STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3100, 13 August 1913, Page 15

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

1 Weekly Stork Sales: Monthly: I Burnside. Wednesdays. N'gapura, first Thursday | Ashburton, Tueedavs. in each month, i Addington Wednesdays. Qle WC ond WedWaiareka Railway June- neaJa ' pach month. I ° n 'r ?! ?,*’ Duntroon, second Friday ! Fortnightly: ln eaoh mon th. WinClinton, Thursdays. ton. an( j Waikonalti. Bulclutha, Fridays. Gore. Tuesdays. Periodically : Oumaru, Tuesdays. Palmerston, Heriot, Invercargill. Tuesdays. Kelsr, Kyelmni.

| BURNSIDE MARKETS. There was a fair yarding of 218 head fat cattle at Burnside \ards on Wednesday, of which 60 head were cows and heifers. Brices all round were somewhat easier, but as the quality was not so good as on the previous week, values were really not much changed, and beef may be quoted at last week’s rates per 1001 b. There was a large yarding of 214 stores, mostly young cattle, cows, and heifers. All met with a good demand, and high prices were paid for pons suitable for graziers to fatten off during the summer months. Some 22 lat calves penned realised from 22s to 27s for best, and 11s to 16s for inferior. Of the 60 dairy cows yarded, anything not close to profit was neglected ; hut with the near approach of spring grass and the high price ruling for dairy produce, prices seem likely to be high in the near future. There was a medium yarding of 2441 fat sheep. The sale opened with prices a little above last week’s quotations; but the advance was not maintained, and bidding came down to last week’s rates. Best jvethers sold at from 26s to 325, lighter sorts 18s to 225, best ewes vqi to 255, light 12s 6d to 20s. Only 280 fat lambs came forward. The export season having closed, the principal buyers wore graziers, prices being about the same as on the previous week. ADDINGTON M ARKETS. The 400 fat cattle yarded at the Addington stock sales last week consisted of general all-round choice bullocks. Competition was free, although at times irregular; but prices showed no variation from the previous week’s quotations. The entry of store cattle was larger than on the previous week, and was composed chiefly of young sorts. The demand was free, but in many eases the reserves were too high for business. The entry of fat sheep totalled over 6000, included in which wore some exceptionally prime wethers. Prices were firm at the opening- of the market, and continued so throughout. Prices ranged: Extra prime wethers to 38s, prime 22s 6d to 29s 9d. extra prime owes 425. The 30 now season’s lambs, some being well grown, made from 13s to 255. The yarding of store sheep was smaller than on the previous week, consisting of a larger proportion of wethers than usual. For the best lines of ewes prices showed a slight appreciation, while other descriptions were unchanged. Hoggels were firmer, and wethers maintained late rates. Prices were: Six and eight toothed ewes 26s 3d to 26s lid, hoggets 15s 9d to 17s Bd, and two, four, and six toothed wethers to 19s 6d. There was a good all-round demand for the medium entry of fat pigs, and prices showed an improvement; choppers- made £3 10s to £6 17s 6d. The store pigs were of indifferent quality. The bulk of the dairy cows were also of, indifferent quality, ami the demand, as usual, was free. CLINTON STOCK SALES. The usual fortnightly sale was held at Clinton on Thursday, the 7th Inst. There was only a small yarding, some 1700 sheep all told. There was a large attendance of the public, buyers being present from all quarters. Competition was good, and prices were slightly higher tiian at the previous sale. The following lots changed hands: — 190 forward wethers 21s lid. 63 fat wethers 25s 3d, 115 hoggets 15s 2d. 150 empty owes 13s 7d, 70 wether hoggets 14s, 100 two-tooth '"wes 19<s 6d, 40 cull ewes 12s, 96 hoggets 16s Id. 24 do 14s 3d ; 38 small wethers 15s Id, 341 two-tooth wethers 18s, 160 owe hoggets 18s 7d, 136 owes in land) 22s Bd, 94 hoggets 17s 3d, 35 do 16s Sd. BALCLC’JTIA SALE. Th® fortnight! v stock sale was held at Balclutha on Friday last, the Bth inst. The 3750 sheep yarded sold under strong competition at an advance of Is per head on late ruling rates. Prices ranged : Extra prime wethers from 23s to 31s, prime wethers 25s 6d to 27s 6d, good 22s to 245, ewes in lamb 18s 6d to 24e, best hoggets £3O. After all charges are paid the dealers 6d. The number of cattle yarded was 225 head, and about half of tins number were in the fat pons. All descriptions sold well at about late ruling rates. The yarding of pigs, which numbered 23 suckers, sold at 13s 5d to 15s 6d. HIGH-PRICED SHEEP. At Addington last week a record price was obtained by Mr Fred Bull for Shrop- ! shire, Romney, and Shropshire cross. A pen of three two-shear Romney-Shropshire cross wethers, which won two first prizes at the Dunedin Winter Show, were first knocked down at £9 10s. Throe other sheep of the same age and breeding brought £6. : T.h sensation of the sale came when three ’ two-shear Shropshire wethers, which were j second to the crossbreds at the Malvern j Show, were sold, under keen competition, at £l4 10s per head, and established a new Australasian record. Three more of the same ago and breed sold at £7 ss, and three others at £4 15s. All the cheep were mag-

nificcnt specimens and the sale caused con* i siderablo excitement. A number of other j special lots of sheep brought high prices. Messrs' M'Clclland Bros, (Kimberley) sold I D.own cross wethers at £2 15s to £4; Mr L. White (Rakaia), Corricdales at £2 10s I to £3 15s, halfbrecls at £3, shrepshires at £2 15s, and Shropshire ewes at £2 2s; Mr W. F. Clinton (Darlield), Weneleydale cross wethers (unbeaten in the show ring) at £2 17 6d to £3 7s 6d, and crossbreds at £1 12a to £2 12s; Canterbury Agricultural College, four Southdowns at £3; Mr Jas. Littlo I (Da.lmeny), Corricdales at 30s to 38s; a | North island client, crossbreds at 30s to 3&s 6d; and Mr Jas. Brooks (Irwell), Southdowns (winners of four lirst prizes) at 34s to 355. THE LONDON MARKET. Dealing with the London market, under date Juno 20, Messrs Henry Fitter and Sons report:— *’ The scarcity of Scotch and home-killed mutton continues, and prices remain firm. A good many English lambs are now coming in, but a fairly good demand keeps prices at about the same level. Owing to a temporary shortage of Argentine sheep, an endeavour has been made to put prices of Now Zealand mutton on a higher level, but buyers have not responded very freely. Small sheep are still going off a good deal quicker than large ones. Ewes are slightly firmer in tone. Small New Zealand lambs are meeting a good demand, but as the larger ones considerably predominate in shipments coming to hand, there is more difficulty in disposing of the latter. The higher level of prices at which these have been selling through the early summer seems to have had rather a weakening effect on the demand. Tegs have lately been arriving very freely, and as this trade depends very largely on the demand in tho West End, the output is to a certain extent limited. As wc mentioned in our last report, some of these togs are rather too fat. Tho price of Argentine chilled beef is quoted higher. This, however, is entirely duo to shorter supplies. The warm weather lias put a check on tho demand for beef, and it has been difficult to clear at tho higher prices. Frozen beef is a shade firmer but there is very little business doing." NEW ZEALAND BUTTER. Some of those interested in the dairy produce trade in Auckland arc inclined to deny the statement cabled from London to the effect that New Zealand butter had not'made tho progress anticipated, and that not the same proportion of choicest butter had been exported last season. They declare that the quantity of New Zealand butter has not declined. The anticipations of good prices had not been realised, and consequently those who iiad bought early had suffered a severe loss, and it was from this quarter that complaints had come. It is admitted that isolated complaints were doubtless well founded. Of course, it is easy to dispose of a complaint in this way, but it docs not prove that the complaints were not well founded. With a brisk market and good prices these who buy to sell again do not require to inquire closely into the quality. But when the reverse is tho case and cffoits to butter as a high-class article are frustrated by finding that there is a deficiency in quality, naturally strong complaint is made. AUSTRALIAN BUTTER. The complaints from London regarding (lie decline in the quality of Australian butter is more freely admitted, and, such being the case, there is reasonable expectation that an attempt will be made to improve; whereas, when the attitude is taken up that complaints arc unfounded, and the blame is attempted to bo put ‘‘on the other fellow,” the outlook is not so healthy. Mr Crowe, the Victorian Superintendnto of Exports, says that the Department of Agriculture had pointed out for some considerable time that the quality for export blitter from various places was falling off. For the first time since the establishment of tho export trade a factory which accepted home-separated cream was included among the 10 highest-scoring factories last year; while factories, which formerly hold high positions wore unplaced. He bad shown opposition to the homoseparator process at all times, and, if it •wore more generally accepted there would be a further decline in tho quality of butter. It was only natural that better results would lie achieved by separation at factories, where ample facilities for the work were afforded. Why we have an interest in the quality of the Australian article was forcibly put by Mr Ellison, the London agent of the National Dairy Association, in a paper read at the recent Dairy Conference. Air Ellison wrote: —‘‘It is unfortunate indeed for Now Zealand that the market here is year by year flooded with thousands of tons of inferior butter from the Commonwealth of Australia, more particularly that from New South Wales. This nondescript class" of butter acts as a drag on the, entire colonial imports of butter. It lowers the tone and standard of all butters from the British Dominions. Much, of this inferior butter is hold in cool store and placed on the market at the commencement of iho colonial season, the result being that it has a moat damaging influence on tho market, and Now Zealand butter does not escape the bad effect created by the poor quality of Australian.”

NEW ZEALAND'S ADVANTAGES. The possessed by tlic Now

Zealand dairymen over Australians are not always remembered. The lack of a supply of pure and cool water is a tremendous drawback. The only water available is either surface or rain water, largo quantities of which have to bo conserved in storage tanks, where it becomes heated. In the summer it is found necessary to run this water over the refrigerator coils to secure the right temperature. Theil the Victorian system of determining quality is to grade every can of cream as it roaches the factory, and churn each grade sepas ratcly. But competition is so keen between the various companies that cream of doubtful quality is often accepted rather than lose the * support of a supplier. Home separation is practically universal, and in the Australian climate it is very difficult, from want of pure cold water, to keep everything in that perfect state of cleanliness which is essential. Despite the fact that many factories turn out a first-class article, the lack of compulsory Government grading prevents buyers having that confidence in tlie Australian article that they have in most of the New Zealand brands. CONTAGIOUS MAMMITIS. The serious loss caused by contagious mammitis is so great that the discovery of a preventive would be hailed with satisfaction by all who keep dairy cows. Mammitis may bo roughly described as inflammation of the udder (really the mammary glands), which not only causes pain, but affects the well-being of the animal and in many instances the affected quarter becomes dry. It is usually spread by the hands of the milker; but veterinarians aver that not only rugs and buildings, but the soil as well is capable of infecting. The Town and Country Journal states that some 15 months ago Mr R. Shepherd, of Bomaderry, placed a small area of land at the disposal of the Stock Branch to carry out experiments. Beginning investigation on original linos, it was first established that the cause was one particular micro-organism principally, though others wore included in certain cases. Later, the Bureau of Micro-biology prepared a vaccine at the request of the Stock Branch, and this has been used with fairly satisfactory results. Not only have the cows of the experiment herd been inoculated, but also those of a nun\ber of neighbouring farmers (who are deeply interested in the experiments), including a largo number of Mr Shepherd’s herd. At present tiio position is as follows: —The investigation has advanced sufficiently to give good promise of highly successful results if further pursued; but there is scarcely yet enough reliable data for a definite assertion to bo made that the disease can bo absolutely prevented by inoculation, or curative treatment assured by similar means. The work in certain directions is now at a standstill for want of facilities for carrying out exact experiments, without which nothing can be absolutely demonstrated. The present promises are unsuitable for this purpose, owing to being already infected with the disease. BACON-CURING IN TARANAKI. The. success of the Co-operative Bacon Factory at Inglewood, Taranaki, would seem to indicate that pig-rearing can be carried on with profit. Mr A. Morton, chairman of directors, claims that the company last year paid to its shareholders £593 18s 4d over and above the prices given by its competitors for the same class of pigs at the same time. During the year the liabilities had been reduced by £IBOO. This lie considered highly satisfactory, seeing that they bad paid id per lb above market rates to the suppliers. With regard to the future, Mr Morton said he felt confident that it would be a bright one. He regretted that the supply of pigs was not increasing in a proper proportion to tlio population. The demand was increasing every year, and there wa-s great difficulty in keeping up the supply. 'I he prices given receiitlv were unheard of; possibly they would come down a little, bui they would always be maintained at a fairly high level. Of the 4000 pigs, valued at £12,429, handled by the company last year, only 39 were condemned by the Government inspector, who was always present during slaughtering operations. For comparative purposes, it was mentioned that whereas 2fd per lb was ihe ruling price for pork 12 years ago, the company naid out as high as per lb for last season’s pigs.