THE RURAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23691, 24 December 1938, Page 3

THE RURAL WORLD

FARM AND STATION NEWS

By . RUSTICUS.

v Items of interest to those engaged in agricultural and pastoral pursuits, with a view to their publication in these columns, will be welcomed. They should be addressed to Rusticus, Otago Daily Times, Dunedin.

1938-39 WOOL SEASON *■ ROSTER OF SALE UATEo The following roster of sale uates for the 1938-39 season has been drawu -up by the New Zealand Woo) Commit tee:— Januarv 9 (9 ajn.).—Wellington ... January 14 19 a.ra.).—Napier January 19 (9 a.m.).-Wanganui January 24 (9 a.m.).—Auckland January 30 (9 a.m.).—ChJistchurch February 3 (2 p.m.).—lnvercargill February 8 (9 ajn.).—Dunedin February 15 (9 a.m.).—Wellington February 20 (9 a.m.).-Napier February 24 (2.30 p.m.).-wangai.ui ... Mareb 3 (9 a.m.) —Christchurcb March 7 (8 a.m.).—Timaru ,; "March 11 (2 p.m.)— Invercargill , March 16 (9 a.m.) —Dunedin. ■March 23 (9 a.m.)-Wellington March 27 (9 a.m.).—Auckland. March 30 (2.30 p.m.) -Wanganul April 3 (9 a.n.).—Napier April 14 (9 a.m.) Christcnurch April 19 (9 a.m.).—Dunedin. April 24 (9a.m.l- Wellinetoa w 1938-39 SHOW SEASON ROSTER OF DATES Summer shows have been arranged for the 1938-39 season at: follows: December 27—Tuapeka, at Lawrence 1939. T anuary 14.—Waitati. January 21.—Waikouaiti. January 27.—Palmerston-Waihemo. at . Paunerston. March 4.—Central Otago, at Omakau. March 11.—Mount Benger. at Miller's Flat '• ■ March 18.—Upper Clutha, at Pembroke. ; '"■ '' '"■'' March 18.—Temuka and Geraldine. at ■ , Winchester. . , Mfrrch. i 22.—Lake County, at Lake April,' at' MiddleApril? - Highland, at airlle ' ',-'.: : . Frisian's Milk Record "'■;'" The British Friesian and what probably is an English all-breeds record milk production for 36f» days Jsy a first-calf heifer has stood at 2356 gallons for some years, but now not one, but two, first-calf Friesian heifers have exce&Gd it. One, Vermuyden Buttercup, gave 2560 gallons, and at the end was.still yielding five gallons daily, and the other - Barwyke Buttercup, produced 2445 gallons, and was giving 4* gallons daily at the finish. Records such as these, added to the fact that close on 1000 Friesians in England have produced 2000 gallons or more of milk in yearly tests, explain the breed's world-wide' popularity. In England.this-is.evidenced by the fact that, to date,' over.2oo new members have'..been, enrolled 'by the British Friesimn Society this .year; %,,' .:,.. i i; Pigs Need Exercise « Pigs kept continuously irj: styes or small-'.runs spend most of their«time w tfyirig .to 'getJdut of the ericrosure?......They are J 'hcft- , giWd" , 'a'riy' cha'Sce ■ ot > exercjse n .and, what they go |o the: ; curer or ;'pork' butcfte? they", fail to measure up to the full requirements of their class. Feeding and farm organisation may be perfect; large litter weights and early 'maturity" may.'be the watchwords of -;'management, and careful selection of .breeding stock;may be till that is de- ; siraule, but if the. pigs have been denied opportunities for plenty of natural exercise they will be found ; to be-unbalanced in fat arid lean when ■ they are cut up. Breeding, feeding, ;.and open air management are fundamentals in successful pig farming. ' Jerusalem - Artichokes The Jerusalem artichoke should attract much more attention as a crop ■than it does at resent, more particu-larly-by pig raisers in the drier farming districts, for not only is it drought resistant, but its tubers are highly nutritious as well. The yield, which is controlled by the soil and seasonal may range from six to eight i-tons or more an acre, and, although the plant does 1 best on good friable ■loams, it will thrive on sandy, gravelly •or clayey soils, which enables the ; poorer patches of soil on the farm to be put to a profitable use. The area .dnterided for Jerusalem artichokes should be prepared in much the same way as for potatoes. • The crop may be planted in early spring in furrows three feet apart, with the sets two feet ■ apart. This spacing with medium-sized tubers will entail the use of between 4cwt and scwt an acre. As with maize and potatoes, until the crop is four inches high, all cultivation can be done with tined harrows working across the drills. Afterwards the cultivator will have to be used as the condition of the soil and weed growth necessitates. ■, ,}. .■.-,..' Preventing Hydatids Beginning next year, owners of dogs In New Zealand will be required to give their animals regular treatment for the prevention of hydatids. The new Dog Registration Amendment Act. making this action compulsory, comes into force on January 1, when authorities controlling the registration of dogs and the supply of collars will be . required to distribute the approved remedy. Every person registering a dog will be given a year's supply of arecolirie hydrobromide, with instructions for its use. The remedy will be supplied in tablet fo'rm, and the dogs will have to be treated every three months, one tablet being given for each 151 b of body weight. It is hoped in • this way to prevent the spread of the disease. Loss of Younst Pigs -• ■-■-Of allthe difficulties with which the pig-raiser has to contend, none involves such heavy financial loss as that associated with mortality in young pigs prior to the stage and age at which they «re ready for market. Probably 25 per cent; of the average litter of pigs is lost before weaning age (eight weeks).

The commonest cause of death before weaning is lack of attention at the time of farrowing, a number of pigs being suffocated at birth or killed by the sow. Premature birth also causes considerable loss. It must be remembered that pregnant sows may be underfed and improperly prepared for farrowing in several ways. Lack of succulent green food, drinking water, mineral matter, readily digestible food, and also want of exercise are frequent causes of trouble at farrowing time. The remedy on many farms lies in providing necessary supplements to the food supply. Strict limitation of the food supply a l day or two before farrowing is neces- ' sary. Careful feeding, a clean, dry nicely-bedded pen with suitable farrowing guards, and quiet surroundings m which the sow can settle down are very important. Losses after weamns also are unusually heavy where management is slack. The period dating from the eighth to the twelfth week after birth is one of the most susceptible in the life of a pig. The system adopted should aim at feeding the young pig in such a way that there will be. no check in growth before, at the time of, or after weaning. Care should always be taken to minimise the " shock " of the change over from the sow's milk to other foods by providing, for instance, a separate pen in which the young pigs can feed apart from the sow. ■ The greatest check in growth results from the young pigs having to contend with older nigs at the feeding trough. Additional hindrances are overcrowding, filth, dampness, parasite infestation, and lack of clean drinking water. Stud Suffolk Importation The Canterbury (N.Z.) Seed Company. Oakleigh Estate, Leeston. who have very successfully bred Southdowns for, a number of years, recently imported a number of shearling stud Suffolk ewes. Following up this purchase, these people have now completed the purchase through Messrs Dalgety and Co., Ltd., of the grand champipn Suffolk ram at the last Adelaide Royal Show held during September. The ram purchased was also first in his class for rams under one year and a-half, and was a twin lamb by Allendale Century, grandsire Liberty Hall Monarch. The Seed Company's last purchase is a very low-set sheep, and has a splendid back and excellent head. He was bred and exhibited by Mr Allan Day, one of the most successful breeders exhibiting at the Adelaide and Melbourne Shows this year. His sire, Liberty Hall Monarch, was bred by Mr J. T. Murray, of Liberty Hall, Woodside, and was grand champion at the Adelaide Royal Show in 1935. Advertising Meat The Pastoral Review states that the Australian Meat Board has been considering the need for advertising Australian lamb on the. same lines as adopted by the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board and the Argentine Meat Corporation. It is pointed out that New Zealand producers have decided.to spend £33,000 on advertising this year, while Argentine is understood to be spending-£4OOO a -jnonth .on .chilled beef publicity alone. „ Endeavours have been made in England 3 for; some time past to launch an advertising campaign for home-killed meat. So far no action has been taken The National Farmers' Union is considering the best means of tackling the problem. MUTTON AND LAMB POSITION MAINTAINED NEW ZEALAND'S IMPORTANT TRADE ECONOMIC COMMITTEE'S'REVIEW (From Our Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail) LONDON, Nov. 18. New Zealand maintained its position in 1937 as the most important exporting country of mutton and lamb, the Imperial Economic Committee states ip its latest report on meat. The Dominion's trade in this produce represented' about one-sixth of the value of her total exports. It comprised 3,500,000 cwt. and. together with Australia, New Zealand supplied 75 per cent, of the United Kingdom's requirements, The Dominion also greatly increased its exports of chilled beef in 1937. The total was 307,000 cwt. as compared with 240,000 in 1936, while the total of chilled and frozen beef rose from 740,000 cwt to 850,000 cwt. Production of pig meat, however, fell from 958,000 cwt in 1936 to 878,000, and the exports of pork from 605,000 cwt to 600,000 cwt. The bulk of this was shipped to Britain, who received from New Zealand 593,000 cwt of pork as compared with 579,000 cwt in 1936. New Zealanders, together with Australians, it is stated, are the greatest meat eaters in the world. The average person in those two countries eats well over 2001 b yearly. Consumption in Argentine is about the same. In Great Britain and Canada average consumption per head is 1401 b. in the United States 1251 b Germany 1151 b. and France 901 b. New Zealanders and Australians mostly eat mutton, lamb and beef. The English appetite places beef first, then pig meat, and then mutton. Germans eat more pig meat than beef. Frenchmen more beef than pig meat. Neither pay much attention to mutton. World Trade The tptal amount, of meat entering world trade last yekr showed an appreciable increase on the total for 1936. and the downward ]movement which prevailed in the preceding'five vears appears to have been reversed. World production and consumption of beef cannot yet be determined for 1937, but they were probably even

greater than the high figure attained in 1936. The quantity entering national trade amounted to nearly 16,000,000 cwt, and was heavier than any year since 1928. Imports into the United Kingdom increased, and a larger proportion (29 per cent.) of the total came from Empire countries. Germany, continuing her purchases from Argentina and Uruguay, also imported apparently heavier quantities than in 1936. Price Recovery The recovery in the price of homeproduced beef in the United Kingdom continued, and quotations for imported beef also advanced. All descriptions Showed a further increase in price during the early months of 1938, but this movement was checked during the summer. The production of beef and veal in Great Britain, which had increased by more than 1,500,000 cwt between 1930 and 1936, declined slightly in 1937, but accounted for nearly onehalf of total supplies. The per caput consumption of beef and veal is estimated at 691 b as against 701 b in, 1036. World trade in mutton and lamb mcceased slightly in 1937, following five-year period of decline. Imports into the United Kingdom were heavier than in any year since 1932. Production in Great Britain continued to fall, but consumption per head increased by lib to the equivalent of 301 b per head. An improvement in prices for home-produced mutton and lamb in the first eight months of 1937 was followed by a marked decline in late autumn, and this movement continued in 1938. The total pig meat production declined in 1937, owing mainly to a reduction in slaughterings in the United States, but production is expected to increase in. that country next year when European slaughterings also may be heavier. Trade in pig meat is still dominated by United Kingdom imports of bacon and hams, which recovered slightly in 1937 after a heavy reduction in the four preceding years. The share of Empire countries in this trade has risen from 5 per cent, in 1932 to 29 per pent, in 1937, but Denmark still supplies nearly one-half of the total. BRITAIN'S BUTTER SUPPLY FALL DURING OCTOBER BUT BIGGER 10 MONTHS' SUPPLY Imports of butter into the United Kingdom declined further during October, and were 4 per cent. lighter than in the same month last year, the •Imperial Economic Committee stated in the latest issue of its Weekly Dairy Produce Notes. Receipts from Empire countries were reduced by 5 per cent.; shipments from New Zealand declined by 22 per cent. ; but those from Australia and Eire increased by 32 per cent, and 28 per cent, respectively. Shipments from Scandinavian countries increased, entries from Denmark being 5 per cent, greater than a year earlier, but the total from Baltic countries declined, although receipts from Latvia increased by 5 per cent. Imports from the Netherlands also were reduced. Appreciable supplies came fr» tT South America. Total imports in the first 10 months of the current year were 3 per cent, heavier than in the same period last year. For New Zealand, they were 2.177.713 cwt, compared with 2,449.438; for Australia, they were 1,389,378 cwt (1.108,564 cwt); for Canada, they were 26.752 cwt (12 607 cwt); for Denmark, they were 2.026.895 cwt (1.923,728 cwt); for Latvia. 301,409 cwt (188.557 cwt): for Lithuania 208,008 cwt (17",760cwt). The total of imports in the United Kingdom from all sources during the 10-month period were 7.090,778 cwt. as compared with 7.889.375 cwt a year ago. YOUNG FARMERS LINCOLN COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT Mr A. C. Cameron, chairman oi the Otaao and Southland Council. New Zealand Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs, advises that out of 20 applications received from members of Young Farmers' Clubs throughout the South Island, George Osborne Fallow of Thornbury, Southland, has been selected as the holder of the Canterbury Agricultural College Old Students' Association Scholarship for 1939. tenable for one year at Lincoln College. The successful applicant is a son oi Mr John Fallow, a well-known farmer in Thornbury, Southland. He is 23 years of age. and is the present chairman of the Thornbury Young Farmers' Club, in which he has taken an active interest since its inception some years ago. He has also served a term as secretary of the club, and in addition to being its representative on the Southland District Committee, he ts one of the Southland representatives on the Otago and Southland Council of the Federation. In addition to the work he has done for the Young Farmers' Club Move-

ment, Fallow has taken an active interest in various activities in his district. He is a member of the Anzac Memorial Committee, Thornbury Public Hall Committee, Thornbury Presbyterian Bible Class and Miniature Rifle Club. He is also a particularly good debater. He has been working on his father's sheep and dairy farm at Thornbury since December, 1931, and prior to that had three years' secondary education at the Southland Technical High School. The Selection Committee, Messrs Alan Grant (farmer, Waimate), R. McGillivray (fields superintendent, Department of Agriculture, Christchurcn), J. M. Smith (fields superintendent. Department of Agriculture, Dunedin), and A. C. Cameron (Dunedin), report that, generally speaking, they, were satisfied with the standard of applications received this year, some of them being outstanding. Several promising applications had to be passed over because the young fellows concerned were young and had not had much opportunity to prove themselves in Young Farmers' Club work, but in the opinion of the' selectors, one or two of these will have to be reckoned with during the next year or two. Generally speaking, the standard of the Southland applicants was higher than elsewhere in the South Island. In the opinion of the selectors, the qualifications of several of the applicants warrants an endeavour being made to get additional 1939 scholarships for Southland and Canterbury provinces, and steps will be taken in this connection early in the New Year. ABERDEEN-ANGUS EXPORTS' NOTED BULLS FOR NEW ZEALAND TWO BUYERS (From Our Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail) LONDON, Nov. 24. With the opening at the beginning of December of the export season for cattle for Australia and New Zealand, a number of Aberdeen-Angus will this week be forwarded to the quarantine station in London, Five bidls are being shipped to the order of Mr J. A. McFarlane, New Zealand. Two were purchased from Captain F. B. Atkinson, of GalloWhill, Morpeth, Northumberland—Pericles of Gallowhill, of the Pride of Aberdeen family, and Event of Gallowhill, a member of the well-known Gammer of Banks family. They are both by Elver of Gallowhill. Pericles is out of Peeress of Candacraig, bred by Mr F. L. Wallace, of Candacraig, Strathdon. Event has for dam Eva of Gallowhill 3rd. From Messrs J. and D. McG. Petrie, Mains of Asleid, New Deer, there was acquired the yearling bull Embleso, by Eldo of Ballindalloch, a son of the Caithness Champion, Erfurt of Harviestoun, and out of* Evabona. by Boxer of Ballindalloch. From Captain A. L. Goodson, ol K'lham. there was acquired the yearling bull, Eulogist 2nd of Kilham, by Beltane of Bleaton, a son of Escort of Ballindalloch, while his dam is Eulima 81st. Also included in the exports to New Zealand is the yearling bull Jeddo Eric, bred and purchased from Mr J E. Kerr, of Harviestoun. He is by Evershot of Bywell, a son of the champion bull, Pelorous of Bywell, and is out of Jewel Erica, by Guardian of Candacraig. For another breeder in New Zea land there has been despatched the ten-months-old bull calf Hayston Elmore, from the herd of Messrs J and J. L. Whyte Hayston Angus This young bull is by the pride sire Prince Mentor of Sandyknowe, bred by Messrs T. and H. Templeton, and a son of the Harviestoun-bred Jack Eric, while hit. dam is the Enchantress Erica, cow, Elma 10th of Hayston by Boxer of Cults. Bulls and heifers are to be shipped to Australian buyers and also to Kenya.