SEASONAL WORK ON THE FARM September to December

Feeding the Milking Herd Autumn-saved pasture is a valuable milk producing fodder and for best results should be rationed to the herd by use of the electric fence until the spring feed comes away and hardens up. Unless sufficient reserves of this pasture are available for full feeding, the remainder of the feed should be made up with silage and a balance of hay. When Autumn-saved pasture is finished, the herd should be rotated round the farm. Paddocks should be small enough to maintain between twenty and thirty cows per acre where pastures are of a good standard. The electric fence should be used to subdivide larger paddocks. Cows should not be kept more than one or two days in a paddock and, if necessary, cleaning up can be done with dry stock. The paddocks should be lightly harrowed to spread droppings, and left to freshen up for the next grazing.

Mating Every effort should be made to see that the herd calves down as uniformly as possible. In most areas the end of September should see most herds in full milk. Cows should be handmated, and a careful record kept of the mating dates and the particular bull used. Watch should be kept for cows returning to the bull, and if from the records it is obvious that one of the bulls is faulty, he should be immediately replaced. If it is necessary to purchase another bull, a young bull with a good butter-fat backing should be sought. Avoid saleyard purchases wherever possible.

Care of Livestock A careful watch must be kept for milk fever and grass staggers after calving. Some cows are prone to milk fever and treatment must be given immediately, as with grass staggers. Sudden variation in feed supply should be avoided as this can readily cause grass staggers. In areas where veterinary assistance is not readily available, equipment should be bought so that injection can be given promptly by the farmer himself. The method is simple, and every farmer should be familiar with it.

Bloat In many areas bloat causes continuous worry with the flush of spring feed. Heavy clover pastures are the most dangerous, particularly at night and in the mornings when the dew is on the feed. Access to hay before entering bloat-producing pastures, and break feeding with electric fences, are practices which will assist considerably in reducing bloat danger. Don't keep cows in races or restrict grazing: use commonsense when handling the herd. Remember that ‘stabbing’ a cow must be a last resort as this treatment often ruins their future producing ability.

Mastitis Supplies of penicillin should be kept close at hand at all times, particularly in the spring period. Milk from each quarter should be examined before applying the cup. Any abnormality should be treated without delay, three tubes of penicillin cerate being used at 24-hour intervals.

Rearing and Feeding of Pigs Farrowed sows should receive a daily ration of 4 gals of milk, plus ⅔rds gal for each pig suckled. Newly weaned pigs should not be overfed—1 ½ to 2 gals per day in three feeds is adequate for the first fortnight. After this two feeds per day gradually increasing the milk to 2 ½ gals at the end of the month.

Silage Maring Normally paddocks should not be closed for silage until a surplus of pasture becomes apparent through pasture becomes apparent through pasture becoming on the long side for efficient grazing. The main object should be to keep the pastures in a leafy stage for grazing, and to close sufficient fields to achieve this. Fields are closed from September onwards, depending on the climate, and cutting begins from mid October. Cutting should begin as soon as there is sufficient bulk to handle and before the main grasses reach the flowering stage. This will enable fields to recover more quickly and minimise the smothering effect on clovers.