FARM AND STATION

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19724, 14 September 1929, Page 19

FARM AND STATION

CURRENT TOPICS.

ADDTJNTGTON MARKET. There was little of quality in Wednesday \s store sheep section of the weekly market. Ewes were a very mediocre lot, comprising for the most part, aged and low-conditioned sorts. The better ewes sold quite well, but the derelicts found buyers with much less readiness. Wethers that can be finished off for the local market sold spiritedly, there being several buyers for this class. Ewe hoggets sold fairly well, but wether hoggets are hard to quit. In no section of stock is the difference on last year's figures so pronounced as in this one. The following is a comparison of values with last year. Sept. 12. Sept. 11. 19C8 1929 Ewes— *. »• •• s. Best 4 lo 8-lix i-bred . . S6 to 38 to 32| Ord. 4 to 8-th 1-bred .. 28 to 31 to 27J Inferior 8-th S-bred .. 24 to 264 211 to 251 Withers— Ex. good }bred S3 to 35 Good ibred .. 81 to 321 27} to 39 Backward Ibred to 26 to 23 Hoggets— Ex. good ibred ewe . . 35 to 352 Ord. Jbred ewe Good wether . . 25 to 27} Ord. wether .. 23 to 24} 15 to 17 Fat sheep showed a wide range of quality, many of the consignments being very moderately finished. However, there was a. surprisingly good sale, no doubt the skyhigh prices of beef being a factor in this. Beef, as a matter of fact, is bringing as much per lb on the hoof as mutton, a change from a few years ago. Wethers— f. «. «. f. Ex. prime heavy to 52J to 521 Prime heavy . . 43 to 48 40 to 45 Prime medium weight . . 374 to 42 36 to 89 Medium .. 33 to SC 32 to 35J Light . . SO to 82} 28 to 31 Ewes— Show- .. to 481 Ex. prime . . 40 to 451 to 45J Prime .. 855 to 40 33 to 38 Medium . . 29 to 331 27 to 82 Aged and light 241 to 28 22 to 26 Though fat cattle were in much larger numbers than last week there was barely sufficient for butchers' needs. Prices, as a consequence, tended to harden on the high rates of the preceding week. The quality of the entry, much more than the number, prompts the assumption that the fat cattle are not available. More than half the entry were medium to low conditioned, and a heavy proportion of this number was represented by aged cows. On an average, values were just a shade higher than the preceding week. If graziers are holding stock, it is reasonable to suppose that the recent scale of prices will bring them to the market. The following table shows the appreciation on the values at the corresponding market last year:— Steers— £ £ ' £ £ Ex. prime heavy to 231 to 29} Prime hear? .. 17} to 21 25 to 27 Medium weight prim* .. 15J to 13 21 to 24) Ordinary .. 12| to 15} lTf to 20 Light . . 10} to 12} 13 to 17 Heifers— Extra prim* .. to 191 to 22} Prime . . IS to 15| 161 to 181 Medium .. 10 to 12} 14 to 161 Light .. .6} to 9 9} to 13} CowsExtra prime .. to 18} to 221 Prime .. 12} to 151 16 to 181 Medium .. 9 to 12 13 to 15| Inferior .. 6 to 8) 9 to 12} THE SPRING. A Southland farmer informed "Straggler" during the week that the spring was quite as forward in the South as in Canterbury. If anything there was less movement fh growth north of the Rangitata than south of the Mataura. Singularly enough a visitor to Auckland a fortnight ago had a similar story to tell of the backwardness of that province. Feed had been coming away there very slowly, but in the north when growth Btarts it does so in earnest, and the bareness is not lively to be prolonged. The comparative earliness of the season in the south is suggested by an Ashbnrton resident, who has just returned from a trip to Central Otago, covering a total of 735 miles and embracing nine counties. He commented to a Pbbs* repre entative pn the evidence that there was a mild winter. The sheep and cattle were in particularly good condition, even on the poor class of country. Feed —as coming away well in places, although there were still a large number of sheep on turnips. In the fruit-growing districts, the season was well forward, a large number of trees being out in full blossom. *

Show - Ex. prime

AUSTRALIAN MEAT PRICES. It no doubt will surprise the majority of farmers to know that beef prices per lb at the Flemington (Melbourne) market exceed those obtaining for new season lamb. At the market on September 4th, when there was an easing of 3s to 5s per 1001b on the rates of the preceding week, extra good bullocks sold up to £3l, a line averaging £29 4a, and another draft £26 12s 6d. Good ox beef averaged from 63s to 65s per 1001b, extra to 675, and most of the other classes from 54s to 60s. Good heifer beef made from 60s to 63e, and choice to 665, and from fair to good grade cows 52s to 61s. These prices are from par to a shade better than those ruling at Addington this last fortnight, but more for exceptional quality, which, however, at Flemington, is invariably represented by well-bred Shorthorns. In marked contrast is the price ruling for early I season lamb. Extri prime weighty | sorts made froai 24s to 25s »d, prime ! 20s 9d to 235, and useful to well fleshed 15s to 17s 6d. Exclusive of skin and offal, prime medium weights worked out at s*d to 6id, good to prime 5Jd to 6d, and useful to well fleshed 4§d to 5Jd. At the particular sale instanced, however, the entry was a very heavy 0ne—42,600 head compared with 14,780 the preceding week. The latter yarding Ls a very small one, with a jump in prices, but at the sale at which the values quoted were ruling exporters would only operate when values came down to their schedule, so it may_ be taken as a normal one Ib comparison beef prices work out at from 7d to 8d a lb a figure which shows how scarce beef'cattle must be at the present time in the Southern States of the Commonwealth. The probability in regard to lambs is that the drought conditions have forced them on to the market, and thev cannot come up to export quality, but' making allowance for this th.position the opening or i ne minion- _^__^____

By "Straggler."

THE LINSEED CHOP. Linseed would seem to be a good crop to grow by farmers who have been unable to complete their wheat growing programme this season. Keports from the Argentine are to the effect that the drought in that country, which produces 50 per cent, of the world's linseed, will cause a big reduction of the ] output there. In the linseed growing States of North America the drought is also affecting the yield. This position is indicated by the redueed bushelage of wheat forecasted in these countries. For some years an Auckland organisation has contracted with Canterbury farmers for the growing of the crop. It has guaranteed a minimum price of £l3 to £l4 10s (last year's price) a ton, Hut it has been compelled to resort to importation to complete its requirements. Last season, which, however, was under the average, the contracted area was only 1400 acres, and the company requires a minimum for its operations of 6000 acres. This acreage exceeds the total area under the crop in the Dominion in 1926-27, so that it is obvious there is scope for the extension of what is undoubtedly a profitable crop to grow. The time to sow it is in the spring, October being the best month, at which period there is no other certain crop. Peas are a glut, the barley outlet is restricted, and oats are a gamble. Moreover, it is authoritatively claimed that no part of the world is better suited to the crop than Canterbury. Quality here is almost equal to that of Calcutta, and infinitely superior to the Argentine, whilst here crops of up to a ton have been grown, as against 2cwt in IndiaOne linseed crop in the Cheviot district last season yielded 21501b, 901b under the ton, and twelve of the best crop< grown under the contract system averaged 14Jcwt. On account of the drought conditions abroad the price of Calcutta linseed has firmed in England, bein quoted at £22 10s this week. This is equivalent under the contract price, which is base! on wo.rld parity, less £5 10s, to £l7 a ton, and a guaranteed minimum of £ls a ton on trucks is being offered to grower? here this year. Naturally there is a good free market —a particularly good one this year—apart altogether from the contract system, the figures of which have been used only for the purpose of illustrating the returns, so that a considerable extension of the indu try is possible wit' out the fear of a glut developing. Farmers with fields that have "missed" with the wheat might well give the erop a trial. A MILK FEVER CUBE.

What is the cause of milk fever? This question has remained unanswered for generations, but now some light is available on the subject. Dr. B. Sjollema, Holland, has shown that milk fever may be caused by an insufficient quantity of calcium in the blood. He found that the slow injection of 300 to 450 cubic centimetres of a ten per cent, solution of calcium chloride, plus 20 grams of glucose, cured every case of milk fev.er on which it was used and prevented milk fever in cows that had previously been subject to it. Two other scientists in Sweden, and one in France have discovered that an insufficiency of sugar in the blood will cause milk fever. These men corrected milk conditions by an injection of a ten and twenty per cent, glucose solution. Where plenty of calcium and sugar are in the blood there were no harmful effects from milking the cow dry following parturition. The practical application of these finds would seem to be the feeding of molasses liberally to dry and fresh cows. The veterinarians may now have a different method of treating milk fever than pumping air into the udder, good as that treatment has been.

WORLD'S WHEAT CROP. A BIG DECLINE. The forecast, of the International Institute of Agriculture at Borne serves to confirm the estimates previously made by other authorities, and a reduction in world crops of 500,000,000 bushels is generally accepted. An interesting comment on European conditions is made that the crops of Rumania, Bulgaria, and Hungary have partially failed, while France is expected to have an excellent crop. The Kussian crop is still an unknown quantity, but it is thought that Kussia will grow sufficient wheat for the requirements of the home market. Official figures for the Argentine crop have been long delayed, and the final estimate of last year's crop is now too old to be of interest. The chief point in the report is the estimate of the . export surplus at 55,485,000 bushels. On the estimated carry-over from the previous season there would be an export surplus of about 240,000,000 bushels.available, of which about 185,000,000 bushels will have been shipped already. Such heavy shipments have not been allowed for by the trade, and the effect -or the official report has been to steady the market. The Argentine has been suffering drought conditions, and tentative estimates of the «wn»B «"* rave placed it at 256,000,000 bushels which would leave an export surplusi of about 180,000,000 bushels for 1930 shipments.

HERD-TESTING. DOMINION SUPERVISOR APPOINTED. Mr John Parlane, the South Island representative on the Management Committee of the Federation of Herd Testing Associations, returned to Christchurch yesterday from Wellington after attending a meeting of the committee there. Mr Parlane told a reporter that, prior to the meeting of the committee, a meeting of the Central Executive o* the Federation had been held. On this body are several representatives or the Governmentr-Dr. Reakes, Mr A. H Cockayne, and Professor Riddett, of Massey College. The Central Executive has decided to appoint Mr C. MHume as official supervisor of neratesting for the Dominion, the object being to co-ordinate the work or the whole of the herd-testing associations throughout New Zealand. Mr Hume takes up his duties on Monday. l fie Government has placed at the disposal of the Management Committee of the Federation a sum sufficient to provide Mr Hume with a car and also to meet his travelling expenses.