Life Sciences Commons^™

W.A. Dairying : Progress In 42 Years, Maurice C. Cullity

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

From hardship and elementary standards, West Australian dairying has developed into a consolidated industry with larger herds, increased output and high quality production.

The changes he has seen are reviewed by Mr. M. Cullity who retired last month from the position of Chief of the Division of Dairying, after 42 years of service to the industry.

THE history of Western Australia's dairying industry has been a story of struggle against hardship, marketing problems and adverse criticism.

In spite of this the industry has steadily grown and greatly improved its efficiency.

Mastitis In Western Australian Dairy Cattle, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

IN 1964/65, as a first step towards a State-wide mastitis control programme, the Department of Agriculture undertook a survey of mastitis in West Australian dairy herds.

The survey was designed to obtain a clear picture of the incidence and severity of the disease and is the most comprehensive mastitis survey carried out in Australia.

Septic Manure Ponds At Lower Kalgan, R Sprivulis

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

BETTER pastures, increasing herd sizes and better quality cows are all contributing to increased production of skim milk and an expansion in pig and calf raising in the dairying areas.

Feeding Urea To Dairy Cows, R A. Bettenay

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

IT has been known for some years that the ruminant animal, through the agency of microflora in the rumen, has the ability to use urea as a source of nitrogen, and to convert some of this to protein.

Rules Of The Western Australian Pure Bred Dairy Cattle Production Recording Scheme, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

REVISION of these rules was necessary because of the amalgamation of the field work with that of Grade Herd Recording.

Adjustments have been made to facilitate more expeditious handling of records in the Department's Head Office.

Other minor changes have been made to bring the rules into line with present day practice.

Meadow Hay For The Dairy Herd, F E. Ryan

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

CONSERVATION is the basis of progress in dairy farming and the major form is meadow hay, but unfortunately relatively few dairy farmers give enough attention to the quality and quantity of this important feed.

Good Management For The Springers Pays Dividends, J Y. Langdon

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

This article gives a striking example of the advantages of calving cows in good and rising condition—and explains why condition around calving time is so important.

ALTHOUGH most farmers know that cows calving in good and improving condition will give higher yields than those calving in poor condition, few use this knowledge to improve the production from their cows.

Planning A Dairy Farm, A W. Hobbs

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE average dairy farmer makes improvements to his property as opportunity offers, working towards a goal he has formulated in his mind.

This gradual development may eventually lead to his desired layout.

Mastitis : Modified Teat Cups Give Better Back-Flushing, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Back-flushing of the teat cups has not brought the expected reduction in the spread of mastitis in some dairy herds.

Replacement of the conventional nut-and-tail nipple with a special flushing nipple, or use of a one-piece teat cup liner, will ensure that flushing is efficient.

Coccidiosis Of Calves, W A. Halhead

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Coccidiosis is one of the commonest causes of calf loss and debility on South-West dairy farms.

Treatment and control are simple once the nature of the disease is understood.

Milking Machine Efficiency And Shed Husbandry Practices, G R. Olney

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

MILKING machine efficiency on dairy farms in the Bridgetown, Greenbushes, Balingup, Boyup Brook and Nannup areas was the subject of a recent testing survey.

During the survey 106 machines were tested and the results assessed statistically to gauge the general level of machine efficiency in these districts.

Remarkable Success Of Bovine T.B. Eradication Campaign, J Shilkin

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Less than 20 years ago Perth dairy herds had the highest T.B. incidence of any Australian capital city and half of the Kalgoorlie cattle had the disease.

Why this was so and how the eradication campaign has reduced the incidence of less than 0.3 per cent, in 128,000 cattle is discussed in this article.

Calfhood Diseases. 1. Gastro-Intestinal Diseases, M R. Gardiner

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

CALFHOOD disease may be divided for convenience into three main categories:

• Those affecting the gastro-intestinal tract, including diseases of an infectious nature and those arising as a result of infestation by worms (parasitism).

• Those affecting the respiratory system, including lungworms.

• Those resulting from nutritional deficiencies, especially vitamins and minerals.

Dairy Farming In The Busselton-Margaret River District. Part 3. Fodder Conservation, R A. Bettenay

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

An analysis of fodder conservation indicates that farmers in the Busselton-Margaret River district are conserving less than half the amount of fodder considered desirable.—Third in a series reporting a survey of farm practices in the district.

Cow's Hoofs Need To Be Watched, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE need for thorough trimming of the hoofs of sheep for the control of foot rot is recognized, but few realize the need for trimming the hoofs of cattle.

Mastitis : Prevention And Control. 2. Principles Of Mastitis Control, F C. Wilkinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

MASTITIS is a major cause of financial loss in over half our dairy herds.

Losses result from treatment costs, milk discarded, permanent loss of milk production, culling, lowering of solids-not-fat content and loss of butter-fat production.

Mastitis CAN be controlled. This article outlines the basic principles of mastitis control in the milking shed.

Dairy Farming In The Busselton-Margaret River District. Part 2. Stocking Rate And Production, R A. Bettenay

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Survey results suggest that the production of butterfat per acre could be doubled on many farms in the Busselton-Margaret River district.—Second in a series of articles reporting a survey of farm practices on 100 farms in the district.

Mastitis : Its Prevention And Control. 1. The Udder In Health And Disease, F C. Wilkinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

This is the first of a series of four articles on mastitis which will appear in consecutive issues of the Journal of Agriculture.

This is an introductory article describing the cow's udder in health and disease.

Seed And Pasture Rates For New Dairy Pastures, F E. Ryan

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE success or failure of pasture establishment on new land often depends on the interaction of rate of seeding and rate of superphosphate application.

Every year large areas of virgin land are cleared and sown to pasture in the higher rainfall areas, and all-too often the new pasture is not as successful as it should be because too little super is applied, and, in some cases, too little seed.

Copper In West Australian Butter, D N. Tulloch

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A SURVEY was conducted throughout 1963 to determine the copper content of West Australian butter.

Samples were collected about three times monthly from each of the seven W.A. butter factories and examined in the Dairy Laboratory of the Department of Agriculture.

Recording Figures Are No Check On Factory Returns, R A. Bettenay

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

MANY dairy farmers who use Grade Herd Recording are in the habit of comparing their Grade Herd Recording results with returns obtained from a factory.

Where the two returns show some discrepancy the inference drawn always appears to be that whichever credits the herd with the lower return is at fault—either "the recorder is not doing the job properly" or "the factory is robbing the farmer of his just returns."

Dairy Farming In The Busselton-Margaret River District. Part 4. Pasture Production, R A. Bettenay

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

If deteriorated pasture and underdeveloped pasture in the Busselton-Margaret River district could be improved to the standard of the present highly productive pastures stocking rates could be improved by more than 50 per cent.—final article in a series reporting the results of a survey of farm practices in the district.

Mastitis : Prevention And Control. 4. The Mastitis Control Programme Continued, F C. Wilkinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

PREVIOUS articles in this series have described mastitis and the principles of mastitis control, and suggested how a control programme may be established.

This article outlines the routine measures which should be maintained for continuation of the programme.

Multi-Timer For Milking Studies, G W R Scott

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Recent research into milking machine operation has proved that the belief of old-time hand-milkers that fast milking was good milking was soundly based.

In current practice the emphasis is on convenient shed and yard design and systematic routine in handling the cows. This permits a high throughput of cows and a high output of milk per labour unit.

The multi-timer designed and built by Mr. G. W. R. Scott and described in this article will prove most valuable for pinpointing where time is lost.

Breeding Records For Dairy Cattle, P B. Lewis

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A N Y business needs records to show up inefficiencies and to indicate where and/or when danger points are being reached.

One record which can be of much use to the dairy farmer is the cow breeding record.

The Composition Of Milk : Notes On A Recent Survey Of Dairy Farms, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE report on the recent survey into milk composition carried out by officers of the Dairying Division of the Department of Agriculture will soon be available to all interested dairy farmers.

Lice On Cattle, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Lice can cause serious financial losses through reduced growth rates and loss of production in beef and dairy cattle.

This article describes the main species and recommended control measures.

Dairy Farming In The Busselton-Margaret River District. Part 1. Stage Of Development, R A. Bettenay

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

This article is the first of four in a series reporting a survey of farming practices in the Busselton-Margaret River area.

Besides the development of farms the series will cover farm stocking rates and milk production on farms in the area.

THE survey of farms in the Busselton-Margaret River district began at the end of the 1962 season.

Information on the stage of development of the properties was obtained from 94 farmers during advisory visits.

Grade Herd Recording, 1963-64, Maurice C. Cullity

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A review of Grade Herd Recording during the 1963-64 season.

THERE was a substantial increase in the number of cows which were recorded in 1963-64 compared with 1962-63 (23,520 and 22,635 respectively).

This season's figure represents 20.4 per cent, of all cows in the dairying districts.

The number of cows which completed lactation and therefore whose yields were included in the averages, rose from 17,258 to 19,011.

Variations In Cream Tests, J F. Brennan

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

DURING the year dairy farmers are often concerned about variations in the butterfat test of cream they supply to the butter factory.

Why do these tests vary? Is the variation the fault of the farmer or the butter factory?