NEWS AND VIEWS

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 196, 21 August 1935, Page 12

NEWS AND VIEWS

Topics of Fanning Interest THE CALF SEASON One item in the programme oi eliminating parasitic trouble in the rearing of calves should be the attention given to the calf paddock. Firstly, when was the calf paddock last changed? The ground quickly becomes contaminated with lung and stomach worm parasites and the calf paddock should therefore never be a permanent one. Certaiuly the golden rule is to change the calf paddock every year and by this sane procedure disease troubles will be to a large extent eliminated. Bobby Calf Trade. Describing the bobby calf trade as the cruellest part of the farming industry, Mr G. A. Cook, speaking at a meeting of the Waikato sub-provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union, advocated an investigation of the trade from the farmer’s gate to the freezing works. Mr Cook said that when trucks were unloaded at the works calves had been iound trampled to a pulp. Other instances of cruelty to bobby calves were quoted, and the meeting decided to request information as to the truth of the allegations from the .Railways Department, Transport Board, freezing companies, and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. How They Have Varied. The fluctuations in the average prices obtained by New Zealand wuolgrowers during the past ten years are shown in a table included in the annual report of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board. It concerns only wool sold in the Dominion at the roster sales during that period:—

Romney Competition. The olfer of a gold challenge cup for the best-wooiled Romney ram of any age exhibited at the Royal Show was made to a recent meeting of the council of the Royal Agricultural Society of New Zealand by Sir William Perry, and, needless to add, was accepted with enthusiasm. Sir William undertook also to meet the expenses of a replica of the cup for five years. Later iie forwarded the following conditions to govern the competition:—“ .... To be judged by the judge of the open and unhoused sections and an expert appointed by the association conducting the Royal Show. The cup to be won three times in succession or five times at intervals before becoming the property of any exhibitor.”

Tastes in Meat, Is the British taste for food alterButchers and - beef fatteners in England have been very much coneernabout the position, according to Mr P. A. Openshaw, chairman of directors of the Lepperton Co-operative Dairy Company. “Beef, which used to be popular as the Englishman’s diet, is now taking second place,” he said at the annual meeting. “Mutton, lamb, pork, poultry and fish have supplauted it.” Lambing Season Starts Badly.

The sudden change to boisterous and squally wind and rain proved disastrous to early lambing ewes iu South Taranaki. One farmer found eight dead lambs in his paddock, and a stock firm reports that the xveathcr has accounted for a number of lambs throughout the district. It w-as not a good start for the lambing season. Destroying Rabbits. Over 14,060 rabbits have been accounted for since the beginning of' June by the boards operating between the Patea and Wangaebu Rivers— Patea-Waitotara, Wanganui and Wangaebu. Poisoning by strychnine has brought about the large death roll. When the first board was formed the use of strychnine poisoning was not favoured," but it has heen proved to be very effective. Some farmers were opposed to it on the ground of its severity and the consequent danger to stock and dogs. It has been found, however, since the Wanganui district campaign has heen taken in hand under the experienced direction of Mr O. A. Manning, Government Inspector, that this poison can be so spread as to reduce danger to stock to a minimum. So far as the Patea-Wai-totara Board is concerned, only one hogget has been lost as the result of strychnine poisoning.

Average Average price price Season a pound a bale d. £ s. d. 1925-26 11.93 17 1 8 1926-27 12.66 18 3 1 1927-28 16.89 24 5 0 1928-29 14.99 21 8 9 1929-31) 8.59 12 2 2 1930-31 5.66 7 19 8 1931-32 5.27 7 10 9 1932-33 5.18 7 10 6 1933-34 11.32 16 8 S 1934-35 6.52 9 7 2