THE RURAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23907, 7 September 1939, Page 2

THE RURAL WORLD

FARM AND STATION NEWS

By RUSTICUS.

Itwn* of intere»t lo tkote «ngasretl in agricultural and pastoral purtuit*, with ■ view to tKeir publication in these columns, will be welcomed. Th*y should be addressed to Rusticwi, Otago Daily Times, Dunedia

MEW ZEALAND WOOL SALES DATES FOR 1939-40 The following dates have been fixed for the 1939-40 wool sales in New Zealand, the date of commencement of the sales lacing 9 a.m. unless otherwise stated:— November 25. —Auckland. December I.—Napier. December 6. —Wellington. December 11.—Christchurch, December 15.—Timaru, 7.30 a.m. December 19. —Dunedin. 1940 January B.—Wellington. January 13.—Napier. January 18.—Wanganui. January 23.—Auckland. 8 a.m. January 29.—Christchurch. February 2.—lnvercargill. 2 p.m. February 7.—Dunedin. February 14. —Wellington. February 19.—Napier. February 23.—Wanganui. 2 p.m, March I.—Christchurch. March s.—Timaru. March 9.—lnvercargill. 2 p.m. Additional sales will be arranged if sufficient quantity of wool is available

Welsh Cob for Hawke’s Bay Much interest was created when it was learned recently that Mr D. D. Stewart, of Wairoa, Hawke’s Bay, had purchased in England a Welsh cob stallion bred by Mr D J. Davies, of Llwynrheol. Llanarth, Cardiganshire, and imported through the Stud Stock Department of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company Ltd., in conjunction with their London office. A three-year-old black horse with a white star Lloyd George stands just ow. 15 hands; he was a second prizewinner at the Royal Show at Cardin last year. By Gwenog Welsh Flyer out of Oakford Black Bess, by Ceitho Welsh Comet from Oakford Puss, Lloyd George was originally named Oakford Welsh Flyer, but was reregistored before leaving England It <s confidently expected that this stallion will be a notable acquisition to the Hawke’s Bay district, and Mr Stewart deserveis congratulations on his foresight in arranging this importation. Whilst Welsh ponies are not numerous in New Zealand they have achieved some degree of popularity in Great Britain and ar to-day tyred a l°ng the Shropshire border and all over Wales. Good-looking animals, well developed, with good length of necK and well-laid shoulders, they are noted for their action, and generally attract much attention when exhibited, u has been said that the Welsh breed holds a certain degree of Arab blood, a statement that probably is based on the fact that these am ty u als . same colour and carry the tail in the same manner as the well-bred Arab. Australian Wool Supplies

The clip of the Commonwealth is estimated to be 3.096,500 bales this season of which 2.815,000 bales will be offered at Australian markets. Receipts of first-hand wools dunns the past season were 2 758.124 bales Carry-over stocks at June 30 last were 115,245 bales, being 123,023 bales less than- a year before. The quantity available for sale will therefore not show any appreciable change on last season’s total. A fair proportion of the carry-over stock has been sold privately since the close of the last season, but , a year previously business in the off-auction period was very quiet. The difference between the quantity held over for the two years is consequently greater than, the quoted figures indicate. No person can accurately state what level of price will be obtained for wool during .the season, but if variations occur in values for merinos, it will not be caused by much increased supplies for sale. The increased quantity of the sheep’s staple used since January last has kept the stock position abroad generally healthy, despite the heavier imports made by the United Kingdom, ]?rance, Belgium and the United States during the last 12 months.

Previous War-time Purchase Months ago a survey of storage facilities for wool and other arrangements on the principle of the British Government war-time wool purchase scheme were undertaken by the Australian Government authorities. Those steps were taken as a precaution in the event of war occurring. On Npveirtber 15, 1916, auctions in Australia ceased. The clip was bought at an average of 15id per lb. with growers participating in the profits made on the resale of wool not used for military purposes. The purchase scheme finished on June 30, 1920. Subsequently the British Australian Wool Realisation Association. Ltd., was formed to control the marketing of surplus wools which were sold simultaneously with the offering of the clips grown from 1920-21 onwards Wairarapa Romneys

An export record for Romney sheep was established recently with the shipment of 320 purebred ram hoggets from Wellington by the Wanganella, en route to Sydney. This large consignment was forwarded by the stud stock department of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company. Ltd., in fulfilment of an order received from New South Wales, and was drawn entirely from the Wairarapa district, 'recognised as the Dominion’s principal nursery of the breed. Although on occasions larger numbers of sheep have been shipped to Australia from Wellington, they have usually been made up of several breeds, and the most recent order is undoubtedly the consequence of the need for re-establishing the Commonwealth’s sheep population after last summer’s disastrous drought and fires. Officers engaged in the selection of the sheep were faced with a difficult task in providing an even line, it being necessary to draw upon eight studs to complete the number. However their efforts were remarkably successful and the result was a creditable standard of quality. Breeders who contributed rams for the consignment were Messrs H. Myers (Mauriceville), H. W. Lee and Son (Masterton). N. G. Rayner (Masterton), W. H. Corfield (Martinborough) A. and J. Gray (Masterton). Gray Brothers (Masterton), R. O. Rayner (Carterton), and the Buick Estate (Masterton)

Subterranean Clover Experiences in Australia, where subterranean clover has been the fodder plant responsible for bringing large areas of poor land into profit, have been that, for the first few years after being established on such land, this legume provides high yields of valuable pasture, particularly from the initial sowings. After a period varying from two to more than eight years, however, the yield and carrying capacity of the pastures diminish seriously. and inferior grasses crowd out the clover. Attempts to re-establish the subterranean clover in such areas are seldom successful, even after ploughing and the use of a vigorous strain of seed from some other locality. Several theories have been advanced to account for this “stalling,” as it is termed, and some aspects are being investigated by the Department of Agriculture in Western Australia. So far, in this Dominion, ’‘stalling” of subterranean clover has not been of wide occurrence, or at least has not been commented upon by growers, but from our knowledge of the effect of legumes such as subterranean clover in building up the nitrogen content of soil, and thus making it more suited to grow grasses than clovers, it is reasonable to suppose that this is what is causing the “ stalling ” in Australia.

Should such a condition become evident, the obvious course would be to work into the sward, by surface cultivation and idling, seeds of good grass species which would replace the weakening clover and so prevent the intrusion of useless weeds and grasses or low feeding value. Another treatment open to the tarmer who desires to maintain his subterranean clover sward for as long as possible would be to lime heavily—say at the rate of a ton per acre for two or three years in succession—to counteract the increasing acidity caused by accumulating nitrogen. Similar results in prolonging the life of the subterranean clover would be secured by top-dressing each year with two or three hundredweight per acre of superphosphate to maintain the alkalinity and phosphate content of the soil.

Wireworm in Old Grassland Wireworm is one of the chief problems which face farmers who are ploughing up old grassland this season m England (says The Times). Those who fear serious trouble should read the article which Dr Herbert Miles has contributed to this month’s issue of the Ministry of Agriculture Journal. The University of Manchester has undertaken investigations into the ways of the wireworm in Cheshire and elsewhere, and Dr Miles is able to write with the authority that comes with experience. No doubt in some cases roots or potatoes will be the first crops, and probably a considerable acreage will be resown directly with grass and clover seeds. But farmers who plough pasture in the summer and are able to b ry the turf and get the ground well worked before sowing autumn corn need not expect serious trouble from wireworm during the first year The wireworm will nave enough food in the old turf without attacking the cereal plants, and if the numbers of wireworms have been reduced by summer cultivations, allowing the birds to take their toll, so much the better During the second year after grass severe injury by wireworm may be expected, since only a small proportion of the insects have reached maturity and left the soil, and the turf, which is their normal food, is almost completely disintegrated. In Dr Miles’s opinion, although cereal crops are highly susceptible to attack, they are especially suitable for cultivation during this most difficult season. He points out that in a cereal crop there are 500,000 to 800,000 plants an acre, each with a potential capacity for developing a number of tillers, and gaps caused by the destruction of some plants by wireworms tend to be filled by the outward growth of the adjoining plants. Since sprouting gram is exceedingly attractive to wireworms. some advantage may be gained from - ' double sowing, half of the seed being sown the way of the ploughing and the remainder across the ploughing, rather rather more than the usual quantity of seed should be allowed.

Dr Miles recommends that the plants should be encouraged to make rapid growth by the use of a complete_ fertiliser in the seedbed, and the fertiliser may be sown with the seed. ( In seasons of high wireworm activity, bare patches may appear in the crop in the early spring. Growth and tillering should be stimulated by dressings of quick-acting nitrogenous manures in the early spring. There may still be trouble in the third year after plough-ing-up Suitable crops which do not appear to be particularly subject to wireworm are peas, beans, swedes, cabbage, rape, or kale. * LAMB MARKING NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS CARE AND CLEANLINESS ESSENTIAL Old-timers are only too ready to tell us that the time-honoured methods of marking and castration of lambs were well proved before any new-fangled notions about disease overtook the grazing world. Yet no one is able these days to get round the stern fact that our knowledge of these operations, their circumstances, and their consequences, has increased enormously m the last 10 years, and that it is possible nowadays to avoid nearly all losses except those due to severity of weather at the time of marking. Writing of one aspect in particular, blood-loss from the newly cut tail stump, anybody should see at once that it should be reduced to a minimum. But how? Coming to that presently, for the moment let us see what may happen to the lamb which loses one-quarter to half its blood from the tailing wound. Usually it is only this wound that is of consequence, as the pouch bleeds very little, and even when it does so seriously, the hemmorhage is not easily checked in a rapid operation such as this. The average lamb at marking time has somewhere around one pint of blood in its body. Half a cupful lost means one-quarter of the blood gone; and most of us have actually seen a lamb lose this much around the mark-ing-yard, shortly after tailing. Blood has two functions in the body, above all others. One is to convey fend materials to the tissues, and the other to carry oxygen so that the food substances may be burnt, for warmth is an essential to all living animal bodies. Reduced blood means less food material, scanty oxygen supply, and loss of warmth in the tissues That is why marked lambs dies so easily in cold snaps, resist infection badly, and probably what is most important of all are checked in their growth. Blood loss, consequently, is the first essentia] to prevent at marking, and it should be guarded against as an archenemy. But how? you are again asking. The answer is neither simple nor modern, but to anyone who will take the trouble it is certain in nearly every case. Searing Offers a Solution Most people have seen docked tails seared by a flat piece of heated iron That cannot be recommended because the method causes an extensive burn on the freshly cut stump, and burn poisoning is quite a serious complaint capable even of killing a lamb within 48 hours if very severe But the Sear-ing-iron is, nevertheless, most useful Pieces of round or square iron, about iin to iin in diameter, are pointed at the tips and placed in a fire-bucket Bag or wooden handles will protect the operator when using these. About three or four irons are needed A sound suggestion for these weapons is that medium-sized soldering-irons be used. Nothing could be more useful The irons, however, should only be heated to black heat, never red whichever type is used. When the tail is sliced off, the operator seizes the remaining stump firmly

between the thumb and forefinger of the free hand, drops the knife already in the other, and picks up one of the irons with his hand.

By releasing the pressure on the tail stump slightly two or three small arteries will be seen to squirt blood vigorously outwards, and to these only the point of the iron should be applied lightly. Just enough, in fact, to check the blood flow

Once this type of bleeding is stopped serious loss of blood is impossible. The unseared tissue may drip for some moments. but not so seriojisly as would warrant complete searing or to endanger the vitality of the lamb. A number of graziers use this method which is the only one for tailing. Many more have either discarded it or never entertained the idea because it is so slow or the results have been poor To the first objection, the answer is that lamb-marking is not a job for hurrying over. Ten lambs lost out of 1000 marked in one morning, or 1 per cent., are worth a day’s labour from 10 men; so, economically, marking and tailing should not be a fast slap-dash operation. To the second objection, It would seem that the searing has been too extensive, too slight, or too inefficiently done in these cases. A man who takes the trouble to improve his technique will work fast and well, with amazing results. Fly-proof Tails Following on the trials of Mule’s Operation, convincing evidence has been obtained that tails may be cut so that the skin will turn back over the stump, and what scar remains will be on the upper surface of the stump Research shows that a clean nonwoolly surface on the cut end gave greater immunity from fly-strike than whei. the wool grows on this area and so is subject to urine soiling by contact with the vulva. To secure the clean-skinned stump is relatively easy. The knife is placed vertically on the under surface of the tail, about three-quarters of an inch to one inch farther toward the tip of the tail than it is intended to make the cut.

Then it is slightly dug into the skin to “ fix ” the latter on the knife-edge. The whole is then slipped forward to the desired location for slicing-off. and the cut made in the usual way. This clean skin is puckered usually when pushed forward, but after the cut is finished it slides back and overhangs the cut end considerably. When healing occurs the clean skin edge joins the wool-bearing edge on the upper surface of the tail. This modification of the usual marking technique is no slower to apply than the straight cut-off. It is certainly a great help against fly-strike on the tail, however, and should be universally adopted. It actually is one of those things against which there is no argument Disinfectants and Infection

The role of disinfectant or dip. as it is popularly called, in marking has been rather misunderstood in the past. Any disinfectant should not be regarded as something that places a germ-proof coating over raw. bleeding surfaces. The truth here is that, as soon as such a surface commences to bleed, it will wash away any antiseptic very rapidly. In any case the latter is of doubtful assistance in healing or cleansing the wound. Because this false conception must be thrown aside, the important thing to watch is avoidance of any chance infection of the cut edges, so far as is humanly possible. This is where losses are prevented most of all. Dressings and dips certainly have another role, in that they impregnate the wool, and, if suitable, may repel blowflies. Hence the marking disinfectant attempts two things alone — the repulsion of flies from the wound, and the cleansing of the operator’s hands and instruments between lambs. The first requirement is not easy to secure, and is the subject of considerable research at the moment. The second property—disinfection of hands and knives, clams etc., so that germs from one lamb are not carried to the •next one—is fairly easily achieved with any good sheep dip (phenol), and some of the newer disinfectants. The latter are made up in strength of one part disinfectant to 200 of clean water, while phenol is used one part in 25 of water. The only essential now is the complete immersion of hands and instruments momentarily, when each lamb is finished. It is the soil germs n a lamb’s fleece that are dangerous, and these are dealt with if such immersion is practised. Tetanus and Blood Poisoning

Many thousands of _ lambs are lost every year from either of these diseases, which are equally fatal and devastating. They can be prevented relatively easily, as there are two things responsible for most of the trouble. The first is old markingyards. To the naked eye these may appear clean, well-grassed and fresh, nevertheless the more a yard has been used for marking the greater will its chance of bei.hg infected by tetanus and bloodpoisoning spores become. The second point is the manner In which lambs are dropped on to the ground, and the site of such dropping If the cut areas are allowed to become soiled when lambs are put down, the infection will be greater, and these diseases more serious. Bushes are commonly used to break the lamb’s fall, but they become contaminated quickly after the first few lambs are done. Easily the best scheme is to place every lamb with all four legs firmly on the ground, carefully, so that it may walk straight away If a clean, grassy spot is selected for this, the maximum is being carried out. Care in dropping the lamb, plus the erection of temporary marking-yards in a different paddock each year, will mean that the infective diseases of marking may fade to insignificant proportions, which is a goal well worth striving for. WOOL FOR BRITAIN REQUISITION PLAN NEGOTIATIONS IN AUSTRALIA REVIVAL OF BAWRA POSSIBLE Britain may take all the current Australian wool clip not required by the Australian mills, according to a Canberra report published in Melbourne. Negotiations for this are reported to be proceeding between the two Governments. It is stated that this would lead to the establishment of another B.A.W.R.A (British-Australian Wool Realisation Association) On current prices the value of the wool involved would be more than £40,000,000. of which British industry would normally take about half. The negotiations were opened recently. and details of the proposal are being kept closely confidential Federal Ministers were reticent about the progress of the negotiations It was admitted that the main purpose would be to furnish Britain with material for the manufacture of war supplies. If the international situation remains grave an agreement may be concluded soon. In this event some form of control and realisation organisation would have to be established to operate In the same way as the British-Australian Wool Realisation A ssociation worked during the 1914-18 war. Any agreement made for this year’s clip would probably be extended next year and in succeeding years should international difficulties continue. The current season’s Australian wool sales were due to commence on August 28 but were postponed owing to the international situation. In 1914-15 wool selling was continued under difficulties in Australia and New Zealand When war broke out the Australian sales were suspended for three months, but the New Zealand auctions had not commenced The Australian sales were eventually commenced in October. 1914, and continued until November. 1916. when they were abruptly terminated owing to a shortage of shipping. The whole of the Australian clip

was subsequently acquired by the British Government at isid ner lb and the Imperial Purchase functioned until June 30. 1920, In New Zealand wool was sold in the ordinary way until 1916, when difficulties developed with finance and shipping On December 1 1916, the Imperial Government through the New Zealand Government, requisitioned all wool and sheepskins produced in New Zealand, and the average price paid was under 15d per lb. being 55 per cent, advance on average prices realised during the 1913-14 season.