantages:— - ■ 1. The .paddocks are kept cleaner; 2 Preferential grazing is minimised; 3. A greater concentration and a more even spread of stock excrement is obtained;

4. It assists in the aim to have some paddocks carrying mature feed; and 5. It' helps to radtice parasitic ■ infestation, since the life cycle of the internal parasite is interrupted when its host leaves the paddock. The carrying of 1 cattle beast to 4 acres has been of great , value in keeping the country clean, and . systematic grazing by cattle ■ and •a; lessening ■■ of close grazing by sheep has resulted in a well-balanced sward., ' ' . ; .

■ No set programme., of •. stocking is followed, and stock are used in numbers according to . the ■ size- and', condition of. the paddock it is wished 'to graze. This may entail, say, the . grazing of 10 sheep plus cattle to the acre for a week, or 5 to the' acre'for;two or three weeks. The'aim is.always,to eat out the paddock' ,as quickly as possible to ■ avoid damage to .. the better grasses or to the stock. Furthermore an attempt is made to vary , the . treatment of different paddocks from year to year, as it is never, possible to give every paddock a good spell in any one season. The actual stocking .is."at the rate (Winter) of 11 ewes .to the acre for most of' the country and lj for the best paddocks, together with

about; 1 grown < cattle beast to • 4 acres or one weaner -to. 3 acres, according to the amount of roughage -available. The hogget paddocks' are usually stocked at the.rate of about. 2| to the acre for the winter. Soil Erosion

Like a good number of hill-country station owners in the district, the Williams brothers have been faced with erosion . problems. . The marked reduction in sheep and the; increase in. cattle have greatly lessened the danger of the ;sward; opening up. The maintenance of a thick, dense pasture and the consequent check of all but normal surface . run-off have ’ been the aim. Several erosion problems., have been tackled 'by planting, making debris dams, etc., and many areas have either been completely stabilised or are under control. The remaining eroding areas are now being systematically controlled by plantings of willows and poplars. The trees have been planted in the form of a tripodthree saplings' being tied together about Ift. 6in. from the top. This method'gives greater. firmness and prevents stock barking the inside. surfaces.. Establishment- in this manner without : any other protection has proved very successful.

Supplementary Feed f . The . station is fortunate in having extensive alluvial flats which carry excellent pastures of ryegrass, white clover, Montgomery red clover, tim-

. othy, and prairie grass. An. area of lucerne is always grown and, whenever possible, one ,or more paddocks; are,shut■ up for. hay. - Every year 10 to 15 acres of rape are grown , for . fattening - the lambs which .do not come off fat from their mothers. Two paddocks sown with Pedigree white clover have been of considerable . value this season . for fattening stock. During , the war 12 acres of maize were; grown and , the produce, sold commercially. After being cropped with maize the land has been sown to permanent pasture.

Sheep Management . x This season 6,000 sheep are being carried; of which 3,800 are Romney breeding ewes. All big sheep are shorn before November 20 to avoid , seedy fleeces from bidi-bidi. : -The lambs are shorn between December 15- and December, 25, and it .is. always found that , part of the wool' is seedy. After shearing, . all sheep go;back; to the paddocks from where they were mustered.. All lambs are weaned . immediately after they , are shorn. The first cut of lambs is taken at the end of November and 60 to 70 per cent, go off their mothers to the works. ■: The balance is fattened on rape and clover. ■ ' • Dipping afid culling: In January all sheep are dipped; and culling commences; the breeding flock is culled down to 3,800, of which between. 900 and 1,000/are 2-tooths. The mixed-age.

ewes are culled for wool and the in-ferior-woolled sheep, usually about 500, are put to Southdown rams for fat lambs. The ewes culled for wool are specially marked and ■' are never allowed to return; to the breeding flock. It is the practice to allow all 2-tooths ' that have been retained for breeding to run with 2- and 4-tooth Romney rams for a season, after which they are again culled for wool and the culls specially marked. ■Tupping: Usually • the rams are ■ put in a small hill paddock, but for two or. three weeks before being put out they are flushed on a good flat - paddock and are specially fed on crushed oats and chaff. Before the rams go out the ewes are lightly crutched. The first rams, are put. out during the . first week in March, but,,. as it is usual for the majority .of ewes to come in season from about March 16 to March 20, only 1 ram to every 100 ewes is . run for the first.fortnight. The first rams , out, which are not the most virile, are then removed and selected rams put out at the . rate of 2 to 100 ewes. The rams remain with, ewes until the end of April, and right up until the last fortnight.' any . ram' showing the least sign of weakness ,is removed and replaced. During this period the reserve rams are still specially fed. Crutching: The main crutching is carried out in May, when all . the breeding ewes are crutched and the

2-tooths are flanked to facilitate ' suckling. Handling of In-lamb , Ewes: About July 20 breeding ewes are mustered, handled, and divided into three mobs —(a) Those well in lamb and likely to lamb early; (b) Those a little backward and likely to lamb later; and (c) Those probably empty. The ewes considered to be empty are. stocked up to . the rate of 2| to 3 sheep to the acre and the 'in-lamp ewes are kept .in their two classes and spread more thinly on the better pastures. Dividing the flock in this manner greatly assists lambing and docking. ■ ' Lambing: Lambing is very slow until about August 15 or -16,but the majority x of ewes usually, lamb, before the end of August, and there is generally a lull until mid-September, when the final lambing takes place. Docking and’ Marking: With this system of. lambing, docking is spread out and it is found that normal labour is sufficient. Portable docking . yards of hessian and hurdles. are used and it ;is always the practice to dock lambs back into their own paddocks. This lessens upset and risk of mismothering. Precautions against infection are taken by the use of antiseptics throughout the/entire docking process. During docking a careful check is made for dry ewes and these. are re- 1 moved. All lambs are marked. ' '

Drenching and Licks: In April and May lambs and hoggets are drenched, and stock lick is placed out in all' paddocks.

The selected breeding ewes are handled in big mobs after culling,'.with the exception of those in low condition or , suffering from foot-rot. Low-con-dition ewes are placed in good paddocks until, their condition improves, and those with foot-rot are. segregated and treated until cured. ■ The cull eWeS for sale are given the best available feed until fattened, and are disnncpri n f Hnri„ rt v i Lambs classed for sex and™?/ dition and'forward wethers are nut on Sp/?r'SvSrto? fintSir? mi? backward lambs of both qlv-Ic ■ The Xx d good mb paddoJk. sexes are f sheep; are disCth broken - m °uthed ewes, 2r°°? wethers, and most of. the wether am ? s b ®J ng fattened and sent to the works, Ihe.ewes are.then drafted into their winter paddocks at about 1J to the acre and remain there until they are mustered for lambing in . August, The flats are' not used-for lambing but in the autumn they are used for topping off > cattle that have been brought into-forward condition on the hills. When the -flatsi are closed to i the cattle they are stocked with hoggets at 7 or 8 to the acre, after provision ha " ben made for grazing for bulls and killers, and the growing of crons The hoggets' graze the small flat pad-’ docks in rotation and when the strong spring growth commences these

pastures are kept in order either with early-calving cows or dry cull cows for spring beef. _■ , ' . After docking, the hoggets go back to the hill country and the ewes with Southdown crossbred lambs are put on to the flats. During the winter the flats carry only dry sheep, the balance, which cannot be accommodated on the flats, being put on the hills. Nearly all Southdown crbssbred lambs go to the works. Of the Romney wether lambs, 400 or 500 : are usually left to be wintered; the balance of between 900 to 1,000 fatten either off their mothers or on rape or clover. . All old unsaleable ewes and 2-tooth wethers are fattened. No store or cull lambs are sold and no Romney ewe lambs are fattened for the export trade. In 1905 the average clip of the. big sheep (no’lamb woo!) ; was 741 b. With reduced ‘ stocking it had increased to 91b. in - 1912 and today varies between 9 and 9Jlb. according to the season. Cattle Management The cattle are a Shorthorn-Hereford cross-breed : and the station : runs 1,000 head., 300 of which are . breeding cows. The Shorthorn bull is used for. several seasons and: then the Hereford. Thus an evenly-balanced cross is maintained without: a dominance of either breed.

Culling: The breeding ‘cows are culled early in November and any./ bows over 9 years of age, together with any of bad conformation, are taken out for fattening. The bulls are put out in November and run with the .cows until March, .when they are returned to the flat pastures. . Calving; Calving usually commences in mid-August and . continues . until, mid-December. As calving - takes , place the calved cows are ' mustered and the .calves marked. The' cows with calves are placed on better pastures and the dry cows kept separate. Weaning: The calves are weaned in: April and it is always the practice to .put the calves into the paddock next ‘.to their mothers. It is found that both- ’ cows and calves fret les£ and the calves do not suffer to the same extent from the check. . " Dehorning: During autumn . all 18-month-old cattle are dehorned. . ' Fattening: Nearly all. bullocks are' sold fat as 3J-year-olds and no male cattle are ever sold as-stores (a small: lot was sold during the 1945 drought).; The aim is to breed sufficient numbers : to maintain a self-contained herd for normal seasons. . If the season is. one. of abnormal growth, cattlei are bought :■ and fattened. No attempt'is ever made to clean up country to a degree involving hardship to cattle. A certain

amount of roughage is preferred: as a standby for a . severe winter or a droughty summer. In a normal season the 3-J-year-old bullocks average 7501 b. freezing weight. The only cattle sold as stores are 10 to 15 per cent, of cull heifers. ” . It has always been the object of the Williams brothers to use their cattle to obtain the most economic utilisation of fodder. . The properties support the. following labour: 6 resident married men ’with families, including owners; 3 employees living off the station; - and 1 single man. Two of the . employees living off the station are semi-casuals. Ideally-situated Homesteads The two homesteads have tennis courts and are ideally situated?. in beautiful gardens of trees, shrubs,; and flowers. Both homes are supplied with adequate spring water, and everything is planned for the comfort of the owners and their families. , Acknowledgments < Thanks are expressed to the ? Soil Survey Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research for data in the soil map,' to the Lands and Survey Department for the drawing of maps, and to Messrs. C. H. and H. C. Williams for their co-operation.