SOUTH CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19813, 28 December 1929, Page 15

SOUTH CANTERBURY.

PROSPECTS AND PRICES. Good rains have made a big i-hange for the better iu South Canterbury prospects. Owing to the broken weather farmers have had some difficulty in getting their sheep shorn, but nevertheless most of the wool has boon got off. and quite a lot of it sold. Some private buyers have been busy since the Timaru sale, and growers having beeome a little perturbed at the prices ruling have made deals with the private buyers, at prices ranging from lOd to l-'d per pound delivered in Timaru or Christchureh. The reduced prices realised for fine wools have mode c.uite a few growers wonder whether thev have not been giving too much attention to finewoolled sheep and neglected the Komnev cross that has stood the test of years. It is yet too soon to state what lessons are "to be learned from the sales, but it will not be surprising if there is a swing over wherever possible to the coarser wool breeds. The stock sales have already shown that Romnev cross "woolies" are keenly sought after. This may, however, not be indicative of a change, but may be due to the relatively better prices ruling for that class of wool. Export Lamb Prices. At this time of year fat lamb growers are usually keenly interested in the lamb market: this year they are exceptionally so. At a meeting of the Temuka branch of the Farmers' Union, at which there was a good number of fat lamb-growers present, strong exception was taken to the attitude of the Meat Board in not giving growers information relative to the fat lamb trade. It was stated that exporters only gave out the information which suited themselves while the Board looked on. It was decided to endeavour to get some regular information from the Board as to the market, and as to the quantities of lamb in store and afloat. On the whole, farmers seem fairly well pleased with the prices ruling for fat lambs, or it may be that they expected a bigger drop in prices—compared with the opening of the market last year—than what has taken place. The overall value of lambs sold recently was from to BJd, but some buyers appear to be exceeding these prices in private deals. Quite a large number of lambs have been bought in the paddock at 275, and thereabouts, whieh is approximately 9d for a 361b lamb, but most of the lambs disposed or in this way would average better t2ian 36's. Farmers are apparently resigned to the fact that the days of high prices for lamb are gone for the time being, at all events, and that they are not likely to see anything approaching lOd per pound for some time to come. Control of Blowfly. The matter for the control of the blowfly pest has been discussed by branches of the Farmers' Union; especially the attacks of blowfly maggots, upon living sheep, which nave caused heavy mortality among sheep in many parts of the Dominion. Statistics collected over a period of several years show that throughout the Dominion the losses among sheep from maggot infestation averaged, so it is alleged, some £400,000 annually. In 1926 Dr. Miller imported from England the parasite alysia, and the first step was to develop a method bv which it could be reared successfully for the purposes of liberation. This having been accomplished, a small scale of liberations was made at first, but owing to lack of funds the mass production of the parasite necessary for its rapid establishment could not be undertaken. However, the New Zealand Sheepowners' Federation has made a monetary grant which has enabled the alysia to be developed on a large scale at the Cawthron Institute and extensively liberated during the present season. An examination of the maggot on infested carcases in a field where parasites were liberated last summer and autumn show the alysia was busily engaged parasiting the maggots. The matter is one of very great importance to farmers, and in the meantime the liberation of the parasite continues from the Institute's insectaries.