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The arrogance of science By Clive Dalton I’m sick of the arrogance of science. Having been part of it in both UK and New Zealand, I realised years ago that there was no more closed mind, than that of the so-called “open-minded” scientist. Rocking boats was never good for a scientific career. Yet there has never … Read more
Cattle, farming, husbandry, feeding, feed budgeting, how to do a budget, managing a feed deficit and feed surplus. By Dr Clive Dalton Feed budgetsDoing a feed budget is the best way to see if you have enough feed for the stock on the farm. Here are some basic things you need to know before starting: … Read more
Dr Clive Dalton Albumin: The white of an egg made up of four different layers. Avian: Relating to birds. Bantam: Small type of laying fowl. Bantams Battery cages: Wire cages with sloping floors to hold laying birds from a single to multiples (usually four). Arranged in decks with provisions for feeding, watering, egg collection and … Read more
Sources of information from text books, research papers, technical leaflets & reports, sheep industry organisations‘ publications By Dr Clive Dalton Dalton, D. C. (1980).Introduction to practical animal breeding.Out of print. Photocopies of First edition available from Dr Clive Dalton, 12 Maple Avenue, Dinsdale, Hamilton 3204. Price $45 which includes GST and postage within New ZealandBlackwell Scientific … Read more
By Dr Clive Dalton and around they eyes, and sometimes along the back. Problem for 100 years For over a century now, Facial eczema (FE) has caused massive animal suffering and economic loss to New Zealand flocks and herds, and every year it still takes its toll. It’s a fungal disease of the autumn, thriving … Read more
By Dr Clive Dalton Launch ‘Wormwise’ was formed to come up with a ‘National Strategy’ to combat the rising resistance of internal parasites in sheep and cattle to the chemicals used in drenches to kill them. It’s launch in 2006 was sponsored by Meat & Wool NZ, the NZ Veterinary Association, the Ministry of Agriculture … Read more
By Clive Dalton From a report in “The Newcastle Journal”, August 19, 2000An impenetrably cryptic inscription appears on a stone at the side of the B6318 Military road from Carlisle to Newcastle, marking the spot where Stanley Dalton died. It reads “SD 11 Sep 1926” and conceals an extraordinary story of murder, and how a … Read more
Cattle, farming, husbandry, feeding, feeds available, pasture, silage, balage, hay, good and bad features of feeds, stocking rate, stock units By Dr Clive Dalton Pasture“Pasture” is what grows in a paddock, and if you mark out a square metre to make close inspection easier, you’ll see different species of grasses, some of good feed value … Read more
By Dr Clive Dalton Pregnancy scanningPregnancy scanning (at around NZ50c/ewe in New Zealand) has been a great innovation to help farmers improve the management of pregnant ewes. Scanners are now doing more small flocks if the opportunity arises between large flocks, more as a service than a money maker. The good thing is that after … Read more
By Dr Clive Dalton Well, which one are you going to buy? Will the store assistant know enough to help you? Beware of being told that ‘this one’s a good seller at the moment’! Or this one has the free jerkin’. Drenches on the market It is mind boggling to see the enormous range of … Read more
Dr Neil Clarke’s ideas on genetic multiplication MAFTech technical support at Hopuhopu quarantine station Visits to Hopuhopu Diseases – Ovine Johnes Disease (OJD) By Dr Clive Dalton Hopuhopu quarantine station – Dr Neil Clarke’s genetic ideas Dr Neil Clarke’s office and files Dr Neil Clarke told me about the endless internal reports he produced and … Read more
Don’t ever think you keep a cat! This section on Cat Behaviour and Welfare explains how your cat allows you the privilege of sharing its territory, in what you may think is your home environment. Cats were very smart and got themselves domesticated to take over humans around 130,000 years ago, on the promise of … Read more
By Dr Clive Dalton Staples of kid fleece, 26-30 microns Goat fibre Fibre development Mohair Mohair grading The broad grading divisions are: Mohair characteristics White is preferred but some natural colours such as this ‘bark’ is popular for handcrafting. Combed top 26-30 microns Cashmere Cashgora Goat hair
Farming, animal husbandry, goats, Angora, Mohair, feeding, nutrition, behaviour By Dr Clive Dalton FeedingFeeding behaviour Nutrition Feed intakeA goat doesn’t eat knowing its nutritional needs. Seeking out fibrous plants or salt may prove this statement wrong, but generally they are mainly interested in feeds that are palatable and to continue eating until they are satiated. … Read more
Photo credits: Copyright iSee Gateshead, a magnificent record of Northumbrian imagery and history, including this marvellous image of East Grange farm, coincidentally taken by one JP Dalton, the town surveyor in 1900; and the Station Bank below. Well done Gateshead Council! By Dr Deric Charlton You may well detect a funny accent when you read … Read more
By Clive Dalton Book of words and pictures by Phillip King, 1992. ISBN 0-473-01654-0 First snow emergency, Tuesday July 14, 1992 I was working for the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) in the MAF Quality Management division (called MAFQual), for the MAF Northern North Island region, which was cut off from the Southern North … Read more
Sheep, husbandry, lambing, how to measure performance, planning, making preparations, lambing percentage, scanning percentage By Dr Clive Dalton The wonder of birthLambing time is the busiest time in the sheep farming year. The wonder of birth never fades and it can compensate for some of the exhaustion and frustration regularly experienced by those responsible for lambing. … Read more
By Dr Clive Dalton IntroductionCattle have served mankind for around ten thousand years, and the ancient herders soon learned that if you treat them well, they’ll reward you with good production and profit. They’ll also stay healthy and provide you with great job satisfaction. Now believe it or not, recent research into the human/animal behaviour … Read more
Cattle, farming, husbandry, recording, identification, tags and tag placement, brands, tattoos, recording live weight By Dr Clive Dalton You cannot do any worthwhile breeding to improve herd performance unless all your animals have a unique identification. Apart from this, it’s now a legal requirement by the Animal Health Board (AHB) to have all your cattle … Read more
This a famous and much-loved poem and song of Northumbrian shepherds and country folk at functions such as Border Shepherds’ suppers and rural gatherings. It tells the story of the clostridial disease of sheep (mainly of young hoggs) called ‘braxy’, and what little could be done to prevent it in the days before vaccines. The … Read more