TRANSPORT OF STOCK

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 42, 17 August 1935, Page 30

TRANSPORT OF STOCK

LONG-DISTANCE PROBLEM

LORRY WORK/IN Long distance -;• transportation of farm stock in is dealt with in a. recent article in the "Sydney Mail," with particular reference;to experiments ■ with.. motor trucks to . provide a solution::_of-this .difficult problehi.' Two", instances of their successful/applications are/quoted, special .bodies being .used-in both'cases'. .*ln^the first.the' Mount' Leonard Pas-toral-Company; of .Queensland ■ arranged with a Broken Hill I.concern to convey twelve steers from itsholding in Central Australia to Broken Hill, a journey- of 617 miles. Ordinarily the droving of the-beasts, to .-the railway, would -have taken about ten weeks, and in 'the existing '; circumstances '. would r have been impossible because of shortage of water and herbage along the stock route. Thanks to the motor truck, which in this case was a 10-ton model fitted with the special body and shod with large tires of lOih section, the animals were carried to Broken Hill in three days, and arrived in excellent condition. The petrol consumption of the double journey (1234 miles) was- at the rate of approximately four miles per gallon. Many people experienced in the transport of stock, expressed the opinion that none of: the" cattle would reach Broken Hill alive and'were astounded at the successful outcome of the venture.' The vehicle was a six-wheeler, and the total weight, vehicle and load, Was about 18 tons. The other, enterprise was the conveyance of sheep, which, it is : said, can be carried economically and without suffering any loss of condition for distances exceeding 300 miles. They were transported.by a;6-ton truck, to which was attached an articulated trailer with a special two-tier body 25ft long and 10ft wide. Large pneumatic tires on all wheels obviated harmful jolting and shock. The outfit, which can accommodate 300 sheep, is stated to be handling more than 1000 head; a week. Though these achievements may be' regarded merely as experimental they at least point a way towards the solution of certain problems of, the pastoralist which hitherto have defied ' remedy by economical means, and should help to give greater financial security to the : man who settles on far-flung pastures, ' :