FEED PROSPECTS FAIR

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25833, 18 June 1949, Page 5

FEED PROSPECTS FAIR

Mild Winter Weather

POSITION CONSIDERABLY IMPROVED

The weather so far this winter has been on a minor scale a repetition of what occurred last winter, and what were very poor prospects earlier, have considerably improved. A very dry summer and autumn left farmers extremely short of grass, and with forage crops backward and in many cases destroyed. Practically the whole of the South Island from the Waitaki river north to Cook Strait looked like having a winter of serious feed shortage. May was mild enough to give grass a start, and good rains toward the end of the month, followed by open weather without serious frosts since, have put farmers into a much better position than they could have hoped for two months ago. Feed will not be plentiful this winter, but in many districts it will be adequate to see stock through till spring. Some farmers who are well stocked up may have to sell sheep toward the spring, but as a whole, the situation is fairly good. Reports from officers of the Extension Division of the Departmtent of Agriculture show that the general position of farms from Otago north is satisfactory. Good weather has allowed cultivation to go forward well. Old pasture has given a better return than was expected, though it is modest enough. Young grass has gone forward well and is providing good feed. Forage crops have grown well and are returning fair amounts of feed. Harvesting of potatoes is in full swing, and the return is not as low as was feared earlier.

Some uncertainty exists about the area of wheat which will be sown this year. Cultivation in all districts was reported well forward, and a very large proportion of the crop went into the ground in May. Earlier sown crops struck well and are going forward nicely, and seedings during May were made in ideal conditions. The department’s reports indicate that in the Waimate district, fairly large areas of Dreadnought have been sown, and that round Timaru large areas have gone in, mostly under excellent conditions. In North Canterbury the acreage is expected to be down, as there has been a big decline in sowings in the Waipara district, no doubt as a reaction to the unfortunate results last season. Sowings of oats for harvest and for greenfeed are well ahead in most districts, though some areas remain to be sown. Earlier sown crops have made excellent growth, and in several areas are feeding well. Better Yields Not a great deal of autumn barley has been sown this year, and there are no reports of any autumn linseed. In most districts the potato harvest is well forward, and if the weather holds, most crops should be lifted before the end of this month. Yields have turned out better than was expected. except on lighter land, where they will be small. The average nevertheless will be down on last year. Quality everywhere seems to be good. Round Willowbridge, yields and quality have been good so far, and yields in the Timaru district are about normal on the better land, and quality is good. Average yields are expected in the Ashburton county, where prosgects earlier did not look encouraging, ome varieties in this district have been rather soft in the skin, but quality generally is good. The yield in North Canterbury is expected to be about four tons on the average. In all districts turnips, swedes and chou mcellier have made good growth considering the conditions. Almost everywhere the shortage of grass forced stock into these crops earlier than usual, but enough growth has been made to make the winter feed position fairly sound.

Harvesting red clover has continued as the weather has permitted, and in general is well advanced. It appears that there will be only a moderate weight of seed available, as in most districts yields have been no better than fair. Almost everywhere the sample is excellent. Old grass in most districts has made rather disappointing growth since the good rains. The exception is Nelson, where warm rains at the end of May Sroduced an excellent flush of growth, lew pasture has established well everywhere, and is making fair growth. In the Waimate district there nas been severe damage from grub in restricted areas. Round Timaru also grub has done some damage, but Borina has been much more serious than grub in the district this autumn. In general, young grass has given fair growth, and in many districts is being fed.

In all districts stock is in excellent condition and has gone into the winter in great heart. The overall picture is reasonably encouraging. This will not be a winter of plentiful feed, nor can it be as easy as last winter was, but prospects are very considerably brighter than seemed possible at the beginning of last month.

DALMENY CORRIEDALES DISPERSED The whole of the Dalmeny ‘Corriedale stud, owned by C. and T. Anderson (Hawarden), was dispersed at a sale at the Addington Showgrounds on Thursday afternoon. The stud was founded in 1919, and was No. 20 In the Flock Book, and thus one of the oldest in the breed. The catalogue consisted of 306 ewes of mixed ages, 47 ewe hoggets, 47 ram hoggets, and seven rams, a total of 407. A fair number of buyers turned up, and bidding was brisk within rigid limits. The sheep were mainly well grown and in good order. The 50 one-shear ewes offered made from 3|gns to 6fgns and averaged 4gns; 90 two-shear made from 2J to 4sgns and averaged 3|gns; 81 three-shear made 2$ to 6jgns and averaged 3|gns; 51 fourshear made 2J to 4|gns and averaged a little over 3gns; and 34 five-shear made 2 to 4|gns and averaged a shade under 3gns. The ewe hoggets made 2| to and averaged 3gns. The ram hoggets made 2 to 6gns and averaged 3jgns. Two two-shear rams made 10 and 13gns. four three-shear made from 71 to 30gns, and a fiveshear ram made 41gns. The sale was conducted by Dalgety and Company and Pyne. Gould, Guinness Ltd., in conjunction.