FAMING NEWS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 263, 5 October 1936, Page 5

FAMING NEWS.

RURAL RAKINGS. The largest and longest consignment of stock from North Auckland ever sent south was railed this week. This is the outcome of the big Broadwood cattle sale last ' week. The record train comprised 41 trucks, conveying 400 head from Akoihau to Maxwell, near Wanganui, a distance of 510 miles.

Balclutfia farmers are complaining that when everything pointed to an early spring operations in the field have been held up by the bad weather experienced in September. Old residents affirm that it has been the worst September experienced for many years. Tho highest price paid for a beef cow at the Westfield stock sales in the past seven years was obtained this week, when a huge Shorthorn, weighing over 10001 b, was sold for £ls ss. It was among a choice consignment from a Wanganui farmer, which averaged £l2 5s lOd each. With tho general improvement in beef values over the past two months, several high prices have been received, although before this weok the best figure recorded was £l3. A remarkable number of prime spring lambs for this time of the year came'on to the Westfield market at Auckland on Wednesday. There were over 150 of them, more than ten times as many as at any previous sale this season. This sudden influx is due in part to the high prices up to £1 17s 9d, which liavo been realised during the past weeks, but the favourable early spring is the main cause. —Auckland Star.

There should be the best lambing percentages for a long time in the Gisborne district, but sheepfarmers complain that there arc too many twine. Twins fatten moro slowly than single lambs. One farmer reports 500 sets of twins, and while he expected to send away a large percentage with the first shipment of the season, he anticipated the 1000 twins would not bo ready until January or February. Other farmers have similar experiences, but, one reports as low as 60 per cent, of lambs.

One of tho first prosecutions under the regulations relating to bobby calves was brought in tho Pukckohe Magistrate’s Court before Mr F. H. Levien, S.M., when an inspector of the Society for the Prevention of Cruolty to Animals proceeded against George Harvey, carrier, of Bombay. The charge was that, on August 27, at Pokeno defendant conveyed six calves each of less weight than lOOlb and unfit by reason of weakness or immaturity to be driven or conveyed to the place at which they were intended to be slaughtered for human consumption. Defendant was fined £2 10s.

Endorsement of tho principle of the proposed recording, instruction, and research scheme for the pig industry has been given by the South Taranaki executive of the Farmers’ Union. An amendment that the executive should oppose the suggested levy of 2d a pig was lost wy ten votes to six, most of tho members not directly interested in pig farming refraining from voting. Tho Manawatu-Oroua Pig Recording Club wrote seeking- the executive’s approval of the scheme announced by the Government. The letter pointed out the need for more scientific methods in the pig industry and mentioned that last year 25 per cent, of the pigs killed were condemned for export.

Two To Pol (Matamata) farmers, Messrs P. Rushtou and G. Bellamy, have suffered a loss estimated at well over £IOO through the killing of sheep worried by dogs, and further loss due to the flock through being hunted, and tho fact that the ewes killed were young ones. Mr TayLor, manager for Mr Rusliton, reports that 36 owes and five lambs were worried on his employer’s property and three lambs were killed. On'Wednesday Mr Taylor brought in for sale in Matamata 33 skins taken from killed sheep. Of the four dogs which caused tho damage three have been killed after several days’ effort, and one is still at large.