Untitled

Otago Witness, Issue 2168, 12 September 1895, Page 4

FARM AND STATION.

NEW SOUTH W4XES RESOURCES IN LITE STOCK. The reporb by the chief inspector of stock on tho live stock in South Wales ia 1894, recently i published in the Sjdney journals, deserves ' attentive consideration by graz'era and farmers in other colonies of the Australasian group, because the probability of a near and very considerable exp*neion of exports of live animals and animal products from the premier colony in made manifest. The subject has a special interest for Btockowners in New Zealand, who must expect from the impeudißg development of the New Soutl) Wales exports very formidable competition in British and foreign markets for live stock and meats in various forms. It is fitting, therefore, that the pastoral | reuources of that colony should be accurately j appreciated bj our farmers, &nd accordingly the following summary of the report is submitted for tbetr thought! nl consideration. In bis reporb Mr Brucd gives the total number of she ep in New South Wales at the cud of 189* as 56,977,270. In regard to the different breeds there were 6,94-7,633 superfine, 18,984,652 medium, and 12,497,394 strong combing merincs ; making a total of combing merinos of 38,429,679. Of clothing merinos there were 2,009.851 »uperflue, 8,259,865 medium, and 5 371,386 strong ; making a total of clothing merinos of 15.6U.102, and a grand total of merino sheep of 54,070,781. Tho total number of Liocolns is 657,880, and of Leiceeters 330,503; other breeds are ia small numbers, the total of longwool sheep being 1,010,084. From a return of the autumn, winter, and spring lambings obtained from the inspector for each sheep district, the average percentage cf lambing for the whole colony is estimated at 68 per cent. — i c., calculating tho number of lambs marked on the number of ewes put to the rams. The autumn lambing was the highest, averaging 74^ per cent., while the wiiitcu and spriDg lambings averaged 70 £ and 49^ per cent rt spcctively. The number of lambs thorn in the grease was 7,948,101 ; the nrin'-rr w^sVd, 463,950 ; total ia'n*>3 shorn, 8,412,051. 'Iht number of bhf.ep shorn in the grease was 42,632,425; hot water and spout washed, 100,000 ; creek-washed, 88.S86 ; and return d, 3,001,835; total sheep shorn, 45,822,946. . . . In 48 districts the sheep are said to be improving, the principal reasons given being more attention to breeding, paddocking, introduction of high-class ram* and owes, more careful classing and culling, better znanegement, and good seasons. In 13 distriots they are said to be stationary, atd in four districts they are deteriorating. The reasons

given are eff?cts of b*d season?, country unciiited, breeding from inferior ewes, bad management, bad selection of rams, purcitnse of store?, fluke, and foot xot». The annual " oast" of fab ' sbeep for the current season is estimated at 6,60 i) 904, and store ehwep 6,763,148, and to • quote the Sjdney Mail — "Now Zealand with ' 20,000,000 s&cep exported la*t year 2 000,000 frozen carcases, and to be in equal proportion the number for New South Wales should have , I been 5,000,000." In order to dtvelop so large a trade, now within reach, Mr Bruce epitomises tke duties of the State and the stook> owner — the one to encourage and the other to combine; tho Government to provide facilities, andfhepastoraliststoiniprovethetjpeof c*roase. The freezing of such a large quantity is beyend the capacity of tho existing 19 establishments scattered at wide intervals over the colony, although it is estimated by the mail that, in round numbers, " they can boil per annum 7£. ohill 2£ , freez* 3£, and preserve I£— in all 15A millions of sht&p Last year nearly 28,000 cattle aud 1,106,330 sheep were tinned, the Ramornift Work* treating 13,000 cattle aud the Sydney Meat Preserving Company 1,050,383 sheep." Mr Brure reomraen^s doubling the chilling and frer zing power, as present arrangements axe insufficient to turn out the largely increasing numbers of fat sheep. ; At the close of 1894 there were 2,290,112 cattl« in the colony. Since 1885 there has beau a steady increase to the present figure. The increase in the number of cattle is due to several causos, amongsb others to the last three or four seasons being comparatively web; to leadiDg owners who had stocked doubtful country with sheep returning to a considerable oxtent to cattle ; to owners finding that they can keep a fair number of cattle in their sheep paddocka without reducing the carrjiug capacity for sheep, but could thereby improve the pasture, the cattle eating tho longer aud co»raer grasses ; and to a gradual increase of selection, which leads to an increafe of c*ttle and horses. The chief breeds of caltle comprise :— - Shoithorns, 801,164, Hereford 232 307, Devon 81,027, Ayrnhiro 28,896, and first crosses 1,077,502. Tha chief crostos are shorthorn and Hereford, numbering 356,581. From other colonio3 148,965 cittlo were imported, and nini cattle were brought from Bnßla % xl. The ctiraa'fd "cast" of f*t cattle during Ihy yeir 1895 it estimated at 368,132, aud store cittla 27d,526. From 42 districts entile were reported as increasing in numbers, while in 23 th'jy were decreasing, owners not breeding or stocking up or chaoa^g f° r sheep. In 39 districts the cattle are said to be improving in quality, in 24 districts they ai % 8 stationary, and in two districts they are deteriorating. The number of horses in the cobny at the end of 1894 was 500,063. These include 153,81-4 draught, 133,588 light harness, and 212,630 saddle horses. "Itisto be regretted," tbe report s»y3, " that more attention is not paid to the improvement of the breed of horses generally, and that *pecial attention is not given to the breeding or horses suitable to the Eoglish and Indian matkets," as it is believed th»t with reasonable care a large and profitable traift could be secured. A tax on stallions is still advocated by a large number of breeders, and is, Mr Bruce think?, desirable, " at any rate in cases where they stand for mares other than thoßO belonging to the owners of the horses ; and in all auch cases tha horse should be subject to inspection by a qualified veterinary surgeon appointed by tho Government, and be certified to as sound and free from disease. It i« also recommended that all entires be registered." Reports from 44 districts say that the horses are improving in quality owing to a better class of entires having been introduced, the selection of better mares, and generally more attention to breeding, as it does not pay to breed inferior one 3. Dnring the year 4606 horses were exported, principally to Victoria, New Zealand, India, Queensland, and South and Western Australia. The numbed of pigs in the colony at December 31, 1894, waa 273,290, being an increase of 32,430 as compared with the returns for the previous year. A well-known Scottish stock-breeder, Mr Morton Campbell, of Brechin, is making the round trip by the Tongariro. Mr Campbell is a well-known breeder of Clydeedale horseß, and is & member of the OoQQCii <£ the Clydesdale Horse Society.