FARM TOPICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25048, 11 November 1944, Page 5

FARM TOPICS

NEW DAIRY SEASON GOOD EARLY PRODUCTION Better growing conditions have been welcomed in farming districts after the adverse effects of the cold, drying winds which followed most of tho October rains. The response of pastures to some warm sunshine has been excellent and the feed > and cropping outlook has greatly improved. More sunshine is needed for the development of lambs which have become backward as a result of tho cold and wot weather in October. In spite of those conditions, which were inclined to slgw up production in the Inst few weeks, the new dairying season has made a satisfactory start in most districts and there is every indication that output since the opening of the season on August 1 is much better than last year. Early figures for the season are very convincing. Returns of butterfat production compiled for the first two months of the season show a distinct improvement over the output for the corresponding period of tho 1.943-44 season, although those two months relatively were not good producing months. Testing turns indicated that by far the greater" part of the increase in production was due to increased production per cow. Every district showed an increase in these first two months, South Auckland and the South Island reaching as high as 21 per cent above the butterfat production achieved in the opening two months of 1943-44. North Auckland was 13 per cent higher; Wellington, 17 per cent; Bay of Plenty, 11 per cent; and Taranaki and Hawke's Bay-Gisborne, 7 per cent. The total increase in butterfat production for the Dominion on tho returns from approximately 92 per cent of the factories was 16 per cent, representing over 6,400,0001b more butterfat. Returns of the Auckland Herd Improvement Association show that during October 1727 herds, comprising 91,715 cows, were tested, the average j yield being 8181b milk and 38.11b fat 1 Fur the corresponding month of 1943. | a total of 1447 herds of 74.540 cows were handled, the average production j a cow being 7081b milk and 34.51b fat.! The highest group in the association in October was Walton, where eight herds with a total of 677 cows gave an average of 8991b of milk and 441b fat. Kaipaki had the highest herd, the 36 cows, comprising it yielding an average of 591b fat. PRODUCTION IN DENMARK EFFECTS OF OCCUPATION The view that tho dairy herds of Denmark had not been seriously impaired as a result of the war and that it might not be long before competition from this source again existed, expressed recently by Mr C. J. Parlane, general manager of the New Zealand Co-oper-ative Dairy Company, has been amplified by information obtained by the New Zealand Dairy Board. Denmark was the chief butter exporting country in Europe, and according to the information secured by the board there was a decline in dairy production between 1939 and 1942 of approximately 32 per cent. The total number of milking cows in 1939 was placed at 1,610,000 and in 1942 at 1,390,000. The serious effect of war conditions is reflected in the average production per cow, which has declined from 3161b butter-fat in 1939 to 2481b in 1942. The board states that presumably the production returns refer to tested cattle in Denmark, but as these number between 40 per cent and 50 per cent of the total cows, the averages are regarded as quite significant for the industry as a whole. DAIRY SUPPLY ORDER RFTFXTf ON IN MEANTIME The Dairy Board has postponed until March further consideration of the question ot a reversion to the Dairy Produce Regulations, 1938, in place of the Dairy Supply Order, 1942. Under the order dairy farmers are tied to supplying certain stipulated factories and are prevented from changing either from factory to factory, or from butter to cheese or vice versa. Under the regulations a period of two months each year is allowed during which suppliers may change over to another factory if they so wish. The Department of Agriculture recently sought the opinion of the board on the question of a reversion to the regulations in view of the support for this action which existed in some districts. The board then decided to support the revocation of the Dairy Supply Order. The board's decision to postpone further consideration until the the autumn is the outcome of a letter from the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Roberts, received at the October meeting. The Minister pointed out that an immediate reversion to control by regulations would result in the deletion of the twomonthly period, which would be unfair to those suppliers who had complied with the order. Present indications, the Minister stated, were that given, an open choice, there would be a very considerable change-over to cheese, which would result in the manufacture of cheese in excess of the quantity asked for by Britain and a corresponding reduction in butter, which was the first priority. In view of that position and the original purpose of the order the Minister felt that its retention was still necessary. SOLDIER SETTLER DEMANDS MOVE TO MEET STOCK NEEDS The Waikato Returned Services' Association feels that the position regarding stock for ex-servicemen settlers is likely to become a problem when the placing of returned men on subdivided farms takes place. In a move to try to meet these extra needs and keep down prices which this extraordinary demand, especially for dairy cattle, would create, farmer members of .the association have been asked by means of circular to rear a few additional heifers each year beyond their ordinary requirements. ABERDEEN LAMB PRICES HIGH MARKET QUOTATIONS Writing with regard to the prices of fat lambs in Now Zealand and the United Kingdom, "R.H.C." states that in Scotland before tho war lambs used to sell for about 150 per cent more than the price New Zealand growers obtained for their lambs, which was a reasonable difference considering the climate. "R.H.C." continues;—"ln a letter just received from Aberdeen it is stated that, a relative had obtained the same price for his lambs as last year, namely £i 4s in the open market. Last vear the average price in New Zealand was 245. Why tins difference?" The writer adds that 102 lambs were sold for £7 4s and 100 seconds for £6 9s. Judging from the prices quoted by the writer the Aberdeen lambs sold must have been a line of outstanding quality since the prices are substantially higher than current English mnrket-quotations. As a result they cannot bo regarded ns an indication of general market conditions in the United Kingdom. According to the latest Farmer and Stock Breeder, an English publication, the average price for tegs or hoggets for the week ending August 19, 1944, was 65*s, while for the week ending August 19 it was _ 62£s. Tho average for the corresponding week of 1943 was 555. The range quoted from Aberdeen, which probably produces the highest-priced lamb in the British home trade, was 49s to 110s. Around the sheep sales the same journal quoted the following prices for lambs:—-269 lambs 60s, against 54s Od the previous vear and 330 lambs averaging 73s Oil F\v<' lambs were quoted from 30s to 80s 0d: wether lambs. IDs to 88s, with one special breeding, line of ewe lambs to £5. Market realisations lor the best lambs in New Zealand for recent offerings have been: —Addington (Christchurch). 35s to 39s 10d: Burnside (Dunedin), 38s 6d to 435.