THE SOUTHERN SEASON

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21243, 15 August 1934, Page 16

THE SOUTHERN SEASON

«—„ BETTER RETURNS Visitors to Christchurch for Grand National week include a number of Southland farmers, who express themselves as quite relieved at the favourable turn taken by prices for lamb, mutton, and wool in the season just concluded. The good lamb prices lasted right on until the works were closed down. One farmer in a moderate district, as far as land quality is concerned, mentioned to "Straggler" that his last draft of lambs averaged him 25s 6d. All his mutton went off to the works at an average of 20s lid. As wool was well in advance of last season in price the sheep man was enabled to make up much of the leeway lost in the preceding two or three years. The season lias been a good growing one. and ewes were coming into the lambing in good order, though the present was the record season for snow for many years in Eastern Southland. Even on the downs country it was very heavy, and as the days were cold it lay for quite a time. Losses have been heavier on the high country than were expected when the snow came, as there are many parts where it is still lying deeply. Snow losses were regarded a few decades ago as inseparable from high country grazing in Otago and Southland, but a remarkably long sequence of good seasons has made many people forget the fact. Iliffh Butter-Fat Production A dairyman discussed with "Straggler" the impressive results being secured by herd owners as the result of a settled policy of herd testing. The figures for the year, which have just been published, bear out his observations. For the last season 10,166 group cows (101 days and over in milk) recorded the averages as follows: Butter-fat a cow, 265.621b, milk 66551b: days, 238. As the New Zealand average is something under 2001b of but-ter-fat, the figures of Southland tested herds at 205£1b mark a very substantial improvement. Eleven herds in one group (the Mataura), number--4,3G cows, topped the list with 316.831b butter-fat a cow. A small herd of six cows in the Taieri showed an average of 4921b butter-fat in 286 days. A Friesian • er .4 in tlle Tuturau district yielded 410.151b butter-fat and 10,3001b milk in 266 days. A Drummond herd of 54 averaged 401.461b fat and 10,0061b milk in 284 days.