WEANING TIME

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10306, 15 January 1927, Page 3

WEANING TIME

NEED' FOR CARE. FEED BETTER THAN DRUGS. Weaning, culling, and dipping are three important operations which should engage the. attention of all sheepmen within the next two oi three weeks. That is, if they have not already completed this part oi the season’s work. Dipping needs little expert knowledge, for provided the fluid is mixed to the right strength according to the directions of the makers, and the sheep are given an adequate soaking, then only the usual care will h“ required to make the operation successful.

Correct culling is, of course, practically the keynote to successful flock improvement. This question has been dealt with by “Settler’’ in a previous article. To many, weaning is a necessary evil. An operation connected with considerable trouble and annoyance, especially where fences arc not in the best of order and the hoggets can get back to" the ewes. Few fully realise, however, the important bearing adequate care and attention for the first month or two after weaning has on the future development. of the hogget. It_ is the treatment then, however, which often decides whether the hogget will weather the storms ol winter. Weaning should not he postponed further' than the end of the present month, for it must be remembered that apart from the lamb, the farmer has the ewe to consider. The animal which has carried a lamb through a season should he given a spell before Doing asked to go through another winter to the next lambing season. Such a proceedure is only to he expected if tho constitution of the lloc-k is to be maintained, lor even sheep will not give the host of returns if not allowed periods of recuperation from lamb hearing and rearing. Considerable attention is given today to the administration of drugs and medicines to the newly weaned hoggets. While not wishing to depreciate the value of many wellknown proprietary lines at present on the market, the writer is firmly of the opinion that if more attention was given to pasture management and the shifting of stock, there would he a great deal less need for the administration ot medicines. This assertion can he borne out by the fact that on many’of the larger coast stations a lew years ago dosing lambs was never included m the schedule of seasbnal operations. The cull hoggets .were well dagged and kept on sweet clean teed. Winter losses were seldom excessive, certainly no, more in proportion than among the host doctored flocks of the j farmer who to-day would not allow a j season pass without dosing his hog- j gets at least* once or twice as a pre- j caution against worms and other dis- ) eases. . I

Admittedly, with periods of drought and the spread of native grass at the expense of the English pastures, conditions are not tlie same to-day, hut, as it is with human beings, so it is with sheen. The huh' of diseases arise from the stomach or, at least, from what goes into it. If the stock, both owes and hoggets, hut especially weak hoggets, are kept as much as possible on sweet clean pastures, then risk of infection from disease will he reduced to a minimum. It may involve more trouble, hut surely it is hotter to move the stock around more and spell pastures when possible rather than dope lambs with medicine which, while it may case the present trouble, will not improve their constitution or condition.

BRITAIN'S BIGGEST Y 1 ELDERS. ON THREE YEARS’ AGGREGATE. SHORTHORNS. in tlie official list of dairy cowg in England and Wales, with certificates of merit awarded for a period of three years’ productivity, some extraordinary figures are to be seen. For instance, a Shorthorn outpoints Friesian .by 12,1161 b of milk, produced in the period mentioned. Their respective yields were as below:— Shorthorn. Friesian. 17,365 14,9934 21,095.1 16.915.', 20.402 V 14,8034

Total 58,863 46,747 Of course, there are the outsanding examples of each breed. Certificates of merit have been awarded to 23 Friesian cows that have beaten a three years’ aggregate of 28,3901 b. Some 32 Guernsey cows have obtained certificates for producing yields ranging from 35,13331 b down to 24,3231 b. Three of them heat the 31,000 lb mark.' Four Jerseys passed tlie 30,5001 b mark, and one white Park cow, Faygate Garter, bred by' Sir Claud Alexander, but now owned by Mr. A. H. L. Bohrinann', produced 31,88141 b. All the Red Polls that were given certificates passed tlie 26,8001 b mark. The one Shorthorn cow that produced 58,8631 b had as next best in her breed another yielding 47,31341 b; two which gave over 38,4001 b; three that yielded more than 37,0001 b, and four that gave over 36,u001b, while no fewer than 99 cows of the Shorthorn breed produced from 35,85011) down to 26,065411), also obtaining certificates. There will he rejoicings in Bangor to know that a Welsh black cow has produced 29,73641 bin three years. A South Devon cow yielded nearly 31,0001 bin the three years. A South Devon cow yielded nearly 31,0001 b in the three years. Best performers in each breed are: Blue Albjon, 30,6725 lb; Devon, 27,42741 b; Friesians, 46,7471 b, 46,7131 b and 38,69141 b; Guernseys, 35,13351 b and 31,84941 b; Jerseys, 32,1091 b and 32,07941 b; Lincoln Red Shorthorn,' 28,4741 b ; Park cow, 31,88141 b; Red Polls, 31,614Ub, 31,44141 b, and 31,39751 b ; Dairy Shorthorns, 58,8631 b, 47,31341 b, 38,87731 b, and 38,43531 h; South Devon, 30,935 lb; Welsh black, 28,73611 b.

THE SHORTHORN’S PART. Volume No. 9 of tho “Government’s Register of Dairy Cows” contains the records of 7500 of the highest yielding cows of the country, and 4896, or over 65 per cent., are Shorthorns. The remaining less than 35 per cent, comprises cows of eighteen other breeds, and no other individual breed has • a larger proportion of the total than 12 per cent. Three Shorthorns gave over 20,0001 b, 57. gave between. 15,0001 b and 20,0001 b, 61 gave between 14,0001 h and 15,0001 b, 130 gave between 13,0001 b and 14,0001 b, and 302 gave between 12,0001 b and 13,0001 b.