SMALLER PADDOCKS

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 121, 24 June 1930, Page 5

SMALLER PADDOCKS

A NEED ON MANY HAWKE'S BAY FARMS. VALUE OF ROTATIONAL GRAZING ILLUSTRATED IN PRESENT SEASON. It takes a season sueh as that which is being experienced at pi'esent in Hawke's Bay to drive home tbe truth oi many of tlie tlxeories expoxxnded by experts. For a xong time oliicers of tbe Department of Agriculture have been exhorting farmers in Hawke's Bay and elsewhei'e to go in more for sub-division on their properties, giving them a better chance to cax-ry out rctational grazing. This season lias, 1 think, proved the value of their contentions very fully. Those farmers wbo ran fences through some of their larger paddocks a-c. in a mucli better position tlian those who have not so far gone in for suh-division, since they can keep the stock on the move and give their grassland a ' chance to pull togetlier, while always keeping a small resevve of feed for the time when it will have the besfc effect on the stock. Tn these days of snialler returns, the question of cost has to be seriously considered and l'encing is faii-ly expersive noxvadays, but 1 feel sure t'bat tbo results obtaincd would make the fc-neing xvell worth while. At all times pnsture management and the cultivatiou of a good strong sole of grass is tlie more easily undertaken wlien the paddock involved can be lield clear of stoek for a given periodOne can see numbers of flatland paddocks in this immediate distriet which could stand xnore sub-divisiou. but farming, like every otlier business 011terprise, js a question oi return for outlay and it is for tlie tarmer to decide wbetlier the increased benefits wliieh h- "vvill €xperienee irom sub-division will justify the outlay in fencing wire and posts.