STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3111, 29 October 1913, Page 15

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Weekly Stock Salei I Burnside. Wednesdays. Ashburton, Tuesdays. Addington. Wednesdays. Waiareka Railway Junction. Tuesdays. Fortnightly: Clinton, Thursdays. Balclutha, Fridays. Gore. Tuesdays. Oamaru, Tuesdays. 1 Invercargill. Tuesdays.

Monthly : Vcapara. first Thursday In each month, denary, second Wednesday in each month. Dnntroon, second Friday in each month. Winton, and Waikoualtl. Periodically: Palmerston, Heriot, Kelso, Kyeburn.

BURNSIDE MARKETS. There was an entry of 164 fat cattle at tho Burnside saleyards on Wednesday last, included in which were 33 cows and heifers. There were some good, heavy-weight bullocks forward, and on the whole the yarding was a well-finished lot. At the commencement of the sale competition was weak, but as tho sale progressed there was a firming tendency. Prices were 10s to 15s per head lower than the previous week. Beef may be quoted at about 35s per 1001 b. Extra heavy-weight bullocks brought up to £l9 7s 6d, best from £l2 to £l3 lOs? and good from £lO 10s to £ll 15s. best cows and heifers . from £9 ids to £ll, and extra up to £l2 12s 6d. The entry of stores numbered .106 and five bulls, and consisted of yearlings, two-year-olds, and aged cows of indifferent quality, with the exception of a few pens. Cows brought up to £6 15s 6d, yearlings from £2 19s to £3 6s, and bullocks up to £5 10s. The dairy cows were for tho most part of an indifferent class, but there were also exceptions in this entry, and gooil animals brought from £9 to £lO 7s 6d. There was a small entry of 1942 fat sheep. Tho quality was fairly gooil. with an odd pen of fine heavy sheep. Very few owes were included in the yarding. The demand was fairly brisk throughout. Prices were from 5d to 9d per bead better than on tho previous week. Extra wethers brought up to 33s 9d. best from 26a 6d to 28s 6d, and good from 23s 6d to 255; extra owes made up to 27s 6d. and best ewes brought from 24.- 6d to 265. Some 81 fat lambs were penned, a few coming from us far north as Waimate. The quality all round was good, but prices showed a decline of about £5 per head. Extra lambs brought up to 23s 3d. and best lambs 17s 6d to 18s 9d, while other sorts made from 14s 6d to 16s. Included in tho entry of 180 pigs wore some very fine baooners. Prices were on a par with tho previous week’s rates. There was an improvement in tho case of slips and suckers

ADDINGTON MARKETS. There was a further decrease in the entry of fat cattle at tho Addington live stock market last week, only 217 head being yarded. When compared with tho previous week tho quality was not quite as good, hut tho demand showed no appreciable change, and beef realised from 30s to 38s per 1001 b, according to quality. Extra steers brought up to £l9 ss, best from £9 to £l2, and extra cows made up to £l2 10a. The store cattle included some useful lines of 15, 18-months, and two-year-old cattle. The demand was good for ail classes, yearlings realising £1 15? 6d, 15 to 18-month sorbs £2 4s to £3 9s 6d. and two-year-old steers to £4 17s 6d. All classes as usual were represented in tho dairy cows, some of which wore a good sort. Prices ranged from £3 to £lO. A majority of tho fat sheep yarded wore shorn. The quality was good, and tho market opened o.i a par with the previous week, but afterwards prices became irregular. Extra prime woollv wethers brought up to 355. prime 25s 6d to 29s 9d, prime shorn wethers 19s 6d to 22s 9d. woolly owes 21s 10d to 29s 6d, and'shorn owes 16s 3d to 22s 6d. The entrv of fat lambs numbered 141, The .quality all round was good, but prices were slightly lower on account of the largo yarding, and competition less spirited. Best 'ambs brought from 18« to 21s fid, and others 16s to 17s fid. There was a -very small yarding of store sheep, which included a few lines of woolly ewes with lambs, and odd pens of woolly hoggi-ts. The demand was unchanged, but in many eases tho owner’s reserves were too high, and many were parsed in at auction Sound-mouthed woolly ewes with good lambs made 13s 9d. Woollv owe hoggets were passed at 21s 3d, while shorn hoggets sold at 14s. Fat pigs were in medium supply, but there was an easing in competition, and values were Inuch below the rates of recent sales. Choppers realised £3 to £4 15s. extra heavy baconers to £4. heavy from £3 5s to £3 12s, or equivalent to sid to s?d per lb. All descriptions of stores

showed an casing tendency, owing to the supply being in excess of requirements, and large stores realised 35s to 455.

I MEAT EXPORT PROSPECTS IN i AUSTRALIA.

Taken all round the season has been a fair one in Australia, and unless labour troubles occur it seems likely that the export of frozen meat will bo large. The season opened early, and during September 370,-000 sheep and 110,000 lambs were cleared for export, as compared with 20,000 sheep and 2650 lambs for the same month last year. For the rest of the season lambs are expected to predominate. It is expected the recent rains will prevent lambs being rushed to the works before they were fit, as it was feared would bo the case had not a change taken place. As to the probable prices at the other end, much cannot bo said. It is believed values may be slightly lower than last year. New Zealand lamb is expected to reach London earlier than was the case last year, and this with an almost certain increase in the Australian output,- is sure to have a somewhat depressing effect. According to the London correspondent of the Pastoral Review, forward buyers are offering less for December and January shipments than they were a year ago, A RGENTINE COMPETITION. It would appear from latest advices that the Argentine is paying more attention to increasing the export of beef than to the export of lambs-, and this should servo to enhance the price of New Zea'and lambs. The total quantity of lambs shipped from Argentina to the English market during 1912 showed a falling off of about 13 per cent., as compared with 1911. The shipments for the first half of 1913 show. a falling off of 18 per cent., as compared with the first six months of 1912. On the other hand, the total beef shipments from Argentina to England during 1912 show an increase of 10 per cent., as compared with 1911, while the shipments during the first six months of 1913 show an increase of 23 per cent., as compared with the first six months of 1912 Frozen mutton carcases dropped from 1,011,730 to 621.609. and lamb from 355.584 carcases to 203.561 carcases. The increase in the export of chilled beef was 265,458 quarters. NOVEL ARGENTINE IDEA. Mr Donald Ross, of Wanganui, who returned a few days ago from a trip to Groat Britain, saw something at Montevideo that was of interest to Now Zealanders. lie saw a vessel of three decks carrying live sheep. Ho boarded tho steamer, and learned that she had 1200 sheep, which were being convoyed to England. On the voyage the sheep were fed on hay and water. They were landed in England alive, and then sold as English mutton. Tho visitor learned that the animals did not lose much in condition. The good prices obtained through tho sheep being sold as English mutton well compensated the owners for the expenses entailed in shipping the sheep alive. Very few were lost on tho way, and on tho previous trip, which was rough, only lj per cent, of the live cargo died. This method would scarcely bo suitable for us in sending sheep to London ; but it might be possible to do something on those lines if we are going to take up tho supply of mutton to Canada and the United States.

SHORTAGE OF PIGS. A certain amount of anxiety is being caused in America through a diminution in the number of pigs. According to the estimate of tho Agricultural Department, there wore at let January of the present year 61.178.000 pigs in the States, compared with 65.410.000 on Ist January, 1912. This shortage, added to tho .prospect of a smaller beef supply, is looked upon with a considerable degree of alarm. Prices per head show a notable advance, being £2 at Ist January, 1913, against £1 13s at tho same period of tho past year. There is also a great scarcity of pigs in parts of New South Wales, and high prices are ruling. Never in tho history of the Lower Clarence (reports a Sydney paper) have marketable pigs been so scarce as at present, and it looks as if there is going to bo a pork famine for some time to come. With two bacon factories operating on the river, and outside buyers representing Queensland factories scouring the district during tho past six months, nearly every pig on the river—of all sorts and sizes- has been cleared out. Prior to these operations breeders could not find a market for their pigs, and, consequently, many gave up tho industry altogether. To those who had a few porkers in reserve it has been a veritable windfall, as buyers are offering 8d and 9d per lb at the sty, whilst for retail purposes local butchers find it almost impossible to supply local demands.

CHEESE MARKET PROSPECTS. Latest advices from London indicate that a shortage in Canadian cheese is probable. New Zealand stocks in London wore virtually exhausted, and choicest quality was realising 68s, or from Is to 2s bettor than Canadian on spot. According to the Ontario Government’s official statistics, tho area of hay and clover (not including alfalfa) in the Province of Ontario this year was 3,261,159 acres, which was 83,729 acres more than in 1912; but tho Agricultural Department estimates tho crops at only 3,543,95? tons, against 4,760.502 tons last year. This shows a reduction in .hay and

clover of 1,216,545 tons, which is 25 per cent, shortage on 1912. It is thus evident that the rejjorts regarding droughty weather in Ontario were not exaggerated. They further indicate a serious deficiency of winter fodder, and a consequent reduction in the number of cows in the milking herds, so that the supply of milk will be short next spring. Tho official statistics for Quebec are not yet issued, but as the drought prevailed in Western Quebec a similar shortage of fodder may be expected. The receipts of cheese into Montreal last week were 19,874 boxs less, and the shipments wore 12,977 boxe-s more than for tho corresponding week in 1912. The American Tariff Bill having ]>assed the Senate, it is interesting to point out that in tho year 1900 tho exports of choose from the United States amounted to 21,508 tone, but in 1912 they had fallen to 2829 tons. Tho imports of cheese in'l9oo wore only 6007 tons, but in 1912 they had risen to 20,777 tons. From these figures it is evident that imports of cheese into the United States arc increasing at an average rate of 1200 tons a vear, and under a reduced tariff imports should increase still more rapidly in the future. THE MANUFACTURE OF CASEIN. ' Casein-manufacture is booming in tho North Island. After many experiments and .prolonged investigation, the Now Zealand Dairy Association, Auckland, has decided to build and equip an extensive factory at Frankton, in the Waikato, and in seven other places in the district precipitation vats to the number of 25 have been erected. Tho factory will have a possible output of 4000 tons, but this season the output is not expected to exceed 200 tons. Casein is one of tho solid constituents of milk, and is present in about the same proportion as butter-fat —from 3i to 4 per cent. When rnilk is skimmed, tho butter-fat is removed, but the casein still remains suspended in the fluid. If skimmed milk is treated with a mineral acid, or, bettor still, with lactic acid, a precipitate is formed, this precipitate being known as the curd. This treatment of the skimmed milk with lactic acid is, after all, only hastening the natural process of the souring of the milk. After 18 hours of treatment all the curd is precipitated. The remaining whey is then drained off. and tho curd is cut and washed. The moisture having boon squeezed out, the curd is put Into canvas bans, taken to a central station or factory, and thoroughly dried by evaporation. The resulting substance is casein in the form of yellowish-white flakes. At Aramoho, were the New Zealand Casein Company has a factory, tho present daily output is equal to the highest daily output, in the flush of last season. Mr Vickerman,' the manager, referring to the statement made that during the past 11 years there had not been one cheese factory that had paid bettor than butter factories, states.that j last year several butter factories were ahead of the average cheese factory payout, and he asks how many cheese factories can show better returns than the following:— „ ~ !

GRAZING SHEEP ON STUBBLE FIELDS.

According to Professor Perkins, of Roseworthy Agricultural College, South Australia, for seven years tho stubble fields have provided valuable grazing for sheep, a fact which some farmers are slow to realise. The character and value of the feed available varies according to the crop, but experience at the college has shown that even hay fields, are valuable. There is an indirect advantage which must not be loot sight of in tho ready mastery which it gives the farmer over stinkwort and other woods. They have access to them,.whilst the weed is still in the early stages of its growth ; young plants sheep will cut out completely; of older ones they will no more than nibble off tho growing extremities. If a field is known to 1)0 badly infested with stinkwort it should be heavily stocked with sheep as soon as it is clear of the harvest workers. For 112 days (from December to March) the Rose worthy stubbles carried an average of over ]£ sheep to tho acre.

INFLUENCE OF LIME. Some attont on is being paid in Australia to the marked influence on animals of fodder from well limed land. Mr Ham, a Geelong farmer, says that having always found that hav grown on limed or marled land was the best for working horses, he advised a carrier in a large way, who was in the habit of buying hav irrespective of where it was grown, to try the product ra sed on land liberally limed and note the results. A month’s trial was given, and the report from tho carrier was somewhat tf£ this effect: — “I never saw anything like it. My horses are doing more work; they come home fresher and tho feed goes further. I don’t have to use so much bran and oats.” That carrier, as far as possible, now buys only hay grown on limed land. As is well known, numbers of horse-owners are -willing to give a higher price for such hay. Incidentally. as hinted, what is true of hay for horses is also true of milk, fruit, bread, vegetables, and meat for human .beings, only carriers are careful to pet their hay from land rich in lime, while human beings give no consideration to the matter of where their food comes from

the making of ensilage, It would be interesting to learn whether many of those engaged in the dairying industry intend to take stops to make ensilage or in any other way make provision •n i at P cr when green, luscious feed '' ,1 become scarce, and tlie milk yield will fall away rapidly for want of it. There if every prospect of luxuriant growth this season, , and unless converted into ensilage a large portion of it will simply go to waste. Stack ensilage is the most ready and economical method to adopt. It is attended with a greater percentage of loss than underground, pits and overground silos, due to the air gaining access to the sides: but tins, though dry, is not all waste. As was pointed out by a South Australian dairy export, the advantages of ensilage ar? many It will maintain the milk supply and monthly cream cheque; keep the dairy stock alive and maintain the herds in good health; it can be conserved at little cost, during the slack time of the year, and allows two crops being taken off the same land within that period. It increases the carrying capacity and fertility of the farm, and assists to c.ear the woods os the crops are cut beforo the seed matures. SYDNEY WOOL SALES. I lie wool sales in Australia have shown that there is a strong demand for wool. At the first sales at Sydney 42.500 bale* wore catalogued. Diilgety’e Keviow says: ‘‘lt is safe to say that there has never been a more general demand nor keener competition than has prevailed during t.ho past few days. There have been times in boom seasons when prices have ’open higher, but it is doubtful whether in the history of the market there have ever boon better selling conditions as a whole. The improvement in the position as compared with '(.he early part of last week was duo to the entry of the Yorkshire and Japanese buyers into the market, as well as the operations of local mills, both for top-making and manufacturing purposes, and if the present combined demand can be maintained, of which, these seems at present every prospect, the selling season should prove one of the best yet experienced at this centre. Crossbred* are still in very keen demand, and are realising excellent prices, up to 12J.d being paid for this class of wool in our catalogue, wnioh was equal to our highest price secured for greasy wool. T his figure was obtained for 12 bales of A crossbred, of Coonibil, whilst up to 12J,d was reached for crossbred from Timbrebongie (Narromine). The French representatives took practically nil the crossbreds, an occasional lino being purchased by the German section.

Butterfat. Case Tl. per lb. in. B-f, Bell Block .. 13.8 1.25 14.33 Waitara .. 13 1.25 14.25 N. Taranaki ... 12.875 1.25 14.125 Midhirst .. 12.74 1.25 13.99