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Pugging ruins soil structure

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The worst possible thing you can do to your pastures when the ground is saturated is to allow stock to pug them. This is a major concern during winter in most parts of New Zealand with its light volcanic soils and heavy rainfall. In the past, although farmers never liked pugging their paddocks, they always believed … Read more

Animal behaviour and welfare: Cattle Part 5

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CATTLE BEHAVIOUR BASICS: PART 5 Baulking: Milking: Cow hates: Social dominance: Training heifers: Milking plant faults: Cattle welfare problemsBy Dr Clive Dalton BaulkingThis is a major problem in handling cattle in yards, when they stop or baulk and it breaks the flow, wastes time and the stock usually have to be pushed or goaded to … Read more

Northumbrian Farming Glossary

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NY Times reports Professor Harold Orton Cataloguing English Dialects One of the most important considerations of the Northumbrian dialect to emerge in the 20th century was Harold Orton’s study in the 1950s, when Northumberland was included in his national “Survey of English Dialects” (SED). Clive Dalton reports a crossing of paths when they both taught … Read more

HB Carter & The Merino

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H.B.Carter- a personal memoir of the Australian Merino Australian sheep & wool research 1932-1954 The Australian sheep and wool industry was started by the early pioneers, long before there were government or university scientists interested in what went on in the outback, or the realisation that science could help farmers make more money from wool … Read more

Cattle farm husbandry – cattle health

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Cattle, farming, husbandry, signs of wellness, signs of sickness, physical examination, temperature, heart rate, respiration, hydration status, pain. By Dr Clive Dalton & Dr Marjorie Orr This chapter may put you off keeping cattle altogether, but don’t panic, as hopefully you’ll never see most of these diseases. It’s very much a selected list of diseases … Read more

Sheep Farm Husbandry – Genetic principles in sheep

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Sheep, husbandry, breeding, genetics, principles applied to sheep, normal distribution, genetics & environment, phenotype & genotype, genetic gain, heritability, selection differential, generation interval, genetic correlations, environmental correlations, performance recording, eye appraisal. By Dr Clive Dalton The normal distribution• This is what you are really dealing with every day.• Realise that you cannot have all top … Read more

NZ Sheep Research N-Z

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What is included in this bibliography? I have listed all papers and articles from New Zealand publications referring to ‘sheep’, and then all papers in other journals that reported research on ‘New Zealand sheep’, with Authors surnamed N-Z.  Against each reference I have given it a classification. Classification    1. General production & history   2. … Read more

Farming in the North Pennine Dales

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Eric Wilson – Profile George Eric Wilson was born in Barnard Castle in County Durham in England in 1921. He went to the local school and on leaving at age 14, he went to work at Gainford as an apprentice joiner. In 1940 he volunteered for the Royal Air Force and spent most of the … Read more

Sheep Farm Husbandry – Euthanasia (Slaughter)

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How to euthanise sheep, slaughter without pain, methods, correct shooting, throat cutting, blow to head, operator safety By Dr Clive Dalton If you have to euthanise (kill) a sheep of any age in New Zealand, it’s important to study the MAF Code of Animal Welfare No. 19 on “Emergency slaughter of farm livestock” because the … Read more

NZ Sheep Research A-M

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Part 1 of NZ Sheep Research Bibliography 1932-1976 listing Authors A-M When Dr Clive Dalton was a ‘Scientific Liaison Officer’ at the Ruakura Research Centre, he thought he’d go through all the journals and books on the shelves in the extensive library, as well as all the other publications from Ruakura, Massey and Lincoln Colleges. … Read more

First job – mowing grass

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Farming in the North Pennine DalesBy Eric Wilson It started to look as if t’ grass was going to grow despite the severe winter of 1947, and against dire predictions against such a possibility. The record snows had arrived late that year to catch everyone out. Once a Dale’s farmer is absolutely sure that “grass … Read more

Haymaking tools – Strewers, Turners and Rakes

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Farming in the North Pennine DalesBy Eric Wilson In a bad season – weatherwise that is, the “good hay” previously mentioned came at a premium in the Dales. Farmers faced long hard hours of labour tossing the stuff about, hoping the black clouds were heading away from the hay field and that the dew would … Read more

Angora (Mohair) Goat Basics: Euthanasia

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Agriculture, farming, husbandry, goats, Angora, Mohair, euthanasia, slaughter By Dr Clive Dalton EuthanasiaIf you have to euthanase a goat of any age, it’s important to study the Code of Animal Welfare No. 19 on “the emergency slaughter of farm livestock”, because the process can be very dangerous for the operator, and you may end up being prosecuted … Read more

Robert Allen: Spuggies

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THE ‘SPUGGIE‘ Passer domesticus – SpuggieThe “Spuggie” is the Geordie and Northumbrian name for the “House Sparrow” (Passer domesticus). Its name is part of the famous Geordie tongue twister -“Thors a spuggie stuck in the sckeul spoot). They were a mightly pest on farms descending on standing and laid corn crops, and devouring newly sown grass seed. … Read more

Hay collecting & handling

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Farming in the North Pennine DalesBy Eric Wilson Following the horse-drawn gate sweeps and the pike bogey, the tractor mounted hay sweep had it’s turn in the scheme of things. This was a frame with a number of long wooden tines made of ash – some up to 10 feet long and the sharp end … Read more

Robert Allen: The Corbie Crow

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Oot ower the fell, he’s eyes aglint.Aye scroongin’ owt below,Yon crafty ridor o’ the wind,Theor flees the corbie crow. A blackie’s eye hes fancy feed,A pickle blood he’s dram,He spies hes belly’s orgent need.A werm-dopt kebbit lamb. The splodges on yon tufty knoweErl bloo an’ kerl noo showJust hoo the sorra o’ the yoweWes suppor … Read more

Agricultural communication: Stimulating agriculture – Lessons from Asia and the Pacific

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Background to paperBy Dr D.C. Dalton Geoff Moss wrote this paper 20 years ago, and the world financial meltdown, and the misguided drive to grow crops for engines and not mouths has again brought the problem into sharp focus. Geoff’s wisdom, agricultural experience and common sense on this massive topic is worth another airing, as it … Read more