JOTTINGS FROM OVERSEAS

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28530, 8 March 1958, Page 9

JOTTINGS FROM OVERSEAS

THe production of three and four-wheeled farm tractors in the United Kingdom in 1956 rose to 108,500 —an increase of over one thousand per cent, on the 1938 figure. The export of such vehicles has risen from under 6000 in 1938 to almost 90.000 in 1956. * ¥ * A 90,000,000 bushel Australian wheat harvest seems assured>with harvesting complete, except in Victoria. Western Australia and Victoria have the biggest crops while New South Wales have obtained. permission to import 1,500,000 bushels of Canadian wheat. J * * ¥ A new sheep breed known as Dormer, in South Africa, shows promise for the Western Province’s more intensive regions, which provide excellent grazing in the winter and spring. Development of the new breed started 16 years ago with the crossing of the; Dorset Horn and the German Merino. *¥ , ¥ Experiments on chemical shearing are being continued by Mr B. O. Elsley, of Belmore, Yelarbon, Queensland, who is hoping to perfect a chemical which will break the wool fibres at skin level without damage to either skin or fleece. He stated recently that the tests were taking longer than expected. ¥ ¥ ¥ Wool production in Argentina is expected to be 379 million lb in 1957 as compared with 364 million lb in 1956 and 357 million lb in 1955. This a much more gradual increase than previously forecast. These estimates are made jointly by breeders and district agents of wool dealers under the auspices of the Argentine Wool Federation. ¥ ¥ ¥ The combined stress of weaning and shipping dairy and beef calves has been effectiviely reduced by veterinarians experimenting with tranquilisrs, according to a report in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The treated calves were reported to have stayed calmer, lost less weight and recovered more rapidly than untreated calves. ¥ ¥ ¥

South Africa’s agricultural production has increased in value from £l7O million to £350 million in the last ten years, while production has risen by 38 per cent, in the same period, according to a recent statement by the Minister for Agriculture, Mr S. P. Le Roux. More than 60 per cent, of all agricultural products are now controlled by co-operatives and their turnover has increased from £27,800,000 in 1939. to £248,600,000 last year.

Fly ash from British power-sta-tions is being used successfully in land reclamation experiments by the Midlands division of the British Electricity Authority in conjunction with the Birmingham University. Ash tips covered with a three inch layer of soil, sewage sludge and industrial sludge have yielded 11£ tons an acre of grass and clover within two years. Another mixture of clover and grass on ash and domestic sludge yielded 39 tons an acre in two years. * ❖ >1:

An unidentified disease has been reported to have attacked bracken in several areas of Central Wales in Britain and from observations begun in 1954, it appears that the disease can clear an area of bracken after two or more growing seasons. The possibility ,of spreading the infection to other bracken infested areas is being considered, although following reports of a bracken disease at Durham in 1952, attempts to spread it to other areas. were unsuccessful. ¥ ¥ ¥

Analyses of soil and hay sample from 57 farms in Germany, on which cattle infertility troubles had been experienced, showed a definite link between these and phosphate deficiency, according to the German Veterinary Bulletin by feeding in calcium supplement, containing two parts carbonate and one part phosphate, vaginal inflammation was cured in 12 out of 14 cases and in nine out of 13 cases by trace elements manganese. copper, cobalt, iodine and zinc.