STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2975, 22 March 1911, Page 15

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

.Weekly Stock Sales: Burnside, Wednesdays Ashburton, Tuesdays Addington, Wednesdays Waiareka Railway Junction, Tuesdays Fortnightly: Bulclutha, Fridays Goxe, Tuesdays Oamaru, Tuesdays Invercargill, Tuesdays )

Monthly: Ngapara, first Thursday in each month Glenavy, second Wednesday in each month Duntroon, second Friday in each month Clinton, Palmerston, Winton, and Waikouaiti. Periodically: Heriot, Kelso, Kyeburn

The adverse reports from the Home markets were responsible for a further decline in fat lambs at Addington last week. Prime fat sheep maintained their late values, but for anything at all inferior there was little demand. Backward stores were quite a drug on the market, as graziers have so little feed, owing to the drought.

Record entries were the order of the day at Burnside, 4429 fat sheep and 3388 lambs being penned. The prices, however, were in inverse ratio to the size of the (Sale, everything dropping at least Is, while second class ewes went hack as much as 2s 6d. Burnside is generally supposed to be a fat stock market, but this year it is belying its reputation, as most of the yardings are practically stores —due, of course, to the very unsatisfactory weather.

The dry seasons experienced for the past five years have been responsible for the diminution of the beef export trade from this end of the Dominion. Of course, there is always a little coming forward, and just now, as feed l will be scarce during' the ■winter, all surplus cattle are sent to the yards. A statement published to the effect that the freezing work 3 are being rushed, and that steamers are taxed, is, of course, ridiculous.

liast week the Burnside freezing works ■were not kept going full time, as the stock 'did not come forward regularly. This is rather an unusual thing at this time of the but, this season is an exceptional one. Thfe week, however, full time will be worked. The stuff is not " killing like lead," and, as will be seen by reports from Home, our lamb that has already reached the markets is described as " on the light side." It is generally the other way about. But throughout this season it is most probable that the carcases will consistently be on "the light side." Writing for the New Zealand mail on February 3, Messrs Fitter and Sons <juote:—Canterbury lamb, s?d to 6|d; Wellington. sid to 6d; Australian, 4d to 5-Jd; River Plate, 4d to 4|d. Canterbury mutton is quoted at 4d to 4|d; River r 'l >te, to following extract from their report fs of jffreat interest:—" The scarcity of New Zealand mutton continues, and buyers seem to be settling down to the idea that New

Zealand is allowing the mutton trade to slip through her hands, for the reputation for quality cannot be maintained unless the present production is improved on. There is a plentiful supply of River Plate mutton, and the improvement in quality continues. Considering the cold weather and the large quantity of Australian lambs now on offer, the present demand for New Zealand lambs, as also the prices realised, may be considered satisfactory. These prices possibly may not come up to the expectations of the shippers, but experience has taught us that unduly high prices at the commencement of the season not only curtail the demand here, but also give the growers an exaggerated idea of the value of their lambs. Many of the New Zealand lambs are very much on the light side at present; but no doubt there will be some improvement in this direction shortly. Amongst the Australian lambs there are some of very good quality, but there are a'.so many very thin and pla'.n. The River Plate lambs are improving; the smaller ones are not quite so leggy as they were."

Mr J. R. Scott, the secretary of the South Island Dairy Association., has received cable advice that Danish butter is quoted at 119 s; New Zealand unsalfced 110 s, salted 106 s; better market for best qualities. Cheese: White 59s 3d, coloured 59s 9d; very finm.

Now and again we have complaints of using unseasoned timber for our cheese crates. It would pay factories in the long run if they kept the timber in stock and seasoned it themselves instead of imperilling the safety of their produce. Then, again, one or two small factories habitually make their cases too long. One snail shipment from a southern factory recently handled at Port Calmers had the battens about 4m too long, the consequence being that the cheese had 4in in which to move about. With the handling on the ship and at Home the cheese would be bound to suffer. In this instance 4in cut off the end of the batten would have remedied matters.

For cheese-making- the two valuable constituents of milk are the casein and the fat, but in butter-making only the fat is used. The casein is untouched, being found in the skim-milk. Scientists have discovered that casein can be manufactured into imitation celluloid and ivory goods. A com-, pany has contracted with the Glen Oroua Dairy Company to take over their skimmilk for the purpose of manufacturing ivory goods. It is calculated that the farmers will receive an extra 35s per cow per annum as a result, of the proposal. A correspondent of a Canadian paper recently drew attention to the fact that Canadian cheese was losing its place in comparison with Danish and New Zealand. The editor, in reply, states that the writer is correct. Canadian cheese holds the predominant position on the British market, and the beet of Canadian cheese is classed "finest." Up to the present Canadian cheese has always commanded a premium over the New Zealand make. By keeping up the quality of our cheese there is no reason why we should not continue to hold the position on the British market that we now have. In this connection it is interesting to note the prices quoted for the week ending January 20, 1911, and the corresponding week of 1910: 1911. 1910.

The cow-testing movement as advocated :by the Dairy Produce Division deals, with two important points—(l) the quality or weight, which is got by the use of the scales, and (2) the fat-oontent obtained through the Babcock test. Some suppliers in Otago and Southland are evidently of the opinion that as _ this is essentially a cheese-producing district it would be more valuable if a casein test was adopted. Casein is known to have definite value in cheese-making, and it is right that it should be considered. Actual work with the Hart casein test shows that in general the casein content of the milk increases as the reading of the fat increases. Hence paying for milk according to its fat content is to a great extent taking account of its casein content. The Hart casein test is, in comparison with the Babcock test, a very delicate one —more fitted for the chemist's laboratory than for the cheese factory. Payment on the fat basis is the simplest that can be recommended. It is to bo hoped that by next season some progressive factory here in the south will demonstrate to the district the value of co-operative herd-testing. Sailing on the Bth of _ March, the Kaipara took from the Dominion 655 boxes of butter and 5589 orates of cheese. On the :)th the Tongariro sailed with 25,547 cases of butter and 12,427 crates of cheese. The Karamea has shipped 4254 crates of oheese from the Bluff and 883 crates from Dunedin, while the Everton Grange takes

101 crates from Dunedin and 1018 from the Bluff.

Official results are now to hand of the pasteurisation demembration carried out this season by the Agricultural Department. Un to the time of writing" five batches of pigw (numbering 89 in all) have been slaughtered and carefully examined. Of this number only two were affected by tuberculosis, and one of these cases was somewhat doubtful. The evidence shows that pasteurisation properly carried out is effective in minimising the risk of contamination by tuberculosis. 'Particulars kept of pigs fed in the same district on nonpasteurised milk have shown on examination a very high percentage of animals affected. Another point has been proved — that pasteurisation undoubtedly increases the feeding value of the skim-milk or whey. It has been demonstrated that both pigs and calves put on condition more quickly and grow better than animal? fed on material not pasteurised. For this reason alone it will pay farmers to go in for this progressive reform. As some factories have had difficulties as the result' of installing plants inadequate for the purpose, it is hoped that factories will get the advise of a qualified person before moving in the matter. The Dairy Produce Division is best fitted to help companies in this direction.

Particulars of a, mammoth cheese were recently given in the Canadian papers. The exhibit was made in Canada for the National dairy show. Chicago. The cheese, which weighed 40001 b, was mad 1 © on a flat car, and taken to Chicago with appropriate ceremonies. It was stated at the time that it was the largest cheese ever pressed, but this is not correct. A cheese weighing 70001 b was mad'? in the year 1866 at the Harris Factory, Inffersoll, Ontario, for the New York State Fair at Syracuse. But even this was eclipsed bv the monster exhibited at the World's Fair at Chicago in 1893. It stood 6ft high, was over 9ft in diameter, and weighed 22,C001b, which is a world's record.

The large quantity of Australian butter shipped to London this season has led to the formation of a,n Australian Butter Committee in London, which is said to have done good in steadying the market and maintaining - prices. The trouble is, however, that there are always settlers anxious to clear as soon as the market appears to show any siain of giving way, and they thus assist in bringing about what they are anxious to avoid. It waa stated by an Australian paper that Mr Ellison, the representative of the North Island Dairy Association had joined the Australian committf**. but this rertort is discredited by the New Zealand officials.

3 o i 1 01 1 .9 'o 1 O ft 0 E s. a. s. s. s. s. s. Canadian .. 60 to 62 58 to 59 59 to 60 58 New Zealand 59 to 60 57 to 58 57 to 58 56 Australian —. — 55 to 66 54