NOTES FOR GRAZIER AND DEALER.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8589, 16 September 1893, Page 4

NOTES FOR GRAZIER AND DEALER.

+, (Bx Straggler.)

I have received the following letters :— September 6th, 1593. -Dear Straggler,—The disease in his breeding ewes your correspondent, H. F. Grey, writes about is "parturient fever," which ewes carrying twin lambs during the last twenty days gestation are liable to contract unless they can get sufficient nourishment to support themselves and their lambs during this critical time. When feed has been very scarce daring former years I have lost as many as seventy or eighty ewes in a year during the period above referred to, out of a flock of 2000 breeding ewes. The only remedy against further loss is to act at once, as soon a 9 the first case is noticed, shift, if possible, into alittlebetter feed, as a rule the cause is lack of .sufficiently nutritious food. Old frosted and dried up grasses do not contain this necessary nutriment, particularly cocksfoot, which about lambing time will be found more like snuff when rubbed in one's hands than food likely to impart any strength or vigour to a ewe carrying twins. It is possible to err on the other side, for instance if you put the flock on rank green food, during the last fortnight, the danger is even as great or greater than from the former scanty allowance, of loss from the aforesaid fever, &c. I have never found it possible to cure in any stage, the only chance consists in the ewe getting rid of her lambs, —Yours, &c, Na-Take.

Quality of Wool and Mutton. Sir, —In the August issue of the Ausralian Pastoralists' Review, p. 295, appears a very interesting series of tables compiled by Mr Bruce, and setting forth the comparative excellence of various breeds of sheep in different points. The tables are of additional interest, inasmuch as they have been dealt with and in several places altered by Messrs H. Overton, Menlove and Threlkeld. Taking 20 as the maximum for quality of fleece, all these gentlemen agree in awarding Lincolns 18, Shropshlres 12, and Southdowns 11. On page 280 of the -Review appear other very exhaustive tables taken from results of sales, which show that the Down wool invariably realises more than Lincoln, and this is in entire accord with our local experience. I shall be glad therefore if one of the gentlemen concerned wili explain the difference between quality and value; if these are not identical the latter is the more important consideration; in any case, if a pound of Down wool is worth more than a pound of Lincoln, I fail to see why on any ground's it should be rated at very much less. If, on the other hand, value and quality are totally distinct, I hold that value, the more important consideration, should have occupied a place in the tables to the exclusion of quality. Coming to weight of fleece Romneys are awarded 17 and Shropshire 14. But the other tables show that a Romney of thirty-nine months will have clipped 271b and a Shropshire 26Mb. the Shropshire yonng sheep beating the Romneys. As for mutton, Mr Bruce allows 7 for quality and awards this number to Shropshires and Southdowns, but his critics award full marks to no breed of sheep and place a pure bred Lincoln or Romney on an equality with Shropshires and Southdowns at six. Surely there is one sheep which provides perfect mutton, if not what is mutton ? Beginner.

These are the figures referred to by my correspondent:—

Note.—The first figures of the points allowed are those of Mr Bruce ; the second represent the ideas of Mr Henry Overton, and two other experienced New Zealand breeders. Christchurch, September 9. y Sir, —In reading over your notes in yours of sth inst, I noticed Mr H. F. Gray writing over the mortality among ewes in lamb, and you will pardon my taking up your space as, though well known not to have been directly amongst sheep much, still I have travelled a great deal amongst squatters and farmers and had their experience, so will be excused, no doubt, on this account. Well, I remember many years ago, mortality was very prevalent in a district south, at the same period as now, but a friend of mine in a larger way escaped almost altogether, and in the course of conversation, he told mc he had found out that to keep his ewes. too. long on turnips and then put them on fresh soft grass, it caused too much water and practically drowned the lambs. He then adopted the plan of giving them chaff, oaten sheaf, in the grass paddocks, and also when amongst the turnips for from five to six weeks before lambing, when the mortality was reduced to a mere bagatelle. Yours faitbf ally, Samuel Obb.

Sir,—Mr Birch in saying that Down and Longwool mutton command the same price in Hawke's Bay has omitted to state that that district Is not suited to Downs. This is widely recognised, and, indeed, Shropshire rams sent down by Mr Birch to our last Ram Fair realised prices which appear to bear out this contention, as they did not compare at all favourably with local ones. Mr Waymouth was writing about Mr Garforth's Southdowns and Mr Grigg's Shropshires among others. In fact about the perfect sheep. Yours faithfully, Southern Down.

Dear Straggler, — Since Mr Ernest Tanner's appearance in Sydney as a person whose extreme "youth mast be his excuse far all shortcomings," until the date of hisllast letter; his role seems to be to exalt the value of his own " wares " —good name that! by endeavouring to lower the credit of South Island rams because, forsooth, our climate requires that we provide winter food in the shape of turnips and hay. I fail to see how rams reared on such food, can prove less reliable than those from the rich pastures and enervating climate of Hawke's Bay. I think there is far greater risk of disappointment, if dealers pick up rams that have just completed their season's work and pack them off straight away to start a fresh round of duty. I should much like to hear if the Hawke's Bay grass fed rams prove to have a greater regard for the N.S.W. wire fences, than the turnip and hay fed sheep from Canterbury. I know nothing about

" oat-cake and corn " fed rams. If any are so got up in Canterbury, it is unlikely that they will be sent for sale to Sydney. Yours, &c, Canterbury. Dear Straggler,—lt is a thousand pities that your correspondent, "Consistent," did not join the pioneers in their Sydney trip. He could then have opened the eyes of the New South Welshmen with regard to Downs. Or, indeed, had he offered mc a small retaining fee I would have undertaken to enlighten them on the matter, and would have brought in the name of friend "Onslow" with dazzling effect. Seriously, two of our enterprising body really did speak highly of Dowa crosses for certain purposes, and did this without the monetary reward spoken of. —Yours, etc., One of Them.

Balmoral, September 9th. Dear Straggler,—At the adjourned meeting of the Amuri Saleyards Company, Limited, held to-day, there was a large attendance to discuss Mr Rutherford's notice of motion, "That in future all dealers' sheep be excluded from the Annual Fair held by the Company," but an amendment was carried by a large majority that they be not excluded, but that dealers* sheep be put in a part of the yards by themselves and sold last as dealers' sheep. I saw in your notes lately that some one wanted to know if dealers' cattle were to be kept out of the yards. Mr Rutherford's motion referred solely to sheep, and we shall be pleased to see plenty of dealers cattle in the yards on the 29th inst.—Yours truly, Wm. Thomson.

The letter of my correspondent, " Begln- ! ner," seems to mc to call for a good deal of attention, and will doubtless receive j such from breeders. I should, therefore, like to assure any one interested that the editor has authorised "mc to give critics the full benefit of any space they may require to ventilate the subject. So fire away my good friends, but only write on one side of your paper please. In writing mc privately the other day a gentleman mentioned the discussion which has arisen over Mr Tanner's now celebrated Australian speech. Like a great many others he was much amused with Mr Tanner, and reminded mc of the mortality in hoggets in Hawke's Bay. "Do you think," he asks, "that the squatter who lost 3000 out of 5000 hoggets is 'coining' money T He says if Mr Tanner can prove to him that even under the extensive mortality reported this from Hawke's Bay, a sheep farmer can coin money he will sell his ploughs and take the first steamer Napier bound. If Mr Tanner is not quite tired of newspapers perhaps he will oblige us with his views on the probable effects of these extensive losses in young sheep in his district. I trust Mr Tanner will not think I am trying to i " draw" him. I am really anxious to know anything of interest in this connection. The Amuri Cattle Fair, which is fixed for the 29th inst. will, I hear, give buyers of prime beef an opportunity to satisfy themselves. I believe the Leslie Hills cattle are an exceptionally fine lot, and this, judging from past experience, means something really good. The increased facilities for unloading sheep at Addington yards are well on the way to completion. This is satisfactory to everyone. The Darfield special sheep sale on Friday last was like most "special" sales moderately successful only. However the experiment answered some one's purpose for I am informed a few lots were sold. At the same time I do not, save under very exceptional circumstances, hold with this "special" sale idea more especially when other saleyards* days are "" jumped." In this case, for example, I understand the Sheffield saleday was confiscated and now the Darfield directors propose to pass their own day—the third Friday of the month— and confiscate the fourth Friday which is the recognised day for other fixtures. I have received a lengthy and forcible letter on this subject which I cannot find space for. But I trust by calling this attention to the matter my correspondent will be satisfied. 1 must say this "jumping" business is scarcely courteous between saleyard companies. Surely there is a Thursday for in&tance which could be worked* in instead of interfering with other yards' days. My Amuri corresnondent writing on the Bth inst supplies mc with the following interesting items :— Since my last notes, with the exception of a few howling nor-westers, we have had spring weather made to order (spring is certaiuly a fortnight earlier than usual this season). There Is now fair picking for stock both in the grass paddocks and burnt tussocks. The lambing amongst the crossbred ewes has been going on apace, and from all sides I hear most satisfactory accounts of the lambing with no unusual death rate amongst the ewes. A large mob of cattle passed here last Monday for the Canterbury market from Nelson and Marlborough. The pig killers on the Mount Parnassus Estate managed to account for 2000 taOs this winter. The contract price being 7d per tail. I noticed in a recent Australian paper that the rabbits in Victoria and Southern Riverina are sharing the prevailing depression. Their breeding season has been most agreeably disappointing to the pastoralist. The boot is on the otber foot in this locality. The rabbits are reported j to be more prolific than usual this season having started breeding in July, quite six weeks earlier than in former years. The reason for this is, I presume, that " bunny" wishes to share In the prosperity of the country with the " Social Pests." In the coarse of a conversation with a well-known runholder the other day on the rabbit question and its effect in this district, he gave it as his opinion that it was only a question of time that the rabbits would beat all their fences. The runholders' only hope now was that tho fences would keep them in check until such time as the natural enemies which had been turned out in the district would increase and come to the rescue. He esti- | mated that the rabbits had cost the runholders during the past six years, either directly or indirectly, close upon £60,000. His own rabbit account for the above ; period was over £5000, and with all this expenditure "bunny" is still marching onward. The latest report is that he has crossed to the northern portion of Canterbury. The Refrigerating Company have (says the Otago MaU) just sent from Oamarn by rail for shipment at Port Chalmers about 14,000 sheep slaughtered and frozen here. This course has been adopted owing to the impossibility of getting a steamer to call here and take the mutton direct from this port. In reference to this matter oar contemporary makes a rather striking statement by way of explanation and excuse for the peculiar attitude taken np by the company in relation to the Oamaru harbour. It says: " This cost the company las a ton, and as about thirty-five sheep weigh a ton, the charge on each sheep can easily be reckoned. A good deal has been said about the extra charge of a half-penny on each sheep shipped at Oamara, and while we do not hold that the form of the charge is capable of argument, we can see that if the Company charged the railage instead of the wharfage, the snippers would have very much the worst of the transaction. The shippers at the present time do not pay the railage charge. The Company solely pays that." Thia fully bears out what we said some little time since — that the concession made by the Oamaru Harbour Board in order to encourage the frozen meat trade of this port is used by the Refrigerating Company for the purpose of helping the trade of Port Chalmers. To pat the matter plainly, the Refrigerating Company

made a profit last year of £120 by charging shippers at Oamaru Id per carcase harbour dues while the charge made by the Harbour Board I* only id. By means of this improperly and illegally obtained profit the Company are enabled to rail sheep from Oamaru to Port Chalmers for shipment without additional expense, and the Otago Harbour Board gets the benefit of trade really procured by means of the Oamaru Harbour Board's Liberal concession. Doubtless in the case under notice the rAiling of the sheep was necessary - because of the impossibility of geniag freight direct from O-.maru for litti* time yet. Bur. that fact cannot be held to legitimise an illrgitinia'e proceeding. Ths Company have no rightlegal or moral—to charge their clients more for any disbursements thstn the actual amount disbursed. Those who ship then* frozen mutton at Oamaru, and not those whose sheep are railed to Port Chalmers, are entitled to reap the benefit of the Oamaru Harbour Board's liberal concession. That concession was made to encourage direct shipment, ana the Refrigerating Company in using it to promote shipment elsewhere Rre guilty not only of abusing the liberality of the Oamaru Harbour Board, but of transgressing against I the canons of commercial morality. The Woodville Examiner reports that Mr !R. Johnstone, of Motuotaraia, has imported a two-year-old bull, four Tear ling bulls, and three heifers, from Mr John Roberts's celebrated Polled Angus herd, at Gladbrook. Mr C'tmpb-11, of Eadsleigh, has purchased a bull, live cows and live heifers; Mr C. Machersey two bulls.and Mr de Pelichet om: bull. An interesting <. :c}»e: iment has been conducted at Albury with a new nirnt preserving process. Tiie details have not yet been disclosed, but it is stated that a carcase, operated upon six weeks ago, was foand to be in perfect preservation, and wholosome when cooked. It is believed the process can be successf ally applied to the exportation of mear. The Mercury says :—Owing to the very wet season the 10-"» of lambs throughout the whole of the Ruijjisikei district has been very heavy. Cropping is also very much behind, little if any winter wheat has been sown, and the land being so wet it is doubtful now whether there will be much spring wheat either. Many of the farmers are anxiously waiting to get on to the land with their plough*. Mr James Bull has a field of turuips untouched which he has been unable to feed off, the land being too wet to put ou. The Auckland Star says :—T.iuranga has the unique but not very enviable distinction of having generated a form of *beep disease which is unknown in any other part of the world. It will be remembered that Professor Thomas, at the request of the Government, some time ago investigated this pest and drew up a valuable report describing the symptoms and destructive physical effects of the plague, but he pointed out that its origin and the best mode of treatment ccuid only be accurately determined after a long series of practical experiments. We are glad to learn from the Bay of Plenty Times that the Government have now resolved to give these recommedations effect, and the local Government surveyor, Mr Baber, has been, instructed to inspect the Papamoa block and select and lay off 400 acres of the best of the Government portion for an experimental farm. As soon as this has been done, the section will be banded over to the Agricultural Department, which will then proceed to prepare the land for the purpose of experiments connected with the sheep mortality which has in past years proved so disastrous to the Tauranga settlers. It has been considered best by the Agricultural Department that ths farm should be established on virgin land, and thus all taint of previous disease avoided. Our Taur&nga contemporary adds that:—"The internal arrangements of the farm have not yet been divulged, but we may reasonably expect that the) will be of a useful and substantial nature. The appointment of the manager and his assistants will of course be a somewhat difficult task, the former especially so, as it is above all thing* necessary for him to have three qualifications, viz., thorough practical experience of sheep, the latest and moat complete scientific and chemical knowledge both of sheep and land, and thirdly, he mast be a man entirely free from all prejudices or preconceived notions on the subject of ah investigations. This is the vital point of the whole experiment, as without these qualifications, there is but a probability that the farm will be any practical value. We trust therefore that the Department will give to these points Its closest attention and strive to find a manager possessing as much as possible of all three qualifications mentioned above, and then have good reason to hope that our sbwp*? farmers may have cause to rejoice at the successes of their application for the establishment of the experimental farm." The FeUding Star supplies the following information:—A very lingular thing has happened at Wavertree, the farm of Mr Coote. A number of lambs have been found, immediately after birth, with their tails bitten off. There can be no doubt about the fact because the bleeding stumps have shown that some animal must faavt done it. The question is whether ths stoats have been at work. Lambing is well advanced in the Mangaatua Valley and Maharahara. but there has been heavy mortality in both districts. — Woodville Examiner.

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