FARMING AND COMMERCIAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 121, 22 April 1932, Page 5

FARMING AND COMMERCIAL

DAIRYING ACTIVITIES. MASSEY COLLEGE WORK. PROFESSOR KID LETS REPORT. ‘‘The dairy farm activities and returns during tho past year have been influenced by most unusual weather conditions,” state*! Professor Riddet in the annual report of lUassoy Agricultural College. “'After a specially favourable 6pring and early summer, tho year commenced with ideal grazing conditions which continued till March. No need was found for supplementary teed till late in April when silage was first led. Thus that dairy season was favoured with splendid conditions tor the provision of iced from start to finish. The conditions during tho season 1931-32 to dato have been directly tho reverse. From May onwards there ensued a succession of unfavourable seasonal conditions—firstly, an early winter; secondly, an unusually wot and cold winter; thirdly, a lato wot and cold spring; and, finally, a lato spring and cummer, characterised by infrequent rains and much drying wind. Tho consequences [-were a heavy demand upon reserves of Lwdnter and spring feed, tho injury in winIjter of pastures on the heavier soils by exKcessivo pugging, and subsequent poor ■growth of pasture in tho into spring and Marly summer, due. partly to dry conditions and partly to tho effects of a hard «winter. Fortunately, at tho outset of tho mwinter there was in hand an excellent sup-

ffijply of hay and ensilage, and in spite of / the adverse conditions tho dairy stock wintitered especially well. Tho following stock piwas wintered on tho 194 acres of dairy Hand and 40 acres of accretion: Cows and I'heifers in milk, in calf and dry, 138; heifers prising one year, 39; winter calves, 11; stock I; bulls, 6; hoggets, 80; horses, 1. In spring ; tho milking herd came into profit in good ‘ condition and at calving no material ; trouble or loss was experienced. As usual, l.’o number of cows were brought into proj fit in early May to supply tho dairy factory SLwith milk and cream in tho winter months. Kfl'his practice is providing most useful exwperienco of winter milk production undor Kcrdinary New Zealand conditions. Again, |in spite of adverse conditions in spring and Kearly summer, tho herd . produced remark- ( ably well, exceeding by fully seven per s,cent, tho previous year’s production from r August 1 to December 31. This increase is 1 clue partly to tho excellent condition of the stock when they came into profit, partly to i the incremental improvement of the farm, and partly to the improvement of the herd. Had tho season been a normal one, tho increase would have been materially greater. GRASSLAND FARM. ‘‘The dairy farm is now run essentially as a typical North Island grassland farm relying on grass ensilage and pasture hay for supplementary feed. Apart from an area of approximately one and a half acres loaned to tho Plant Research Station for

trials concerned witli methods of controlling linger and too disease in swedes, the last paddock to bo sown down to permanent pasturo was seeded in March, 1931. This year an area of light land was sown in soft turnips .preparatory to seeding next season with lucerne, which i 3 an integral part of any system of grassland farming. Arrangements aro in hand to removo the piggery and convert into permanent dairy pasturo tho existing pig area which at the outset of farming operations was in a very low stato of fertility, but is now highly fortile as a! result of grazing with pigs. Somo progress also has been made with the reclamation of recent river accretion land so that it may bo utilised for dairying pastures. "During the year 114 cows completed lactations, the average of all completed lactations being 285 pounds of buttorfat in 284 days. Excluding • abnormal lactations due to various causes, the averago production of 83 cows was 312 pounds of butterfat in 284 days. A certain number of purebred bull calves soven days old were supplied to dairy farmers at very reasonable prices so that men with small means could obtain well-bred bulls with good butterfat backing at prices within their buying power. A considerable number of purebred pigs also were sold. Our sales of purebred pigs aro increasing annually and tbero aro many occasions on which wo find difficulty in supplying tho demand. As a whole, considering the financial depression, tho courses wore well patronised. There was a falling off in numbers in tho herd testing courso as compared with the previous years. This was due mainly to a rearrangement of tho time at which this courso was held but it is confidently expected that numbers will again become normal whon tho readjustment is generally known. It is specially worthy *of note that young dairy factory .workers who take courses here show an almost insatiable thirst for knowledge. They work assiduously, and, although in many case 3 they come forward with only an elementary school education. they show that they can compete more than favourably with many who havo had the benefit of a better early education. This response on tho part of students shows that these classes are fulfilling a long-felt want by the workers in the industry. The degree classes in dairying are supplying an equally long-felt want in that they are providing instruction in both the science and art of the manufacture of dairy produce 60 that, as time progresses, there will be available to tho industry men who have a _ sound knowledge of both of the6o very important aspects. Tho college staff collaborated with the Dairy Research Institute in the carrying out of research work on the manufacture of butter and cheese.” HEALTH OF STOCK. “On the whole tho health of the stock on the dairy farm has been reasonably good and the same applies to the piggery,” reported Mr J. M. McLindcn. M.R.G.V.S. (lecturer in veterinary science). There has

been moro mnmmitis in the herd than usual. In all seventeen cases have been reported to date and of these tlirco coys are showing tho effects. . lemporary sterility was treated in a routine way and the procedure has been justified by results. Of a total of 105 cows treated, only six aro apparently barren, but two definitely so.” POULTRY DEPARTMENT. “During the year tho syllabus for the certificate course of instruction in poultry husbandry was finalised,” reported Mr J. H. Kissling (poultry manager). 'Experimental work has been confined to a few practical tests. Substituting barley tor wheat showed that tho barley fed pen laid as well as tho control pen receiving mixed grain containing seventy-five per cent, wheat. Tests wero carried out in using dried buttermilk, whey paste and codliver oil, with excellent results. It has been customary for poultrymen to delay feeding their incubator chicks for twenty-four to thirty-six hours after placing them in the brooders. Tests carried out hero showed that thoso chicks fed at once made better growth. Mr F. C. Mooro has spent considerable time investigating coccidiosis. His survey showed that this disease was provalent all over the North Island, whereas it was thought to bo confined to certain districts. On April 1 tho first annual laying contest was started with 72_ birds. Ibcro aro throo other contests in New Zealand— Auckland with 500, Christchurch with 500 and Taranaki with 71 birds. Owing to lack of funds, the birds were trap-nested instead of singlo penned. Tho results, in spito of a poor start, have been good. Approximately 800 adult birds wero earned ovor the year. Owing to the fact that we are selling stock all the time, it is difficult to give definite figures in relation to egg production. Tho percentage of pedigree stock has been t.robled and wo have ns good breeding stock as is obtainable in tho country. Minor improvements wero made to tho present sheds in tho shape of an automatic watering system, nests, more partitions and tho erection of sixteen small single pons for isolating special birds. Two additional incubators were purchased.’ BACTERIOLOGY AND MYCOLOGY. “Sevoral samples of wool green stained on the sheep’s back wero received from different localities. A study of these showed that this condition arose from the activity of bacteria under damp conditions; tho causative organism corresponding with one recently discovered in New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania was isolated,” reported Mr R. Waters (lecturer in bacteriology and mycology). “A large number of samples havo now been received of a pink and rotten condition occurring also in the fleece of tho living sheep. As there was no definite knowledge of this condition reported in the literature, and seeing that tho trouble is not uncommon in New Zealand, an investigation _ was mado and the cause definitely ascertained. Pink rot, as this is now being called, is proved to bo due to tho activities of a bacillus. Owing to _the receipt from the South Island of Merino fleece specimens attacked by a fungus, a study is being made of the material to see whether it corresponds with a somewhat widespread skin disease recently discovered in New South Wales by Dr Seddon. A study is also being made of (he cell structure of wool. The discovery of the disintegrating effects of the pink rot organisation upon wool has mado it possiblo for him to proceed to make a number of measurements of cells of widely different types of wool. Tho figures that he has obtained will be the most accurate and extensive yet produced and of much interest and value scientifically. Staining technique has been devised for detecting the weathering or damage that is to bo met with at tho tips of locks. Examination of a number of locks has shown that ruch dnmago decreases as the skin end is approached and consists of a loosening of tho scale cells.”

DAIRY FACTORY OUTPUTS. RIVERBANK DAIRY COY. Tho Riverbank Dairy Coy. is at prosent producing 26 export cheeses as against 30 for tho corresponding period lost year. Tho grading is reported to bo good. MANGATAINOICA DAIRY COY. Tho Mangatainoka Dairy Coy. is manufacturing 20 export cheeses as against 24 last year. Grading in regard to this factory’s produce is good. NORTH TIRAUMEA. Fourteen export cheeses arc manufactured daily by tho North Tiraumca factory and, compared with last year’s, tho present output shows a drop of two cheeses dally. Tho grading is very high. PAHIATUA DAIRY COY. The Pahiatua Dairy Coy., which is engaged in tho manufacture of both butter and cheese, reports tljat tho daily outputs aro as follow: Cheese, 19 exports; butter 20 boxes. Grading is “finest” for butter and “first” for choose. BALANCE VALLEY DAIRY COY. Tho Ballatico Valley Dairy Coy. is producing 11 export chooses daily at present and reports that tho grading is 93. TARARUA DAIRY COY. Tho Tararua Dairy Coy. is handling 15 export chcosos daily just now and the grading is 92. RUAWHATA DAIRY COY. Tho Ruawhata Company is at present manufacturing 12 export cheeses daily, and tho grading is good. MANUAWHATA DAIRY CO. Tho Managawhata Dairy Co., whoso manager, Mr J. A. Adams, is taking over the management of the Lowgarth (Stratford) factory, in June, is at present showing a grade of 93.035, compared with an average grade of 90.3 four yeurs ago, when Mr Adame was appointed. This, tho manager states, is nob duo to management alone, but to the splendid team work of all concerned —directors, suppliers and factory workers. FARMING NEWS. RURAL RAKINGS. The finest autumn weather experienced for many years is now being enjoyed throughout Rotorua. For the last week perfect conditions have prevailed and the warm sunshine, coming after beneficial nains, haa promoted a remarkably good growth of feed. A North Otago farmer told an Oaroaru Mail representative that in some parts of tho district farmers were getting better crops of oats from a second growth of oats than from the .original crop. This is probably duo to the effect of the loqgcontinued drought and recent beneficial rains. A South Otago breeder' of stud sheep stated tho other day that last season ho submitted 100 rams to auction at tho Clutha and Matau A. and P. Society’6 ram and ewe fair, and realised lOOOgns. for them. This season a similar number of equally good rams brought him in only 300gns, and he considered himself lucky in comparison with some other breeders. Contral Waikato, especially tho district around Cambridge, has had a very unfortunate dairying year, said a Waikato farmer in conversation with a Taranaki News representative. A very long spell of dry weather had put production back seriously, ho said, and though some Taranaki farmers thought the season had not been all it might have boon, they- did not realise how lucky they were. Ihe coast near Opunake seemed to have bad insufficient rain, but the district further north had apparently been much better served. . , , „ An area that bids fair to rival tho Norsewood district as the stronghold of ensilage making in Hawke’s Bay is to bo found at Porangahau, where the past _ season has found farmers taking enthusiastically to the practice of conserving this valuable form of supplementary fodder. There have been only a few late autumn cuts in this district, but the cuts of last spring oil the Hats all resulted in yields of up to 15 tons of green material to tho acre. Lucerne, with an autumn sowing of Algerian oats, has certainly proved its value as a most suitable form of growth for silage making in this area and the bulk of the crops this year was converted into silage.

CLEARING SALE AT KELVIN GROVE The N.Z. Farmers’ Distributing Coy., Ltd., ropprt as follows on the clearing sale hold at Kelvin Grove on behalf of Mrs Olsen:—There was a good attendance of buyers and bidding was good for earlycalving cows; backward sorts made relatively low prices. Quotations: May-Juno calvers, £5 to £8 Bs, later ealvers £4 10s to £5 10s, in calf heifers £3 to £5 12s 6d, wcaner heifers 30s, Jersey bull £5 ss. TAIIIAPE SALE. Associated Live Stock Auctioneers, Ltd., renort having a very fair yarding of sheep aiTd a small entry of cattle at their Taihapp sale on Wednesday, when all the sheep met with good competition and almost a total clearance effected. Quotations: Small lambs, 3s lOd, 4s sd, 4s 6d, 4s lOd; wether lambs, 6s 6d, 6s Bd, 6s lid, 7a 2d, 7s sd, 7s 6d, 7s 10d, 8s 3d; small ewe lambs, 6s sd, 7s, 7s 3d, 7s sd, 7s 7d; owe lambs 10s 3d, 10b 6d; b.f. lambs, 93 lOd; 2-th wethers, Us 2d, Us 3d; empty ewes, 4s 6d, 5s 4d. Backward dairy cows, 255, 265, 293, 31s, 355; small yearling heifers, 18s! ’ STOCK SALES. Tho entry of beef at Stortford Lodge, Hastings, on Wednesday, was much smaller than at recent sales, only 100 head of cattlo being yarded. Tho reduced yarding did not bring any appreciable increaso in prices. Two extra prime bullocks topped the market at £9. Two pens of prime P.A. cross bullocks sold from £6 5s to £6 17s 6d. Several freezers who are fattening bullocks on an extensive scale aro having drafts killed for export, being convinced that this is tho only method of improving prices locally. Primo ox beef ranged from 16s 6d to 18s per 1001 b; prime cow and heifer beef, 13s 6d to 15s. Fat cattlo and certain classes of fat sheep and fat pigs were cheaper at Burn-, side on Wednesday, but fat larnbs met with a good brisk sale. Tho yarding of fat cattlo comprised 234 head of average quality, but tho sale suffered from tho hold-over by some butchers of portion of their heavy buying from last week’s unusually big yarding. The domand waß not brisk, but fortunately values wero only a shade below par. Best heavy bullocks mado to £ll 17s 6d; primo to £9; medium and 'light from £5 10s to £7; and cows and heifers from £2 10s to £5 7s 6d. The fat sheep yarding was a large ono of nearly 3000 head, among which were some very fine pens of heavy wethers and ewes. Heavy sheep met a slack demand and lower values by from Is 6d to 2s per head, while light weights and freezers maintained late price levels. AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE. SYDNEY, April 21. Wheat.—Ex trucks Sydney, & 44d; at country stations, 2s Flour, £lO 10s potton; bran, 85s; pollard, 100 s per ton; potatoes, Tasmanian to £7 10s, Victorian £5 10s; oats, 2s 6d per bushel; maize, 4s 7d per bushel; onions, Victorian brown Spanish, £l7. ADELAIDE, April 21. Wheat, 3b Id; flour, £8; bran, £5 ss; pollard, £5 10s; oats, Is 9d per bushel. Tho price of flour in Sydney shows an advance of 10s a ton on that quoted last week. NEW ZEALAND APPLES. LONDON. April 20. The New Zealand apples by the ' Otira and the Coptic are selling as follow: Cox’s Orange, 12s 6d to 16b por case; Dunns, 10s to 12b. AUSTRALIAN STOCKS. LONDON, April 20. Australian Government stocks wero again drastically marked down to-day. Dealings in Commonwealth 5 per cents, ranged from £7B to £B3; 6 per cent., from £B6 to £9O; Victorian, 51 por cent., £7O to £76; 5 per cent. £7O to £74, 43 per cent. £7O; New South Wales, 3 per cent. £64 to £65. 31 per cent., £47 to £SO; South Australian, 31 per cent., £6l; 3 per cent., £45 10s; Tasmanian, 61 per cent.. £9O; West Australian, 31 per cont, £75 15s and 6 per cent. £BO.

WELLINGTON STOCK EXCHANGE. YESTERDAY’S BUSINESS AND PRICES. A slightly lessened inquiry for shares and an improved demand for Government securities wero the main features of tho Wellington market yesterday. All Government stocks wore firm. There was a salo of 4j per cent, bonds, 1933, at £94 12s 6d. The bonds and stocks wero both in demand aU£94, with sellers asking £95. A salo of 4i per cent, bonds, 1939, was reported at £92 ss, ox interest, and there were inquiries for bonds and stocks at £92. Tho bs per cent, stocks and bonds, 1936 and 1937, wero all firm. Banks wero again in good demand at firm quotations. Dalgety’s wore sought at £7 and Goldsbrough, Morts at 21s 6d, with no declared sellers. Auckland Gas were again on offer at 21s 3d, with no takers. Wellington Gas, at 275, wero steady. Sellers were asking 20s 9d for Union Stoam, preference at 20s 6d for P. and O. deferred stock, but buyers wore not in tho list. Wellington Woollen, ordinary, at £4 4s, and preference at £4 ss, wero still sought without response. There was no change in breweries. British Tobacco were firmer at 26s sd, but sellers held for 275. Colonial Sugars hardened 10s to £37, with no sellers. VVaihis were firmed at 16s Bd, with sellers asking 17s. YESTERDAY’S QUOTATIONS. Buying and selling quotations at yesterday’s final call on the Wellington Stock Exchange wore as follow: — Buyers. Sellers.

YESTERDAY’S SALES. Tho following tales were recorded on the stock exchanges of* tho Dominion yesterday : , , , „ , Wellington.—Sales on ’change: Govt. Insc. Stock 54 p.c., Feb., 1937, £9B 2s6d; Govt. Bonds, 5i p.c., Sept., 1937, £9B 7s 6d Sales reported: Govt, bonds, 4J p.c., 1938, £94 12s 6d; Govt, bonds, 44 p.c., 1938, *£92 ss; Bank of New Zealand, £2 3s 3d; National Insurance, 11s 9d. *Ex inAuckland. —Govt, bonds, 54 p.c., 1933, £9B- do., 54 p.c., 1936, £93 10s; Inscr. Stock, 5A p.c., 1937, £95; do., 54, p.c., 1933, £9B’ do 54 p.c., Sept,, 1937, £9B 10s; Mt. Roskell Road Board, 5 3-4 p.c., 1960, £93 103; Bank of New South Wales, £24 12s 6d;’ Bank of New Zealand, £2 3s 3d; Wright, Stephenson, pref., 14s 104 d; Auckland Gas (2), £1 Ob 6d; Wilson’s Cement, £1 5s 9d; Wai’hi, 16s 7d. Christchurch.— Lyttelton Harbour Board, 54 p.c., 1933. £99; Goldsbrough, Mort £1 Is lOd, £1 2s; Westport Coal. 18s; Golden Dawn (8), 5s lid; Golden PSint, 44d, 4d; Mahakipawa. (2), 3d; Okarito, 9s 6d. Sales reported :' Lyttelton Harbour Board, 54 p.c., 1933, £99; National Insurance, 11s gd-’ N.Z ’ Farmers’ Co-ou. stock, 64 p.c., 1940, £4O 10s. To-morrow being St. Georges Day, the stock exchanges throughout Now Zealand will be closed and will also be closed on Monday, Anzao Day, being a statutory holiday. FOREIGN EXCHANGES. LONDON, April 20. The following rates on foreign exchanges were current to-day, as compared with

N.Z. GOVT. LOANS— £ s. d £ a. d. 4i p.c. Bonds, 1938 ... 94 0 0 95 0 0 4i p.c. Bonds, 1939 ...x92 0 0 — 5£ p.c. Bonds, 1936 ... 98 0 0 — 5£ p.c. Ins. Stk., Feb. Sept,, 1937 98 0 0 — H Ins. Stock, 1939 ...x92 0 0 — Ditto, 1938 94 0 0 95 0 0 5i ]).c. Ins. Stk., Feb., 1937 98 0 0 — Ditto, Sept., 1937 98 2 6 — DEBENTURES— Well. Racing Club ... — 90 0 0 Dunedin City 5i p.c., 1944 93 0 0 — Well. City, 5i p.c., 1940 94 0 0 — Makerua l>rn. 13rcl., 6 p.c., 1950 — 95 0 0 BANKS— Australasia 9 0 0 — Commercial Aust., ord 0 13 10 — Commercial Bank. Co. Sydney — 14 0 0 National N.Z 3 6 6 — New South Wales ... 24 0 0 25 5 0 New Zealand 2 3 3 2 3 6 Union of Aust. ' 6 11 0 6 14 6 FINANCIAL— Dalgcty and Co 7 0 0 — Equitable Bldg. Co. ... — 6 17 6 Abraham and Williams, pref — 3 5 0 Goldsbrough, Wort ... 1 1 6 — N.Z. Guar. Corp., ord 0 4 0 0 4 5 Well. Trust and Loan — 5 16 0 GAS— Auckland — 1 1 b Wellington, ord 1 7 0 — INSURANCE— National — 0 11 10 New Zealand — 1 16 6 MEAT PRESERVING— Gear 1 66 — N.Z. Refrigerat, (£1) 0 11 0 — Ditto, ord — 0 9 0 TRANSPORT— Union Steam, pref. ... — 1 0 9 P. and 0. Stock — 1 0 6 WOOLLEN— Wellington, ord 4 4 0 — Ditto, pref 4 5 0 — TIMBER— National —* 0 6 0 Leyland-O’Brien — 1 i 0 Taringamutu — 0 b 0 BREWERIES— Carlton 1 5 6 — New Zealand — 1 b 8 Tooth and Co 1 2 8 — MISCELLANEOUSBritish Tobacco, ord. 1 6 5 1 7 0 Colonial Sugar 37 0 0 — Electro. Zinc, pref. ... 0 18 5 — Howard Smith, ord. ... 0 3 0 0 7 9 National Electric — 0 10 0 Woolworths, pref. ... 1 3 0 — Ditto, new f. paid .. — 1 4 6 MINING— Mount Lyell — 0 18 7 Waihi 0 7 0 17 0 Mahakipawa — 0 0 4 xNote.—41 p.c. Govt. Stocks and Bonds, 1939, are ex interest paid April 20.

pnr : April 20. Par. New York, dol. to £1 ... 3.763 4.866 4.19 4.866 Paris, francs to £1 95.50 124.21 26.90 35.00 19.40 25.225 Amsterdam, florins to £1 9.30 12.107 73.25 92.46 15.85 20.43 20.375 18.159 Copenhagen, knr. to £1 . 18.25 20.625 18.159 18.159 *32 34.585 Prague, knr. to £1 128.25 164.25 — Helsingfors, marks to £1 215 48 3-16 193.23 25.225 Lislxm, esc. to £1 110.25 4.50 300 375 Bucharest, lei to £1 650 813.60 Rio do J., p. to mil 4i 16.70 B. Aires, p. to peso 36i 47.62 M. Video, p. to peso *29 18 Calcutta, p. to rup 18 1-16 Shanghai, p. to tael 18 29-32 H.-Kong, p. to dol Y’hama, p. to yen 14a 21.125 24.582 12.107 Batavia, gl. to £1 9.31 ’Nominal.