626 Journal 0] Agriculture. [10 Oct., 1910. 



DAIRYING IN THE SHIRE OF GLENELG. 



Report on First Inspection of Dairies and Dairy Farms. 



P. B. OKcefe, Dairy Supervisor. 



The Shire of Glenelg embraces an area of 1.456 .square miles or 

 941,840 acres. About 155,000 acres, say, one-sixth, is admirably adapted 

 to dairy farming, being ricli undulating country with a good depth of 

 daik-grey p.nd black soil over, for the most part, a yellow clay subsoil 

 not too close in texture. Of the latter area about 40,000 acres are occu- 

 pied by some 280 dairy farmers owning 2,800 dairy cows. The cultivated 

 area on these farms totals 5,741 acres, as follows : — 



acres. 



Rape ... ... 42 



Peas ... ... 14 



Millet ... ... 6 



Carrots ... ... 2 



Mangolds ... ... 2 



Pumpkins ... ... i 



Practically all tlie produce off the cultivated area is sold, rather than 

 fed to the dairy herds. This I consider is largely responsible for the 

 very low average return per head, viz., ^6. With the knowledge that 

 .some farmeis in this Shire obtain as much as ;^io los. per head from 

 cream alone, without any special care of the stock, I am safe in stating 

 that on any of these farms, with judicious culling, intelligent feeding and 

 satisfactory housing the latter result could be achieved. 



In bright contrast with tlie neglect to supply a sufficiency of suitable 

 fodder during the lean months of the year, is tlie trouble and expense 

 to which most farmers have gone in providing a clean and abundant water 

 supply ; springs and dams have been fenced in, to prevent stock wading 

 into and fouling them with their droppings, wells have been sunk with 

 windmills and troughs with ball taps attached. In this aspect, however, 

 one matter of some importance has been neglected ; that is, easy accessi- 

 bility of the water to the stock — in many cases the herd travels a con- 

 siderable distance to and from the water. 



The pastures generally are laid down in rye grass ; a small amount 

 of cocksfoot was also noticeable. Clovers, however, with the exception 

 of some which have been introduced accidentally, are conspicuous by their 

 absence. It is a matter of regret that two varieties in particular, viz.. 

 Strawberry and Bird's-foot, are absent from the very Avet river flats. The 

 former is especially valuable on such land where it would grow luxuriantly 

 and thus increase its carrying capacity, and general fertility. 



The growing of fodder for the lean months of winter and summer 

 is carried out on a very small scale. For the former season, rye, Cape 

 barley and oats are the chief crops grown. In some cases the lastnamed 

 is sown early and grazed a couple of times during the winter months, 

 then c'osed up in early spring and allowed to mature for hay. The pre- 

 vailing idea among farmers is that this is an economical way of feeding 

 the greenstuff to the herd. Altliough this system may be satisfactory on 

 suitable land in a reasonably dry sea,son, the saving of labour is more 

 than counterbalanced by the injurious effects as the puddling bv the cows 

 tends to make the land sticky, waterlogged, rough for harvesting opera- 

 tions, and exceedingly difficult to plough the following sea.son. 



On some farms oaten hay chaff is fed to the herd during winter but, 

 although this is a step in the right direction much more requires to be 



