THE RURAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24773, 25 November 1941, Page 2

THE RURAL WORLD

I' —By RUSTICUS. Si

POLLED CATTLE

A FASCINATING STUDY POPULARITY OF FREAKS The horns of various types of cattle provide a subject of fascinating study (writes R. V. B. in the Australasian). It might be said that cattle history, to a large extent, has been recorded by the horned heads of the different Deriods, and it is most interesting to trace the changes through the centuries in sizes, shapes, and settings of the horns. But all horns are at a discount nowadays. The hornless types are coming into favour. Only a few years ago the polled Shorthorn or Hereford was something of a curiosity in Australia. They are common now. however. Hornless Shorthorns and Herefords have been conspicuous at recent royal shows, and it would not be surprising if, before very long, these new types outnumbered the old. In the United States, where they originated, they are no longer regarded as "new." Nevertheless, they are new as cattle types go, and. although in stronger demand, have yet scarcely reached the high general standard of their horned relatives. The first of the purebred hornless Shorthorns to come into cattle fame were the twin heifers Mollie Gwynne and Nelly Gwynne, and their halfbrother, ICing of Kine. With a few other polled Shorthorns that were picked up here and there about 80 years ago, these individuals comprised a small stud herd established by Captain W. S. Miller, of Ohio. This herd put together by Captain Miller was the foundation of the Polled Shorthorns. Polled Herefords were developed into a type somewhat later. According to Dr A. H. Sanders, who has gathered much interesting data about cattle, W. W. Guthrie, of Atchison, Kansas, was the first to exhibit polled cattle with Hereford markings. That was in 1898, at the Trans-Mississippi Exposition at Omaha. Guthrie named his cattle Polled Kansans. They were the result of matings of pure Hereford cows with a " muley" or "freak" hornless bull possessing a white face and red body, but of unknown pedigree. The bull was supposed to be a polled Shorthorn-Here-ford cross. Dr Sanders explained that Warren Gammon, of Dc. Moines lowa, seeing Guthie's exhibits, set out to develop the hornless Hereford. Gammon really was the pioneer of the type, for he used nothing but pure Hereford blood. He notified members of the Hereford Breeders' Association of America that he was a buyer of "freaks" without horns, provided that in all other respects they were true to Hereford type, and must be purebred. In this way he was able to trace the whereabouts of four bulls and seven cows that complied with his requirements. These he purchased and made the nucleus of his herd. In addition to the female "freaks" he* had acquired he used a number of purebred horned Hereford cows. The progeny of the matings with the polled sires was more than 90 per cent, polled from the hornless cows, and about 50 per cent, from the horned cows. Gammon's experiments were watched carefully. Before Ions? he had a large Hereford polled herd. Others followed his example. The hornless Hereford had "arrived" by 1910, and has made headway by leaps and bounds ever since. These, and most other polled types, are beef cattle. Strangely enough, very little progress has been made in the development of hornless dairy cattle. Much damage is done to hides .of dairy cattle by horns, and it may be that the destructive horns of the rdairy herds will be eliminated by breeders of the future. A few breeders are working to this end by using Red Poll sires, and are finding that a big proportion of progeny from i horned dairy cows mated with the Red Polls grow into hornless cattle. So the Red Poll is already playing his part in the evolution, perhaps, of a new hornless type of dairy, cattle. YOUNG FARMERS NOTES FROM CLUBS

The Clutha Valley Young Farmers' Club held its final meeting for the year at the Clutha Valley District High School on November 11, when 14 members were present. Mr J. | Richards, of the Department of Agriculture, Balclutha, was the speaker for the evening, and his subject was "Farming in the Waikato." This talk was very much appreciated by / members present. y The quarterly meeting of the OtagoSouthland Council was held at Gore last Friday, when about 30 persons were present under the chairmanship of Mr W. R. Harris. Features of the meeting were the comparatively large number of active club members who were present, and that these members were by no means silent during the meeting; a fact that is rather too often the case. The manner in which the club members spoke was very largely due to the chairman, who gave every encouragement to members to voice their opinions. The question of scholarships for young farmers was discussed at the meeting, and it was indicated that the Lincoln College old boys' scholarship would again be available for members of Young Farmers' Clubs. This scholarship is valued at a half of one year's course at Lincoln College. it was stated that in the past applications for such scholarships had been slow in forthcoming. Several members who were present, and who had attended Lincoln College, or who had been scholarship holders, expressed the opinion that this attiude was difficult to understand, as the scholarships were very valuable on account of the knowledge that Was gained and which was valued more and more as the years went on. The question of improvement in the position of clubs was once again discussed. This subject is discussed at meeting after meeting, and to some may appear to be rather unnecessary. It 'is however, very necessary indeed to keep before the minds of young farmers the necessity for maintaining and stimulating interest in club work. Several suggestions were ~ made whereby clubs could be held together through the popularising of club activities. It is not possible to deal with these in detail, but the following are some of the suggestions made: Encouragement of itinerant speakers; social functions in the early stages; members of district committees visiting clubs during the season, and a reasonable amount of social entertainment, together with the more serious side of club activities. A continuation-of this report will be given in next week's notes.

ERADICATING RAGWORT Salt is to be used by the Taranaki County Council this season to eradicate ragwort. A sum of £BOO was made available by the Agricultural Department for eradication work. The difficulty in obtaining sodium chlorate has turned attention to the use of salt for eradication. Salt was used successfully for some years past by many farmers before the popular use of sodium chinrate, and this season the county inspector made tests on a farm at Mangorei with salt, which proved as effective as the other mixtures that were used. Only two large plants, on which possibly insufficient salt was used, had a green centre growing, the others appearing to be dead, he reported.

WORLD'S WOOL DEMAND RUSSIA'S MILITARY NECESSITIES In the weekly wool bulletin issued on September 16, the firm of Winchcombe. Carson, Ltd., Sydney, make some interesting observations on the world demand for wool, and the apparently small influence the manufacture of synthetics is exercising on tne position. Great Britain is reported to have sent substantial Sfuantities of wool to Russia, an outlet \for the sheep's staple which has developed as a result of that country's entry into the war, says the bulletin. The Russian mills are fairly extensively equipped, their production of woollens and worsteds at the latest available period being 120,700,000 yards for the year. With the large army she has in the field, her factories will be fully employed turning out uniform equipment, and it is quite possible that in addition to wool the United Kingdom will be supplying her with militajy textiles. The wool trade in all countries is slipping into regulated control. In Japan a raw wool control organisation is planned with the purpose of ensuring more regular supplies from foreign countries. Difficulty has been experienced in securing essential needs. That development, stringency in regard to apparel in Germany, and the heavy imports of wool made by the United States do not support the fears of some that the extensive production of artificial fibres would make importing nations more or less independent of imported wool. If the fibres mentioned had the definite merits which some extremists claimed for them, wool would not be bought under present conditions, when transport by sea and the insurance of it make its landed cost fairly high. With winter approaching, millions of persons in Europe at present would undoubtedly welcome the replenishment of their wardrobes with warm woollen goods. In the United States the New York futures top market is being maintained on high levels. It is considered unfilled orders on hand for piece goods in America are the highest ever recorded.

DOMINION'S LIVE STOCK

INCREASE IN DAIRY CATTLE The number of livestock in th? Dominion as at January 31, 1941, shows minor increases in practically all classes on that of the preceding year. The two exceptions are horses and sheep. Dairy cattle show an increase of 40,000, and " all " cattle 42,850. Sheep shorn are 77,000 fewer. Breeding sows are 8000 more, and total pigs 55,000. A comparison in the five years between 1937 and 1941 (inclusive) shows that in these years the respective figures were as follows: — 1937. 1941 Horses 277,790 266,066 Dairy cows in milk .. 1,805,405 1,779,603 Total cattle 4,389,101 4,575,373 Breeding sows .. .. 113,931 100,378 Total pigs 802,419 769,180 Sheep shorn* .. .. 27,319,185 28,764,762 Lambs shorn* .... 4,263,403 4,534,851 Lambs tailed* .. .. 16,866,021 18.385,772 Sheeot 31,305,818 31,751,660 Breeding'ewest •• 19.332,077 20.039.933 ♦During season. tAt April 30. SHOW FIXTURES 1941 November— _ 26 .... Otago Metropolitan 28 ' '. .. .. Clutha and Matau 29 .. .. .'.. Waimate 29 .. .. . • Winton December — _ ... Omakau 2 and 3 .. Gore . 6 Tokomairiro 6 '"* .... Wyndham 9 and 10 .. Southland 13 .. .. .. Otago Peninsula 13 .. .. Owaka 1942 January—--10 Blueskin 17 Waikouaiti 23 .'. .. .. Palmerston March — , , _ . .. '.. Lake County '.'. .. .. Mount Benger Upper Clutha 6 .. .. .. Strath Taieri