i8 



]our]ial of Ai^/n-Nl///rc. 



[lo Xov., 1909. 



The stock are well looked after by the dair\man, and have been fed 

 on silage. The silage (oats, peas, and beans) formed a balanced ration, 

 and during the period in which it was fed to the cows the butter fat in- 

 creased 1 1 lbs. per cow for the fortnight. When it was finished the cows 

 were then fed on maize silage, and the butter fat decreased i^ lbs. per 

 cow for the same period. The former gave such good re.sults that 17 

 acres of the same mixture have been sown this year, and should yield 

 80 tons, and be readv to feed to the cows at the latter end of December. 



The milk is weighed daily and tested once a month, and records kept. 

 For the vear the lowest test of the bulk milk was 4.2 in October, the 



INTERIOR OF MILKING SHED. 



average being 4.5. Amongst the herd are some very good Jersevs, and 

 during the year a pure Jersey bull of undoubted dairy quality was 

 bought. At the local show the Jerseys were awarded ist and 2nd prizes 

 in the aged cows, and ist and 2nd in the two-year class. Only a few 

 of the crossbred Holsteins have been milked, but they have done well. 

 The best one gave 50 1^ gallons of milk with a 4.2 test (average) for the 

 year. 



The cattle now on the property are as follow: — ■ 



Dairy cows ... ... ... ... yq 



Dairy heifers, 2 \ears old ... ... 27 



Heifer calves ... ... ... ... 8 



Bulls ... ... ... ... ... 4 



Commercial cattle ... ... ... 4 



Horses. — There are thirteen on the farm, including a fine eighteen- 

 months' old filly. They are all in splendid condition, and three of the 

 draught mares are due to foal this season. The horses are fed on chaff 

 grown on the colony, and their condition speaks for its quality. 



