STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2273, 23 September 1897, Page 6

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Br Dbot£s.

Weekly Stock Sales: Inv ercargill, Tuesdays Burnside, Wednesdays Monthly: Ashburton Tuesday* Clinton, Palmerston, AddmgtOD, Wednesdays an^ W inton. Fcrtniyhlly: Periodically : Balclutha, Fridays Heriot, Kclso, and Kye Goto, Tuesdayg burn. Oainaru, Tuesdays. | (Conimu&ta&tlons of iatere.it to •toclcbreeders and dealer* »re Cordial); invited. All jommunlcMioiu 10 reach Wituesi oflic» not later than Monday niclit.l

List week I ventured to predict improved piios for fat cattle, and this result has come about earlier than I expected. None of the cattle .'were extra prime — the best being only fair beef — and the supply was small, so that prices adviiced abonb 15* per head for good beef on previous ' week's rates. Butchers seem to ba ekar of the heavy stocks they h»ve held, and, provided supplies arc moderate and in keeping with requirements, prices should still improve. Be-it of the yarding brought £7 to £7 10*, with £6 to £6 15s for some good small beaßts.

Dairy cows continue to sell well at sales when they are known to be of the righii sort, and £6 up to £7 is given readily for those known to b,» good. G<>od heifers are saleable ab £4- to £4- 10s. Buyerß,~however, are particular, and insist on knowing what they buy as a rule.

At Addingfcon at present the market for fat cattle i* brisk, l'be best cattle yarded lately are from the North Island, ami these— 2B in number — afc last -week's sale averaged £8 17s 66, which will, I ttiuk, eatiefy Noith Island grcz'ers, and I expect to see more to follow these from thft LOcfch. The dairy cows offered at both Burnside and Ad ding ton are not generally good enough to tempt experienced dairymen, .and a*e of poor quality. ' "

The question of tuberculosis among cattle is being much discuesed all over Australia. A rvriter in the Sydney S^ock and Statim Journal, Breaking cf th^ tuberculin test, wbich it coneiders sufficiently .accurate as a teat, says : —

The lose of stock attending the application of the test will be heavy tncugb, for there can be no doubt tulerculoeis is present to a considerable extent iv some dairy herd?, and that milk from all such cows is uofib for human coneump-; tion and unfit for calves, as the disease ia thereby tr»ns>mitten ad infini'um till all the herds tend to become mere vehicles for conveying disease to both msn and'.beasfc. The writer says that one large fine hard on i the south coast was recently tested, wilh a result that very many cows-were gob rid of, and thatnow a veterinary surgeon haVbeen appointed te attend to the health of tbe stock. Very few stock-owners catrying on dairying can afford to best, and «s a result perhaps destroy 25 per cent, of their herd, although perhaps in the loftg run such a course would pay. best. Ooly large owners, like tbe one above-mentioned, could afford to employ a vet. to look after their cattle as a private doctor. On the same subject this writer concludes :

What we have got to look at in all practical life is what can people afford to do that is necessary to ba done, and so much against their own interests that they would shrink from it and cover up especially where it is not grossly or palpably wrong as "preserving stock in the incipient stages of tuberculous disease. This brings us to the point that we mentioned cove time ago, and that was that an inducement (beyoud the ultimate benefit of freeing tha herds from disease) should be held ont to dairy-farmers to destroy tainted Btock by compensating tbera somewhat for the loss they thereby sustain. There Iks the solution of the difficulty, and don't let us forget it.

I gite these extracts to show that our neighhours ia Australia seem to be in a similar position to •urselvee, and that the same measures will have to be taken to put matters right, all of which will involve some sacrifice for the present if the evil is to be properly dealt with.

The yarding of .sheep last week at Burnside was about 2600, about 1000 of which might be classed as fat. The rest were, I think, hurried 100 coon off the turnips, and were only forward stores. The market for all prime sheep wa3 brisker than for some time, both export buyers and butohera buying briskly. Prime freezara brought 15s, moderate weights ; some extra 'sticae and heavier ud to 163 ; good freezers.

14-» to 14s 6d. I expect we shall not see many jirime fretz^i's of moderate weights yarded for some time now. There are, I thinii, enough sheep to keep the Baruside and Oamatu work-s going till the end of October, when, as is u.iu*l, they will close down for their annual overhaul of machinery and general clean up. I expect that the most of the sheep coming forward will be on the heavy side, and export buyers now don't Beem eager for this class of mutton.

There is nothing particularly new in Mr Cameron's reports from London. AH the su-m*, I am glad he has so reported, and hope hia remarks may have some effecb. He tells us that 701b sheep are not wanted, bub that what i 3 wanted are 501b to 601b sheep He complains that, although year afber yeac New Zealand farmers have beeu told this, they make no attempt to alter matters. The lamb? are much too heavy, and are being sold in the West Bad as finest English mutton. . He indicates that River Plate sheep, owing to the unsuitable size of ours are going into consumption, whilst stocks of New Zealand heavy meat accumulate. We really ought to try to supply what is wanted if we expect lo "succead. I Buppos9 tho re*son we don't do so is that we waufc to breed for wool as 'well as for mutton. It strikes me that if we persevere in this course we shall only succeed eventnally ia handiog tbe leading place in a trade which o'aght to be outs over to the South Americans, who evident'y mean business, and spare no expense to improve their flocks by suitab'e breeds of 'stud eheop so as to produce the sheep ifaat London buyers ask for. Ia the times when t*llow was worth double whit it do* is possibly thyee heavy sheep would pass muiter in some placae, but now mutton it wanted — not tallov.

It is evident from Mr H. C, Cameron's report that little or no improvement has taken place in the manner of handling produce iv the discharge from steamers and loading into the b>rges. It is quite evident that; great damage o:curs to the meat at thio point, and I wonder .often that the. insurance companies don't inquire into the matter, for ib seems to me th*t they pay more money for damage to mea'j after, leaving tbS^ship than for any tbab is damjigf d there by a very great deal. I think the insurance companies would nob only htye benefited themselres, but also conferred a benefit on all concerned, if instead of covering meat by. insurance for a month after discharge they had take* a reduced premium and refused to cover goods after discharge from steamer. Then those interested ia the meat would have had to look after its proper discharge and cure afterwards, as ib would have been ab their risk, and do doubt & better plan of working would haw been devised long ere this. If W8 in Ne* Zealand were half as careless ia patting our pcoduce on board steamers as our consignee) are about its discharge in London we should hear about ib — and from th-m, too. We seem, however, helpless in moving them to improvement as yet.

The Meat Marking Bill Committee have now flaished their investigations, and it is understood that they have decided to report to the House of Commons that the bill is desirable. They recommend ths following amendments : —

"That the term 'colonial' be applied to all produce coming from British colonies as distinct from ' foreign,' and that meat from cattle landed alive in Great Britain be placed on a par with imported dead meat, and marked 'Foreign 'or 'Colonial," as the case may be."

This meat-marking bill originated ia the agitation of the British agriculturist against all imported meat; and they were led to believe that th : s system of nitrkiug would cripple, if it did A uot destroy, this imported meat trade. The result of further inquiry goes to show that so far from this being the case, the bill would help the imported meat trade considerably, and it ia now manifest that the strongest advocates of the bill are those interested in colonial meat. This being the case, it i» evident that its original promoters and advocates are now by na means so keen for the passage of the bill, and I am of opinion that it will not be pushed forward. Iv fact, I think it will drift into what is known as the " circumlocution department " in Downing street, a»d there remain. If it eve? is passed, it will, I am of opinion, be owing not to the British agriculturist, ia whose interest it was designed, bub lo the agitation of leadißg colonists in London interested ia the welfare

of New Zealandaud Australian trade. The following extracts from Mr H. C. Cameron's evidence are interesting : — By the Ch-Mrms.n : He was prepared to give evidence that friz^n msat was Bold as English. He had a large retail b\ op afc Manchester, the 01.3 cb of *»hich was to introduce frcz-n meat to (he public. The nie&t he sold wss marked for what it was, and the public knew what they were buying. There was nothing at till h&raseiug in tho bill. At present he did all that, the hill requirod, and he waa iv no way h^ras eA. Ife was to the interest; of tbe butchers that foreign ine»t should ba retailed by them withcub any announcement as to what ib was, became there was a great prejudice against foreign meat. If retailers had to openly amiounce that they were dealing ia forciga meat the customers would take objection, because thtir prejudice s garnet forego. meat was so strong. He saw no teasoa why " foreign " should not include the flesh of all animals from abroad, whether alive or dead. Those who wauta<\ American cattle killed here to b-s classed as Kngli6h did so from interested motives. He did not want colonial meat classed as '• British." He wanted tach colony to stand for itself. Let New Zealand i»e<»fc be classed "New Z> aland produce," »nd Canadian produce cla?Spd as " Canadifcn," and co on. Everything ether than colonial produce should be classed as "foreign." There was a strong prejudice against . thpir New Zealand meat store at Manchester, but their sales were increasing. The purchasers were not the working ciasses — just tbe opposite. The intention was to introduce the frozen meat to the better classes. His store was noh on tho style of those rough shops where the prices were 4d and sd. He sold it in an attractive manner iv & nrdt-class shop. The working c'a««s preferred the/ cheaper moat — they wanted quantity and wot quality. His prices were lower than good British, but higher than the prices • paid by the working mou for the inferior Bribit-h meat. The working classes would nob p*y him his extra price for frozen meat. There was, no doabt, a very sbrong prejudice ag«-iost foreigu rne*fc. If it passed the bilt would be advantageous (o the British farmer, because at tbe preseut time there was a great deal of foreign mutton, and especially beef, which w*s sold by butchers to customers who wauled EDglisb. meat; therefore^ th«» British farmer wonld have a better chance ■ f success. Theanirn.iJs which arrived at Birkeuhead were rnach knocked about oa.t'&e voyage, and tho flesh was I,ob so good as that oJ the animals arriving chilled.

By Mr Abel Smith : He could not see any argument in favour of clause 15. The bill would nob be harassing to straightforward dealers. He had always had signs over his shop dcor notifying that he dealt in frozen meat, and bis meat was marked with tags divulging its brand and origin. He also advertised the fact. II would be ia»pc,s«ible to brand every chop, bub if a customer saw l«gs of mutton, shoulders of mutton, &0., m -irked foreign, they might rightly conclude that the small pieces in the immediate vicinity were alho foreign, and from those carcases. Five or six marks on a single ctrccEe would be" sufficient protection, for the customer. Ho believed in those who dralt in foreign tneab being registered! Why be achamed if they intended to tleal honeßtiy and not surreptitiously ? There was a large qußDtitj. of foreign beef sold, bub it wan not sold in shops wbich admitted that they sold it. If the bill resulted iv registration of all tbe butchers, then so much the better. When a btitch'r stld mat without any statement at all concerning it, the inference toas that it was British.

Mr Wingfield Digby, 91. P., who made himself appear somewhat foolish by his statements about colonial meat being diseased, for which he afterwards harids-oinely apologised, 13 evidently a man with much grace given him. He appears now to ba-se his eyes open, and is apparently anxious to make amends for his mistake. Ab the meeting of committee he said that ia connection with the question as to whether frozen meab was as nutritious as English meat, and whether it was used in the hospitals, he had during the meeting that day sent a memorandum across to Sfc. Thomas's Hopital. The reply was to' the .effect that several of the large hospitals used frozen meat, though Sb. Thomas's did not, and the writer instanced the case of one institution where nothieg bub frozen meab was consumed, and where everybody thought ib was English. This statement was greeted with laughter.

The following is an extract from a letter of a Marlborough resident!, sanb to a friend :' —

A visitor from Otago while in this district informed me that satisfactory be*dway was nob being made in portions of Ofcago in the suppression of the r&bbifcpest, aad expressed surprise aDd pleasure afc the condition of our Marlborough country, portions of which he went through about the lower Airatere haring been as badly rabbit-infested country &a was to be found ia New Zealand, and which is now practically free, as in the conrae of two er three days' journeying he was en*Med to see one rabbit only. I cannot bub think that the present state of things has been brought about here by good

and systematic work on the part of the landowners, aided nioit materially-by the natural enemies — the stoat, weasel, ferret, and cat, and by the discontinuing of the harmful and pernicious means of trapping, which has had the effecb of closing factories for rabbit tinning which a few years back nourished here. I have no hesitation in saying that satisfactory progress can never be rntvde in the reduction of tho rabbib pest where trapping is resorted to and factories running for the conservation of the pest. Trapping, as you are well aware, is most destructive to the enemy. I was only recently informed of the large number of cab skins which can- be obtained in portions of Otago, the said skins being brought in with the rabbit Bkins, and a ready sale can be made of thorn for rug* ; also in consignments of ferrets from the south I have invariably found wild trapped animals, which, of course, but that there i» an outlet for them by sale, would undoubtedly bo kuccked on the head. The stoat and weasel are usually killed in the trap. This constant drain on our allie?, and the fact that trapping tends to scatter the pest and is never followed bslow a certain point, has assured me thab it is a most harmful practice and will never lead to anything like a permanent or satisfactory reduction of the pest. . Trappng is practically discontinued throughout this district. Some few, however, still keep within their rights, and a few thousand rabbit* were received at the Boga factory this yewr ; but operations h»d soon to discontinue. Four yeaiM ago the practice was in favour almost throughout the district, and 'even close to the town an army of men would' ba trapping throughout the season — in many cases paying/ a royalty for the privilege, and then, making their £4, £5, and even £6 per week: an excellent harvest for tbe men, but a very poar one for the owner of tho laud, as the condition of the pest with regard to number waa unaltered. They were reduced to a certain standard, then allowed to spring up again like fire, while every cab and other enemy was exterminated.

! To my mind the question resolve* itself to thi^ : Axe rabbits in certain districts to be allowed to remain for the purpose of giving om- ! ployment ? If go, by all means encourage Iho facioiy, \yith its attendant army of trappers, which will toed to the thorough couservation or tfce industry. On the other haod, if the prat is to be got thoroughly uuder, a discoatibuiuqe of (he above is necessary. The systematic use of the various poisons— grain, pollard and jam — will soon reduce the numbers^ while our best ally, the natural enemy, will have som« chance to increase, and will coon show up well in diminishing tbe pest ami keeping ifc there. In this district of M>vrlfors>\»gh, wherever trapping was first disused Che besi; ro-ulfc* as to permanent good wt-re obtained, while those who k^pfc the trapping up have been later ia i obtaining the f-atne good result. lam far from saying tbab we bavtt no rabbit* left. Thera are some portions of this district still infested, . though year by year they ate getting less, and : the area ol rabbit-snfe#fced country is being annually reduced. The manager of a large fetation told me the other d*y he had cot seen a rabbit for months. You mvv ride through other 'large properties and nob see moro than one or two. The Urger owners have sati-fi-d themselves as to the irnelessceis and harm attendant ou trapping. , A few of the small owaers, however, still continue to trap. / My opinions coincide' with tbe statements in this letter.' We heard a great deal about how well this trapping for freezing had cleared out the rabbits iv certain districts. Hy own ob*serr*.bion in these districts le*d* ma to the belief that rabbits will bj more plentiful than ever this season, and thut f&t-mers encouraging ths co called " n»w industry" ia frozen rabbits are making a ro>l for their own backs.