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Don't Neglect Those Dry Cows, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

WHEN a dairy cow becomes pregnant she is normally milking and has some months to go before being dried off.

It is usual at this stage for dairy farmers to provide the best feed available.

Keep Your Pigs Cool, P C. Beck

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

CORRECT MANAGEMENT and husbandry of pigs during the hot summer experienced in Western Australia is of the utmost importance if production is to be maintained at a profitable level.

Muresk Agricultural College, W Southern

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

M URESK Agricultural College was established by the West Australian Government in 1926, on one of the earliest settled properties in the Northam district.

Weaner Feeding Practices Need Review, W L. Mcgarry, R. J. Lightfoot

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

Many fanners feed large amounts of grain to their weaners over summer and autumn, in the belief that this is necessary for high lifetime production.

The economics of this are open to doubt; in fact, the results of a recent experiment at Wongan Hills Research Station suggested that weaner feeding practices need review.

Minerals For Livestock : Shotgun Licks : A Waste Of Money, Laurence C. Snook

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

Think carefully before buying proprietary "shotgun" licks, warns Animal Nutrition Officer Dr. L C. Snook in this article.

Many of these licks contain a variety of minerals not needed by stock in Western Australia, and misleading claims are sometimes made as to their value.

Dr. Snook concludes that only three minerals are needed in this State, and gives a recipe for a cheap all-purpose lick containing them.

New Danger From Hoary Cress, G R W Meadly, R. D. Royce

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

HOARY CRESS is undoubtedly one of the worst weeds introduced into Australia. It is a vigorous deep rooted perennial which competes strongly with crop plants and seriously decreases yields.

The importance of three recent discoveries of this weed in Western Australia therefore need hardly be stressed.

G. R. W. Meadly, Offlcer-in-Charge of the Weeds and Seeds Branch, and R. D. Royce, Offlcer-in- Charge of the Botany Branch, report on two recently found infestations of hoary cross in the Great Southern, and one at Jerramongup.

An intensive eradication programme is under way.

Stinkwort : A Troublesome Summer Weed, G R W Meadly

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

ONE of the commonest weeds in Western Australia is stinkwort, a vigorous plant which can be a nuisance in many parts of the State during late summer.

Chemical Poisoning In Animals. 4. Phosphorus, H D. Seddon

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

WHITE OR YELLOW PHOSPHORUS was at one time widely used in poison baits for crows, rats, foxes and rabbits.

Although it has now been largely replaced, it is still an important cause of accidental death by poisoning.

Oat Variety Trials On Research Stations, J L. Mcmullan, J. T. Reeves

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

THE oat variety trials on whose results the Department of Agriculture's recommendations are based are carried out each year on research stations in the medium and low rainfall areas.

Results of oat variety trials on Department of Agriculture Research Stations in the medium and low rainfall areas for the years 1957,1958,1959 and 1960

Fourth West Australian Random Sample Egg Laying Test : 1960-1961, P Smetana, F. A. E. Hunt

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

TO help improve the quality of laying stock for poultry farmers in Western Australia the Poultry Branch of the Department of Agriculture conducts annual random sample egg laying tests.

The tests reveal good and bad points in the laying strains available, and their results are a valuable guide to breeders.

Most of the chickens sold in Western Australia are now bred by hatcherymen who participate in the Random Sample Tests.

Tests For The Determination Of Milk Quality, H Maslin

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

Foolproof tests devised to determine the quality of milk delivered to the factories can detect sub-standard milk with accuracy.

They have an important place in helping achieve a high standard of quality in our dairy products.

Rearing Orphan Lambs, Laurence C. Snook

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

Orphan lambs are easy to rear if a few basic principles are understood.

Chronic Respiratory Disease Of Poultry In Western Australia, M R. Gardiner, R. V. Vagg

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

Widespread chronic respiratory disease was revealed in a survey of respiratory infections in Perth metropolitan area poultry flocks.

Most occur in early or midsummer and cause a serious fall in egg production. Return to full lay after the infection is usually slow.

While these infections can cause production losses in flocks which are under heavy stress, none of the more serious forms of chronic respiratory disease was found.

This gives encouragement for future control of the disease in Western Australia.

Chick Management, D F. Hessels

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

A UGUST is the month when most poultry farmers get their chickens. Special attention will be needed in the coming weeks, with nutrition and disease prevention the main considerations.

Skim Milk : The Cheapest Pig Feed, P C. Beck

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

BUTTERFAT production has started on most South-West dairy farms, and although pig prices are not high at present, many dairy farmers have either purchased young stock or bred pigs to utilise their surplus skim milk.

Skim milk is the best feed for pigs on the dairy farm. Properly used in conjunction with other feeds it produces high quality carcasses at minimum cost.

Cull Your Dairy Cows On Production, R A. Bettenay

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

Good production and breeding records are essential to allow effective culling of dairy cows, says Busselton Agricultural Adviser R. A. Bettenay, B.Sc. (Agric.) in this article, in which he outlines points to take into account when culling the herd.

Fifth West Australian Random Sample Egg Laying Test : 1961-1962 : Progressive Laying Report To April 29, 1962, P Smetana, F. A. E. Hunt

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

FIFTH RANDOM SAMPLE LAYING TEST, 1961-62 Progressive Report to April 29th, 1962 (18 Weeks)

Water For Agriculture. 3. Watering Plants With Salty Water, Stanley Thomas Smith

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

In Western Australia it is often necessary to use saline water for irrigation and gardening because of the lack of better water.

Two factors influence the results achieved. One is the selection of suitable plants, the other is the way in which the water is used.

Rearing Healthy Calves, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

NOW is the time to consider some form of grazing management and supplementary feeding for early born calves, especially in the butterfat zone.

The calves are now two to three months old and beginning to forage for themselves, This can be a critical period in their development.

Lambs Need Drenching At Weaning, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

RECENT losses among young lambs due to heavy infestations of black scour worm (Trichostrongylus species) have indicated that this year the problem of worms in weaners may be more troublesome than usual.

Stress Factors In Pig Raising, P C. Beck

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

THE pig raiser who wishes to attain the best possible growth performance from his pigs must recognise factors other than the basic ones of good nutrition and bredin capacity.

These are "stress factors"—minor factors of husbandry which can greatly damage health and limit the growth rate.

Downy Mildew Of Wheat, S C. Chambers

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

DOWNY MILDEW is caused by the fungus Sclerospora macrospora Sacc. and is almost solely confined to waterlogged areas in paddocks of heavy soil types.

Generally, the disease is most evident in crab-hole gimlet country.

A Modified Copper Hot Water System, F J. Fielder

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

A good supply of hot and boiling water for cleansing and sterilising utensils is essential for hygienic milk production.

Dairy Instructor F. Fielder, M.D.D., describes an efficient and economical modification of a copper hot water system for this purpose.

SINGLE copper units of 14 or 16 gallon capacity to supply hot and boiling water for the dairy are no longer good enough for most dairy farms.

Control Of Lice On Cattle, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE external parasites, biting and sucking lice (particularly of calves) are the cause of much unthriftiness.

Pullorum Tested Poultry Flocks : 1962, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THIS year's pullorum tests of poultry flocks have revealed the lowest incidence of reactors since the tests began.

Results are recorded below.

Meadow Hay, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

rriHE nutritive value of pasture is high in early spring and remains so until early flowering.

After this the protein content falls rapidly, the fibre content rises and the plants become more lignifled and their digestibility reduced.

An Unusual Tick Fever Outbreak, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

EARLY in the summer of 1961 there was a series of unusual tick fever outbreaks on several poultry farms in the metropolitan area.

These outbreaks were unusual because no apparent vector (disease carrier) could be found.

Mesquite (Prosopis Juliflora D.C.), G R W Meadly

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

A TREE grown for shade and ornamental purposes and bearing nutritious pods would appear to be welcome anywhere.

This description applies to Mesquite; however it has certain undesirable characteristics which usually outweigh the advantages and pose a major agricultural problem.

That, in fact, is the position in Western Australia.

Check Your Milking Machine, T Pavy

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

MILKING machine efficiency testing carried out by officers of the Department of Agriculture's Dairying Division have shown that many machines are not up to standard.

One reason for this is that farmers do not check their machines regularly.

Mulesing And Tailstripping : For The Prevention Of Fly-Strike, W L. Mcgarry

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

MULESING and tailstripping are basic to fly strike control.

During emergencies and bad fly waves they may need to be supplemented by temporary protective measures such as jetting and crutching.