TOPICS OF THE WEEK

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28346, 3 August 1957, Page 9

TOPICS OF THE WEEK

COAST CATTLE TO THE FORE 'West Coast cattle, which always command attention at Addington market, won further distinction this week when Mr John Adamson, of Hari Hari, won the Butchers* Cup at the Grand National Fat Stock Show. When he accepted the trophy from Mr C. Welsford on Wednesday, Mr Adamson said he believed that it was the first time that it had gone to the West Coast The Aberdeen Angus and Aberdeen Angus Hereford cross' cattle which wgre in the winning pen came originally from .the property of Harris Bros, at Okuru. near Haast, in the far south of Westland. They were, among a consignment that took three weeks td-drive to the WhataroS store cattle sales last October, when' they Were bought by Mr R. Ferguson, of Hari Hari. In a line of eight they were subsequently bought from Mr Ferguson by Mr Adamson, who farms about 700 acres at Hari Hari, where he has lived all his life. Six of them were at this week’s show. In addition to running cattle, mainly bought in at the Whataroa sales, Mr Adamson has a flock of about 700 Romney Cheviot cross ewes. His csttle are regularly seen at Addington during the winter and this was the third year that he has had entries in the fat stock show.

ANIMAL ILLS

Hogget ill-thrift and footrot are the two main animal ills mentioned by the Meat and Wool Board’s Economic Service in its annual review of the sheep industry in New Zealand in 1956-57. “Hogget ill-thrift certainly calls for a determined and sustained effort by animal research workers,’* it says. “Therq is nothing more anomalous than for us to find in the season of most favourable growth—when in fact we are reaping the harvest of years of topdressing and pasture improvement—that our young stock are being lost in such numbers as were reported this year. / ,

“Footrot still continues to be expected to accompany lush pasture growth. As a source of economic loss and perpetual irritation to the sheep farmer it calls for constant vigilance. It is hoped that/ the work oL control on farm scale carried out by the Department in conjunction with the Wool Board at Purua may give a valuable lead as to how the disease can be tackled and brought under; ■control.”

DOG POPULATION

There are about 185,000 dogs registered in New Zealand, states the annual report of the Department of Agriculture. Ol these, about 148,000 are working dogs, indispensable to the farnfing industry. A widespread practice among farmers, .states the report, is for them to register a proportion only of* their dbgs, so that working dogs could number about 250,000.

OVERSOWING TRIALS

Oversowing trials in which high-producing grasses are introduced after the existing turf has been killed or suppressed with chemicals show great promise. If the method is successful, it will enable very large areas of surface sown and native grassland to be improved greatly at low cost. On land subject to wind and water erosion the oversowing method would seem to offer a means of securing high-producing pastures without ploughing, which exposes the soil to erosion.

HEAVY CLIPPING

A handsome return for wool was secured by an Ashburton butcher who purchased at a local sale this month three Corriedale wethers in the wool. Shorn before being slaughtered they averaged 181 b wool, representing 111 moriths’ growth, and they dressed at over 1001 b. The vendor was Mr D. J. Stewart (Rakaia), who recalled that as hoggets the trio shore 141 b wool apiece,

Beekeeping Industry Growing

An increase in the number of beekeepers, increased production of honey, the construction of many new honfey houses and the redesigning of old ones, the use of modern mechanical labour-saving devices for handling and packing honey, and more efficient apiary management are reported by the Department of Agriculture. Production for the year ended March 31, 1057, is estimated at 0400 tons of honey and 224,0001 b of commercial beeswax, about 1800 tons of honey and 03,0001 b of beeswax more than in the previous season.

Apiary registrations showed an increase in commercial apiaries and a movement into back country areas, particularly on newly developed light land in the North Islaiid and in South Island areas where more pastures are being improved by systematic topdressing. At February 28, 1957, a total of 5287 beekeepers operated 11,378 apiaries containing 191,648 hives, an increase of 50 beekeepers, 210 registered apiaries, and 11,239 hives since'May, 1955.