THE WEEK

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25306, 4 October 1947, Page 6

THE WEEK

PLENTY OF RAIN The rain earlier in the week will do little harm, and probably a lot of good The season so far has been exceptionally good for almost all farming operations. Spring work has gone forward well, and the weather for lambing so far has been almost ideal. Paddocks all over the plains seem to be well filled with lambs, and there has been little lambing trouble, except for some milk fever, and a little worm, trouble with ewes after lambing. The rain was rather heavier than most farmers wanted, and came when many men were busy putting in spring crops. Some newly-sown peas will have suffered, but any in the ground for a few days before the rain came would be all right. Some back country plapes were lambing when the storm came, but the snow was not excessive. and losses should not be disastrous. If fine weather comes now for a few weeks the supply of spring and early summer feed should be well above average. SPRING LAMB KILLINGS The effect of the Gazette notice about lambs which was issued earlier in the week is this: lambs which will dress out at under 301 b must not be sold, or bought, or killed for human consumption, if the intention is to eat them in New Zealand. The order applies in the South Island until November 24 and in the North Island until November 3. The idea Originated with the Aid to Britain Council, according to the Minister, and is presumably intended to make a larger contribution of meat’ possible from New Zealand. In the South Island, at any rate, the number of lambs that will be affected will at the very most be a few hundreds. The order may stop a few lambs coming in for the early spring livestock sales, and thus deny a handful of people a first taste of spring lamb. If the lambs are held for a week or two until they reach the required weight, thev may still be sold for human consumption within New Zealand. The total effect on the storks of meat available for Britain will be equivalent to an insignificant portion of the frozen meat that is at present being forced on butchers.

MILK FEVER IN EWES Cases of milk fever in ewes have been considerably more numerous than usual in Canterbury this season, both before and after lambing. The storm early in the week brought on a further crop of cases, generally where the ewes were given a change in feed during the cold weather. Lincoln College reports a fairly large nnumber of inquiries. The symptoms are that the ewes, which are usually in good condition, go down suddenly, and show signs of bloating. There is a slight discharge from the nostrils, of a greenish colour, and there may be frothing at the mouth. Death usually occurs within 24 or 36 hours after the ewes go down. The treatment is to give calcium gluconate to ewes affected before lambing, and inflate the udders of ewes that have lambed. So much milk fever is about that if any number of ewes go down in a flock they should be suspected of milk fever, and treated accordingly. DUSTING PEAS An article by Dr. I. D. Blair, of Lincoln College, published on this page at the end of last month on the subject of dusting peas, seems to have been misunderstood by a number of farmers. The article gave details of the comparative performances of, a number of substances used for dusting peas, but made it clear that dusting should always be done as an insurance. Some farmers appear to have read the article as advice that dusting was useless, but it was specifically stated that dusting should not be discontinued. The experience of the Agronomy Division at Lincoln with mercuric dusts this year was interesting. Peas which had been harvested in poor condition were sown, some dusted and some without dust. The germination of the dusted peas was considerably better than the undusted. ' _>

SHEEP-BUYING RECORD A suburban butcher has established something of a record at the Addington market in paying not only top price in one firm’s race but also top price for the market. The firm generally drafts its best sheep into .a certain pen which is in a good position to catch the eye of would-be buyers—always quality butchers. In the last 12 months, during which there have been 48 sales, the butcher referred to has bought the same pen on 20 occasions and each time that pen has been top price in the market. Apart from that, the same butcher has paid highest price when other firms have had choice sheep on offer, and at all times has held his own in bidding, generally against four competitors in the early stages of bidding and one over the last two or three shillings.

SHOW DATES 1947. . „ . October 17 and 18—Poverty Bay A. and P., at Gisborne. October 18—Ellesmere, at Leeston. October 22 and 23—Royal Show, at Hastings. October 24 and 25—Timaru, at Timaru. October 24 and 25—Marlborough, at Blenheim. October 25—Northern, at Rangiora. October 30 and 31, November I—Waikato Show, at Claudelands. October 31, and November I—Wairarapa and East Coast, at Carterton. November 6 —Ashburton, at Ashburton. November 7—Amberley, at Amberley. November 7 and B—Manawatu. November 13 and 14—Christchurch (South Island Championship Show). November 14 and 15—Wanganui. November 19 and 20 —North Otago, at Oamaru. November 21 and 22—Nelson, at Nelson. November 21 and 22 —Egmont November 22—Courtenay A. and P., at Kirwee. November 25 and 26—Otago A. and P. at Dunedin. November 28—Clutha. November 28 and 29—Stratford. November 29—Winton. November 29—Milton. December 2 and 3 —Gore. December 6—Wyndham. December 6—Motueka. December 9 and 10—Southland Show, at Invercargill. ’948. January 23—Palmerston. January 24 —Marton. «anuary 31—Waipukurau. February 6 and 7—Feilding Show, at Feilding. February 6 and 7 —Taranaki Show, at New Plymouth. February 7—Woodville. February 10 and 11 —Dannevirke. February 14—Pahiatua. February 20 and 21 —Masterton, at Masterton. March 13—Cheviot A. and P., at Cheviot. March 13—Temuka and Geraldine A. and P., at Winchester. March 20—Amuri A. and P., at Rotherham. March 20—Mayfield. March 27—Methven A. and P., at Meth ven. March 29—Mackenzie Highland Jubilee, at Fairlie.

RAM FAIR February 23 and 24 —Masterton Ram and Ewe Fair.

Mr T. E. Rowlands has resigned the secretaryship of the Ohoka and districts branch of Federated Farmers after 15 years’ service. This week he was met by members of the branch, and was given a presentation by Mr J. W. Earl, provincial president. Mr Rowlands has been a most active and successful secretary.