STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3250, 28 June 1916, Page 10

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Weekly Slack Sales. Surn6lie, Wednesdays Aehburton, Tuesdays 4ddlngton, Wednesdays Waiaiska Railway Junetiou, Tuesdays. Fortnightly. CliuKa, Thursdays Baielutha, Fridays flore, Tuesdays Oamuru, Tuesdays Waiikioetowu, Tuesdays. aSantaly. Palmerstoii, Ist Monday Kgapaca &. Wiutou, Ist

Mataura &. Waikouaiti 2nd Thursday Riverton, 3rd Thursday Wyndham, last Thursday Balfour & Thornbury,, Ist Friday Duntioou & Otantan, 2nd Friday Rivefsdale, 3rd Friday Waikaka. last Friday. Periodically. Heriot, Keiso, Waipiata. Lutnsden, Mossbura, Orepuki, Cliideu.

BURNSIDE MARKET. At L'ur-nsiue on "Wednesday rain was falling most of the day, and made things most unpleasant. Stock values in most sections. maintained the previous week's sales extreme rates. The quality of a medium yarding of fat sheep ranged from fair to good, all of which evoked keen competition from the trade and exporters, the latter securing a fair proportion. Values were very linn at last sale's quotations, medium sheep in placid being somewhat dearer. Under 1000 fat lambs were yarded, which were promptly taken by the usual export burers at values ruling the precedingweek. The supply oi fat cattle ou the 14th. it will be remembered, was a small one and high values were recorded. Last week's yarding- of 100 head proved insufficient, and, although a number of pennings were unfinished, the demand was such that the previous week's prices wero maintained, and in places 2s per iOOib higher, prices at tho close of the sale being-, perhaps, the best for a considerable time from a vendor's point of view, beet making up to 48s, and in places 50s per ICOib. About 120 store cattle of medium quality wero yarded with a dozen bulls, which realised within 10s per head of last sale's rates, kiilable animals making about 32s per 1001 b. Other sorts were unchanged. A small offering of calves made from 7s to 40s. Dairy cows were in small supply, and of medium quality, best making up to £11; others from £5 to £8 10s. Recent rates for fat pigs were unu; but stores and small sorts, although few were yarded, were easier than obtained at the previous sale. ADDINGTON YARDS. The yarding of fat sheep at Addington was of average quality, ewes predominating in a full entry. Generally the Side was much the same as last week, equivalent values bsing the rule in most oas? s. Tho quality of the 5000 fat lambs yarded was hardly <so good as of late, and although perhaps there was no slackening in values, competition was not quite so keen. Values fo.- kiilable lambs ranged from 17s to 245; extra to 295. There wis a very fair eritry of store cheep, chiefly lambs, with a moderate supply of ewes and less of wethers. Although quality was not so much in evidence as at recent sales, the demand sufficed to effect satisfactory clearances at values relatively equal to the previous week's quotations. The fat cattle yarded were an exemplary lot, and evoked considerable interest, as well as keen buying, from the trade. About 350 were offered, and beef sold from 37s to 48s 6d per 1001 b —that is, equivalent to the best rates current this month. The store cattle entry was a poor one, and elicited but a weak demand from graziers, young steers being practically unrepresented. Dairy cows sold

freely at round about £7, and up to £lB 10s for quality animals. Vealers made from 8s to 80s; extra, 112 s. Fat pigs sell promptly at high rates; but stores were unchanged. BALCLUTHA AND CLINTON. The fortnightly sale held last week at Balclutha was in every respect a success, values of stock, in keeping with other centres, showing a hardening tendency. Some 3000 sheep were yarded, chiefly ewes, and wethers, with several lots of hoggets. Values, compared with the previous sale, were higher by a shilling per head on all classes. Ewes in lamb, from four-tooth to good-mouth sorts, sold at up to 23s 6d; mixed sexed hoggets sold freely; two-tooth wethers, 225, 245, 27&. At Clinton on Thursday an equally good salo was held. The yarding was small, somo 25C0 sheep being offered. Young, good sorts of cattle sold freely. Two-tooth wethers made 255; breeding ewes, 265, 235, 50s (from two-tooths to full-mouths); while fats were exceptionally firm. NORTH ISLAND STOCK SALES. Stock values in the Mortis Island remain very firm. The rainy weather has been fairly general, and the growth on pastures satisfactory, while newly-sown grass is coming on splendidly. The milking season is just about coming to an end, and factories in most cases have improved on previous records. In Taranaki dairy cows are selling at £l4 to £l6—that is, for good animals. In the Wairarapa district, at the Masterton yards, some large yardings of stock have como forward, and were easily cleared at firm prices. Somo values are given as follow:—Two-tooth Southdown ewes in lamb. 555; other in-lamb ewes (full and failing mouth), 14s to 20s; two-tooth ewes, 19a 6d; fair, 16s to 17s 6d; twotooth wethers, 21s to 23s 7d; lambs (shorn), 17s; fats, 20s to 21s; store ewes, 18s to 19s 7d. At a clearing sale at Eketahuna the following prices were obtained: —Twotooth ewes, 28s; four-tooths, 32s 4d; sixu, ~.:>, 32s 4>d; four-year and five-year lambs, 36s 3d; ewe hoggets, IBs 3d; cull owes, 17s; two and a-half and ol'd steers, £6 14s 6d, £7 7s 6d, and £9 7s; year and a-half heifers, £4 17s; weaner heifers, £3 Is to £3 lis; steers, £3 5s to £4 17s; heifers (two-year-olds) in calf, £4 8s to £5. _ In the Wanganui-Fcilding district grass is still abundant, and stock average somewhat as follows:—Store wethers, 26s 6d; good, 30s 6d to 31s 6d; empty ewes, 18s; ewes in lamb to Romney rams, 27s to 29s 3d. A line of nearly 1000 four-tooth and six-tooth wethers made 29s 6d; weaner Shorthorn steers, £5 10s; weaner heifers, £5; ordinary, 36s to 645; two and two and a-half-year steers, £8 15s. MEAT NOTES. After a break of many months the export of frozen moat from Queensland to Great Britain has restarted. The usual monthly statement has been issued by the New South Wales Government Statistician (Mr J. B. Trivott), showing the price levels of focd and groceries in Sydney between July, 1914>' and the month before the outbreak of war, and May, 1916. The prices in July, 1914, are taken as a basis, and called 100, and the commodities for which the price levels are computed are these in everyday consumption. In the statement moat is distinguished from other food and groceries, and the two groups arc combined:

According to the statement the prices of meat last month were 66.4 per cent, higher than in July, 1914. Other food and groceries were 18.3 per cent, higher, and tho prices for the fwo combined were 30.7 per cent, higher. Compared with the preceding month (April, 1916) meat was 0.4 per cent, dearer, other food and groceries were 1.4 per cent, dearer, and the two combined were a 1.1 per cent, dearer. As regards meat, sirloin of beef, legs, and shoulders of mutton and corned refund declined slightly in price, pork remained stationary at tho proclaimed price, and other cuts showed a small increase. Potatoes, butter, cheese, and eggs advanced a little, as did keroseno and candles, while a slight drop occurred in prices of bacon and ham, oatmeal and currants. Compared with tho corresponding month (May) of 1915, moat was 29.3 per cent, higher, other food and groceries were 11.6 per cent, higher, and the two combined were 16.8 per cent, higher; and, compared with May, 1914, meat was 65.4 per cent, higher, other food and groceries were 18.5 per cent, higher, and tho two combined wcro 30.7 per cent, higher. Tho freezing companies at Poverty Bay are about concluding tho year's operations, as fat stock are about exhausted. Tho Gisborno Freezing Works notified farmers that y*ork would stop for tho season on the and the other companies aro expected to follow suit immediately. STOCK NOTES. JEFew sires have dono more for a flock in

any nart of Australia than has been the case with Donald; Dinnie. He is accredited with having produced over 1200 lambs, sired three successive champions, swept the board of the Adelaide Royal of all first prizes for rams, and returned more money i tor progeny sold than any other ram livi ing, or on record. Striking evidence (says the Adelaide ObI server) of the wisdom of keeping only the | best class of stock was furnished at the | Adelaide abattoirs recently, when Mr Bow- | man. of Onotreo Hill, yarded a wonderful middle white Yorkshire nig, which turned the scales at approximately 6501 b, and realised £ls 10s. It is particularly note- : worthy that not only did the sow bring i what is believed to be a record at the I Gepp's Cress yards, but her progeny have ! yielded her owner about £3OO, and 1 he still ; has £IOO worth of stock from her on hand. I The result of the show and sale of Lincolnshire red Shorthorn bulls at Lincoln on | April 27 supplied further evidence of the prosperous state of the cattle-breeding pursuit.. The animals stalled numbered 334, and formed a very fine display. The whole > of the bulls were sold, ancl realised the ! splendid average of £3B 6s, the best since - the sales were instituted. The highest price i was 2Oogs. Owner's averages ranged from I £SO to £92 for lots of three and four, while ! lOOgs to 130 gs were not uncommon. ! An Ashburton dealer secured some fairly I largo lines of both breeding ewes and I lambs last. week. Good lines of breeding I ewes are scarce, and in cases high figures arc realised. One Waikouaiti line of 700 four-tooth "Romney cross ewes changed | hands at the exceedingly high price of 345, this being the highest figure realised for a i large line this year.

CROP STATISTICS. The April number of the Bulletin of Agricultural and Commercial Statistics, published by the International Institute of Agriculture, contains information relatinq to areas sown and prospects of the crop* in the Northern Hemisphere. As regard" autumn sewings of cereals (1915-1916 crop), the most important of the new figures in tho present Bulletin are those of wheat in British India (12,232,262 hectares, or 94.4 per cent, of last year's area, and 103.5 per cent, of thy average of the preceding live years) and in Japan (502,107 hectares, or 111 per cent, of last year's area, and 104.6 per cent, of the average of the preceding live years), while the area under barley m Japan is estimated at 1,258.258 hectares, or 96 per cent, of last year's, and 97.5 per cent, of tho preceding five years' average. There are no other important alterations shown as compared with areas stated in the March Bulletin. The state of these autumnsown crops is good in Italy, Rumania, and Egypt, satisfactory on the whole in France, Switzerland, the United States, British India, Japan, and Algeria; but in Great Britain tho season is very backward. Dealing with current harvests, preliminary estimates of tho yield of maize in Argentina amount to 40,950,000 quintals, or 47.6 per cent, of that of last year (an exceptionally abundant crop), and 84.1 per cent, of an average of the previous five years. By including these data from Argentina with the maize crons of the Northern Hemisphere, the total yield of 1915 (and in the Southern Hemisphere of 1915-16) may bo stated for tho following countries: —Hungary, Spain. Italy, Rumania. European and As'atic Russia, Switzerland, Canada, United States, Japan, and Argentina, giving' altogether 946,761,150 quintals, or 105.7 per cent, of last year's yield in these countries, and 109.8 per cent, of that shown by an average of the preceding five years. — [Hectare, nearly 2i bushels; quintal equals 1001b.] CO-OPERATIVE DAIRIES IN DENMARK. According' to an article on " Co-opevativc Dairies in Denmark." contributed to the Bulletin of _ Economic and Social Intelligence, published by tho International Institute of Agriculture at Rome, these dairies, which in 1909 numbered 1157, are of such great importance that they deal with 77 per cent, of the milk produced in the country. Tho average number of milkproducers per dairy amounted in 1913 to 157, and the number of cows to 958. As much as 2621 kilogrammes (kilogramme equals 2.2!b avoirdupois) of milk were yielded per cow. Compared with only 1250 to 1500 kilogrammes obtained in 1884, 1750 kilogrammes in 1683, and 1975 kilogrammes in 1898, it will be seen how great has been tho progress made as a result of tho more systematic selection and feeding of animals. Tho increased yield, together with the increase in tho number of cows—from 900.000 in 1881 _ to 1.300,000 in 1913has produced a continual augmentation in tho amount of milk dealt with by the dairies, although these l>ccomc more numerous every day. From the industrial returns of 1906 the milk handled amounted to almost 2,130,000 kilogrammes a day, and according to tho 1913 statistics it readied 2,510,000 kilogrammes. At tin? same timo a better butter return was obtained. In 1898 26.5 kilogrammes of milk were required to produce ono kilogramme of butter, whilo in 1913 the same amount of butter was made from 25.3 kilogrammes of milk. A number of co-operative societies exist for the export of butter, each composed of federated dairies, which undertake to sell their butter through tho medium of their particular co-oporativo export society. At present there arc seven such socitics in different districts of the country.

These include 275 dairies, and, further, 175 dairies united in 1901 for the co-operative puich ;o of industrial machines and apparatus, andi the annual expenditure of this co-operative purchasing socictv, which now includes 851 dairies," is about 2,200,000 kronen. Half of this amount is spent on dairy machinery and appliances.

Q <? to £■* to ■ ft 3 H 1-1 CB Month. -atJ g a) o S July, 1914 .. .. .. 100 O ci o 100 100 May, 1913 .. .. .. 123.0 100.1 111.9 December, 1915 153.5 121.8 130.0 January, 19J 6 .. .. 155.0 119.8 128.8 February, 1916 .. 162.0 122.6 132.8 March, 1916 .. .. 167.2' 118.8 131.3 April, 1916 .. 165.7 116.7 129.3 May, 1916 .. .. .. 166.4 118.3 130.7