THE RURAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24297, 14 May 1940, Page 3

THE RURAL WORLD

By RUSTICUS

SHEEP DOG TRIALS . DATES FOR 1940 The Otago Provincial Sheep Dog Association has approved toe following list

Wanaka Trials Owing to the state of the weather which, with the shortage of men. is hindering mustering, it has been decided to abandon the Wanaka Sheep Dog Trials. Competitors from other districts should note this fact.'

NEWS FROM CLUBS

The next radio talk to young farmers from Station 4YA will be on Monday next at 7.40 p.m., when several members from Dunedin district clubs will give short talks on various subjects.

The. Diptou Glub held its monthly meeting on the 4th of, this month, when there was an attendance of 13 members. There was a discussion on the tentative programme for the year's work. Following this, the Centennial tree-planting scheme was also discussed, and, those who attended the District Committee meeting furnished a report on this. At the conclusion of the business short speeches were given by all club members, the subject being "What I would do if I were boss on the farm." .'•-'."

Twenty-three members attended the monthly meeting of the Drummond Club, which was held on the 7th instant. The tree-planting scheme was discussed and the holding of a special meeting to see some films to be s&own by the Department of Agriculture was arranged.

The annual meeting of the Papakaio Club was held on the Bth of this month, when there was an attendance of 10 members out of a membership' of 20, the following officers being elected:— Advisory president. Mr D. Borrie; chairman. Mr J. R. Borrie; secretary. Mr G. C. Hurst. Following the formal business. Mr T. A. Sellwood, of the Department, of Agriculture, showed a number of films on various farming subjects, some of which were "Stumping" "Clover." "Weeds" and "Wheatgrowing'Y * *•

The annual meeting of the Dunedin District Committee will be held in the office of the Otago-Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company. Ltd.. Public Trust Buildings. Moray place. Dunedin. at 2.30 p.m. on Monday next.

The Wyndham Club recently held its annual meeting, there being a total of 27 members on the roll, The officers elected were as follows:—-Advisory president, Mr E. Rabbidge; club. Mr F. Clay; honorary secretary. Mr A. Howe.

'On account of the' flood conditions the monthly, meeting of the West Taieri Club, which was to have been held last Wednesday evening, had to be cancelled. • STUD STOCK 1 IMPORTS AND EXPORTS SEASON REVIEWED PROSPECTS FOR COMING YEAR : Exports and imports of stud stock for 1939 into and from New Zealand continue to be a very important feature of the Dominion's primary production.. Exports were valued at £136,118, and imports at £50,424. Horses were the leading stock and were almost wholly bloodstock. Imports totalled £34,954. Britain was the leading supplier, sending 19 animals, costing £13,405, to average almost £6OO a head. From Australia came 43. costing £10,972, to average over £250 each. Exports went almost wholly to Australia, some 180 head bringing £68,550. to average £330 apiece. Imports of sheep numbered 986 heed, for £B7ll and an average, of £8 19s 6d. Australia was- the principal supplier, sending 975 head, worth £7805, and averaging £8 each. Canada sent six head, worth £2sß—a high average of £43 each. Britain sent four head, but these cost £l5O each. Exports of sheep comprised 14,758 head for £64,852, an average of £4 7s 6d. Australia was the leading purchaser in value at £33.624 for 6859 head, averaging nearly £5. Japan, however, took the greatest number, 7480 head, worth £23,024. averaging £3 2s only. ' „,,... Uruguay took 268, value £13,415; Argentina, ,146, value £4340; Falkland Islfnds, 73, value £1910; South Africa 125, value £1653; Peru, 10, value £/00, United States. 3. value £362; Kenya. 4, value £132. The apparently low values of export sheep are explained by the fact that many were flock rams, and a great proportion were ewes. Furthermore, shipping costs will in some instances almost double their cost to ti.ose upon whose farms they are finally to run. Again, of course, values for imported ■sheep' are swollen conversely by expensive shipping and quarantine costs to bring into the Dominion. As is customary, New Zealand's own breed, the Corriedale, was exported in greatest numbers, and some of the highest-priced sheep were of this breed. Second on the list were Romney Marsh, which are being exported in increasing numbers to. Australia and South Africa, with Southdowns a good third. A considerable number of Border Leicesters were exported, while Ryelands went to Australia numbering over 400 head. i Lincolns, English Leicesters, and Merinos were exported in much smaller numbers, while Cheviots come into the picture, 10 ewes being exported to South Australia. A trend in the importation of sheep on which the demand for the heavy lamb has had a big effect is the -importation of Dorset Horn, Suffolks, and Shropshires from Australia in greatlyincreased numbers. Rather contrary to the general expectations, the war has given a fillip to New Zealand stud, stock exports, although, of course, the closing of the London quarantine station will mean that no further importations through that medium will be possible. New Zealand breeders are exceptionally fortunate in that there has been shipped from England since the outbreak of war a very valuable consignment of stud sheep, comprising Southdowns, Ryelands, Cheviots, and Border Leicesters. The g: eater proportion of these sheep were prizewinners in Great Britain, and they arrived in time to do the New Zealand season. The value of this infusion of new blood will be transferred to and will naturally increase the quality of New Zealand's exports in the future.

MEAT FOR BRITAIN

EXPORT "GRADING STANDARDS RESPONSIBILITY OF MEAT BOARD Following the sale of our meat to the United Kingdom, the duty of supervising the grading of the different classes of meat at the various freezing works is receiving the closest attention of the officers of the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board. In the negotiations with the United Kingdom, it was specially arranged that a separate price should be paid for prime Down-cross lambs, and a special price was also fixed for prime Canterbury lamb. The general condition of purchase 1 respect of grading laid down by the contract with the British Ministry of Food is that the meat is to be of the usual descriptions and grades as at present shipped from New Zealand. Inis, however, has to be qualified as regards the North Island to the extent that the Down-cross lambs will be graded separately from the ordinary crossbred type lambs at all works, An undertaking has been given to the British Government that all carcasses graded "Down cross" will be of "Down" type. This should be kept in mind by farmers when considering the grading returns they receive from the works, as only lambs which show characteristics of the Down can be included in this Downrcross grade. As applying to the South Island, it would not be to the advantage of farmers if the Down-cross lambs were specially picked out, as the remaining lambs would have to take a lesser price than the present price, offered for Prime Canterbury Therefore, the prices and grading as arranged for the South Island are to the advantage of the farmer.

In support of this, it may be pointed out that there is only a difference in value between the prime Down-cross lambs and prime Canterbury of l-16d per lb, whereas the price of crossbred lambs in the North Island shows a difference of 3-16 d when compared with the prime Down-cross price. In order to conserve space in the freezing stores and in the vessels which are provided for the carriage of meat, the British Government requested that all carcasses of mutton and lamb should be telescoped, as was done during the last war. To ensure that all freezing works are cutting and packing the carcasses to a uniform standard, the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board, as a result of a discussion with the primary industries controller, arranged for one of its officers specially to visit the various works in the Dominion to examine the way in which the cutting of carcasses was being done. The Meat Board's supervising grader has now finalised his work in this connection having carried out demonstrations at the works with those concerned. This should result in a uniform pack being shipped from the various freezing works.

of trial dates:— Waihemo .. .. ' .. May 16. 17, 18 Lowburn .. .. .. May 23. 24, 25 Miller's Flat .. ,. May 27, 28, 29 Palmerston . May 30. 31, Jun l Tokarahi .. ., Jun 4 5 6 J (Otago Championships) Ngapara .. . Jun 10, 11. 12 Tuapeka Jun 25 26. 27