STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3275, 20 December 1916, Page 11

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Weekly Stock Sales, i Monthly (continued). Burnsido, Wednesdays v Jlutaura & Wa'ikouaiti, Ashburton, Tuesdays v 2nd Thursday Addingion, Wednesdays Kiverton, 3rd Thursday Waiareka Railway June- Wyndham, last Thurstion, Tuesdays day Fortnightly. Balfour & Thornbury, Clinton, Thursdays Ist Friday Balclutha, Fridays Duntroon & Otautau, Gore, Tuesdays 2nd Friday Oamaru, Tuesdays Kiversdale, 3rd Friday Wallacetown, Tuesdays Waikaka, last Friday Heriot Monthly. Periodically. Palmerston, Ist Monday Waipiata, Lumsden, Ngapara & Wiuton, Ist Mossburn, Orepuki, Thursday Clifden BURNSIDE MARKETS. An ordinary yarding of fat sheep came forward at Burnside, comprised practically of shorn sheep with a few pens of woollies. No alteration in the previous week's lower quotations ruled. The 150 fat lambs penned just about satisfied the demand, and in places somewhat higher rates were obtained The quality of the fat cattle yarded was about the average, and in numbers just what was required, with the result that prices picked up a shade, heifer and cow beef making up to 41s 6s and best-quality beef to 45s 6d per 1001 b. In a moderate offering of store cattle, made up for the most part of inferior assorted lots, the bidding was keen enough to maintain late rates. The dairy cows penned, where apparent soundness was observed, sold freely, medium animals making from £7 to £l2. Calves sold at unchanged rates. Rather more fat pigs came forward, and made lato good values, while for a small lot of stores an unsatisfied demand was evident, and high prices were obtained.

ADDINGTON YARDS. The large yarding of fat sheep at Addingfcon engaged the attention of both export buyers and the trade, and values were erratic, the latter securing supplies in view of values at.holiday markets being often uneven; but, generally, little alteration in rates need be recorded. Some 1300 fat lambs were penned, best eorts were unchanged, unfinished rather easier than last sale's values. For a fairly large yarding of store sheep, mainly shorn wethers and hoggets, the rates of the previous week were obtained.

Cattle were somewhat cheaper in the fat pens, and export buyers secured a few of the heavier class of animal; several lots were passed. A veryiffair lot of medium store cattle were entered, chiefly heifers and young steers and heifers of a useful quality. The demand was excellent, and high prices ruled. Southern stuff of good breeding in even lines, sold ver.y well. Few decent dairy cows were forward; but the demands is strong for quality animals. Best made up to £ls ss, and as low as £5. The hot weather militated against the fat pig sale, and lower rates ruled; but all stores were firmer.

NORTH ISLAND STOCK VALUES. The cessation in the firming of stock value?, in the North Island seems imminent, although stock agents are not alone in emphasising the danger of serious loss. In South Auckland some recent prices are as. foliow: —Runners (i «., heavy vealers) £6 to £B, wearer calves £1 17s to £3, year and a-half steers -£7 10s to £8 10s, two-year-olds £lO 6s, cows and calves £ll. A lino of 60 West Coast cows made £9 15s to £lO 7s 6d. In North Auckland two to two and a-half year old steers £8 10s to £9 ss, year and a-half £7 to £B, forward cows £8 ss. In the Manawatu, yearling steers to £7 Bs, three-year-olds to £l3 15s, mixed two tooths 26s to 30s. good ewes and lambs £2 10s to £2 15s. In the Wairarapa, 15months Hereford-Polled cross steers £ll 10s, thin two-year-olds to £ll 10s, Shorthorn cows with calves £ls 15s, two and three year old Hereford heifers £l4 Is; hoggets 33s to 34s 6d, four-tooth wethers (shorn) 30s to 325. In Poverty Bay sheep were inclined to bo steady at lower rates—twotooth wethers 30s, hoggets 31s to 32a 6d. Store cattle sold freely, about 1100 being offered at the Matawhero Yards. In Taranaki 15-months steers made £6 19s to £B, young springing heifers £8 to £ll 10s, good-conditioned cows £lO to £ll. fat to £l4. In the Wanganui-Foilding districts, 15-months to two-year-old Shorthorn steers £9 to £ll 10s, two and a-half to threo year old £l2 10* to £l3. throe and threo and a-half to £l6 lis; hoggets 365, twotooth wethers 325, four-tooth ewes (shorn) 375. WOOL NOTES. In connection with the taking over of New Zealand wool by the Government matters are just about fixed up. In tho event of any disputes arising regarding a valuation as between the valuers, ihi provincial arbitrator nominated by the Growers' Committee will pronounce finally. Mr W. Nicholls, of Belfast, has been appointed arbitrator for the North Canterbury district. Details will be furnished to growers promptly. It has been announced that tho whole of tho Austrnlian olio not sold at auction up to November 23 has been bought by Great Britain—croasv at 15£'d per lb. In arriving at the price of tho Commonwealth clip duo consideration, it is understood, has been given in fixing the price for the wool Aip to tho prices received by those who ha.< sMpPod or sold their wool,

so that one section of the growers should not have an advantage. This was a most important matter, and full information would be available shortly. _ Recognising the fact that shipping difficulties are assuming a grave aspect, woolgrowers with any common sense should welcome any outlet, even if they have to sell at perhaps rot quite up to auction equivalents. s MEAT MOTES. Referring to the growth of the frozen moat export trade in Brazil, the New York Journal of Commerce states that the first shipment made from Santos was in November, 1914, and amounted to 31131 b. During January, 1915, 23,2741 b were exported from Brazil, and so rapid was the progress made that the total for the whole year reached 18,730,7341 b, over 8360 tons, practically all from Santos. During the first months of the current year Santos has shipped considerably more than half the quantity exported during the previous 12 months, while Rio shipments have nearly trebled in value. The North Queensland Register, in referring to the operations of the meat works in North Queensland, says, inter alia:—■ .". . . The season, on the whole, has been a satisfactory one, and approximately 188,000 cattle and 150,000 sheep have been slaughtered Owing to the geographical situation of Townsville and the country reached by its railways it was the chief meat exporting port of Australasia in 1916. Through the extersion of the railways to Butru and Mount Cuthberfc fresh cattle country has been tapped, and even when the Port Darwin Meatworks get going the meatworks on the Townsville railway will command the cattle export of the eastern and richest pastoral portion of the Northern Territory. The export value of the meat sent from North Queensland in 1916 runs into big figures.. The purchasing price of the 188,000 cattle slaughtered would run into nearly £2,C00,000, and the sheep nearly £150,000. By the time the stock are killed and frozen, the by-products treated, and the goods shipped, insured, and freight paid, the value of the meatworks product exported must exceed £2,500,000. Ross River Works are the largest in Australasia, and arc not likely to be extended for the present. The Alligator Creek Works, however, are increasing their capacity up to over 700 cattle a day. This work was in progress until last week, when industrial trouble caused work to be shut down. The Burdekin Works are not likely to increase their capacity this year, nor the Merinda (Bowen) Works. It is understood, however, that a freezing plant is to be added to the Bihoora Meat Preserving Factory, but it will not get going in 1917."

WHEAT OR STOCK. If there is not a satisfactory solution in regard to the stability of wheat prices in tho near future, it is but reasonable to expect that farmers will grow stock rather than the cereal. It is quite evident that the country must resort to some expedient to stay tho increasing price of wheat, and guarantee as far as possible a supply of cheap bread. In a time of war it is necessary that every part of the British Empire should bo self-supporting in tho matter'of food products if possible. But it is unreasonable to expect that farmers should grow wheat under conditions which would, or even might, involve them in loss. If tho Government, after carefully examining all the necessary data, is able to decide what a profitable price is for all wheat grown in the Dominion, and to guarantee that price to the farmer, subject to his undertaking to sell at it, the rate to bo charged for flour and for bread could also bo fixed, and the speculative demand could be entirely eliminated. Even if. as a result. the State were involved in a loss, that loss could bo equitably distributed by taxation over tho entire population, which would benefit by tho supply of cheap flour and cheap bread. If tho position in regard to whsat is not determined soon, and "commandeering" is ominous, at no named price, it is but natural if farmers leave wheat alone, and turn their attention to wool, or meat, or dairy produce. Even with an assurance of a firm price per bushel of, siy. ss, there is the hurdle in front —"unskilled labour," — which, however, will be got over or round in somo way. In Great Britain wheat is about 10s a bushel, and she lias, it is understood, secured all the surplus Australian wheat from the Commonwealth at about 4s 9d per bushel, so that it is unlikely that cheap wheat will bo available from outside tho Dominion. Farmers recognise as well as anyone else that tho days of following the law of supply and demand aro for a time inoperative as far as foodstuffs aro concerned, and merely want to know where they are in the matter.

It is some satisfaction to Irani that the Bill in regard to the registration of all stallions is just about through the Tasmanian Parliament. No_ half measures will suffice, no voluntary inspection; but all animals are to come up before- a board consisting of a veterinary expert and practical men, who. if they think fit, will issue certificates of fitness. Some stock sales made durincr the course of the day at the Southland Show include tho following:—Mr J. Pirrie's (Woodlands) winnincr Friesian bull, under 12 months, to Mr Havward (Thornbury). Mr Q. Aitchcson's (Knitangata) yearling bull to Messrs Baird (Otapiri), who also bought Mr Elwovthv's (Timaru) 12 to 13 months Friesian bull.

PIGS ON PASTURE. It is claimed, in a report from America, that the advantage of letting pigs have a run on pasture has been conclusively proved by a set of experiments. The pigs on Timothy pasture ate more concentrated feed and gained more rapidly than pigs kept in yards eating the same kind of concentrated rations. The saving effected by the pasture in the amount of feed required per 1001 b gain was almost inappreciable in the case of those pigs fed on rations of corn and meat meal or corn and tankage in the proportion of 5 to 1. One the other hand, pigs fed in yards, required, for each 1001 b of gain produced, 25 per cent, more of the ration composed of corn two parts and shorts one part, and 20 per cent, more of the ration composed of \ corn and shorts equal parts, than the pigs fed similar rations on Timothy pasture. The cheapest gains in the feeding of young and growing pigs were obtained from a ration of corn alone and clover pasture. The pigs fed on corn and clover pasture made 87 per cent, more rapid gams than did those pigs which were fed on expensive supplementary febds with corn on Timothy pasture, and almost 30 per cent. more rapid gains than those pigs fed on corn alone and Timothy pasture. The amount of concentrated feed required to produce 1001 b of gain was nearly as low io: the ration of corn and clover as in the case of any of the other rations used, cither in connection with the pasture or dry lot feeding. The gains due to the pasture itself were greatest when relatively smaller amounts of protein were supplied in the concentrated part of the ration, and amounted to 2781 b of pork per acre from Timothy pasture when a concentrated ration composed of two parts corn and one p_art shorts was fed after 1.85 tons of hay had been harvested four weeks before the experiment commenced. The ration composed of corn and clover pasture produced 1161 b more pork per acre than the ration composed of the same number of pounds of corn and Timothy pasture.

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS. Shearing was to have been commenced on Mount Pisa station on Friday (says our Cromwell correspondent), but failing to adjust matters regarding the rates the shearers did not start It appears that a l% demand for an increase for shed hands and pressors was granted, but one for 27s 6d per 100 for shearing was declined. Reports from various districts of midCanterbury show (says the Lyttelton Times) that the outlook for the coming harvest is anything but bright. The long period of rainless weather, coupled with the excessive heat during the last couple of weeks, has resulted in many crops of wheat and oats suffering to a great extent, and stock have been turned into some paddocks. Some wheat crops in. the Riccarton district have been cut for hay, and many oat paddocks have been treated in tho same way. Early Partridge peas have also been cut for hay, tho prospective yield not being sufficient to warrant allowing them to ripen. Some old age pensioners who were depending upon their pea crops to augment their slender incomes will feel the effects of tho failure of the crops very severely. Tho country from Rakaia to the sea is now in a very parched condition, and a match dropped by a careless person anywhere is likely to do a great deal of damage. At mid-day an Monday (says the Christchurch Press) the first grass fire of the season occurred, and reached fairly large proportions. The fire commenced on tho property of Mr Broughton, on the Rakaia-Leeston road. Only a few acres of grass on Mr Broughton's land were burned, but tho fire spread rapidly to the run of Mr P. O'Boyle. A light but gusty southwester was blowing at tho time. Fortunately, no crops were burned, but about 300 acres of tussock and native grass wcro destroyed. Patches of light manuka scrub caught fire, giving out denso clouds of smoke, which made the work of fire-fighting very difficult.

A conference of delegates representing branches of tho Victorian Farmers' Union in the southern parts of the Sltate was held at Little River on December 2. It was decided to form a deputation from the Victorian Farmers' Union to wait upon the Prime Minister and Senator Russell, to aslc \ that a proclamation ho issued fixing mini- ' mum prices fbr hay, oats, and barley (based on tho cost of production, and a reasonable profit to the growers). The system, it was urged, should be operative until the end of the war. Tho request is logically sound. • as when cereals were scarce a maximum I price was fixed which curtailed the profits I of growers. It is difficult to see. however. j how growers will benefit when the market I is supplied. The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth his confirmed) tho statement recently pubj lished, that a further extension of time i was to bo given to traders in possession I of goods of enemy origin, in which to I dispose of them. Under the existing rogula- ' tions it would have become illegal to sell wholesale any goods of enemy origin after

the end of the past month. An amending regulation extending the period in which these goods can bo sold will bo issued immediately. Upon the suggestion of Dr Levingo, the secretary of the Canterbury A. and P. Association (Mr O. B. Pcmberton) is writing to county councils and road boards in Canterbury, asking them to give a portion of the cocksfoot seed gathered 0$ the roads under their jurisdiction for the Belgian Agricultural Restoration Fund.

The prolonged dry spell is causing a rapid change in the appearance of the country (says the Lyttelton Times). Crops that a few weeks back showed great promise are now in a bad way for want of rain. The crops are afTected as far up country as Lauriston, while round Methven they are in splendid condition.

There is a largo quantity of grass stripping to be done in the Ashburton County this season, and the work is being carried out expeditiously. The yields are reported to be particularly good. There are 28,000 crates of cheese in storo at Patea, and considerable difficulty is being experienced in securing shipping space to take the produce away from New Zealand (says the Wanganui Herald). Ten years ago the annual output of cheese was 1750 crates, to-day the figures are 170,800 The Marlborough Farmers' Union last week discussed the question of organising the services of the boys and girls attending the secondary schools for harvest work. It was stated that the indications were that in the district there would bo a sufficient supply of lads from the secondary schools. A Masterton settler, who purchased dairy cows last year at £2 10s and £3 per head, has sold them this year at £l4 and £ls per head, after taking 12 months' milk profit from them. In Hawke's Bay harvesters are receiving 2s per hour. Boys are getting from Is 3d to Is 6d" and found. A shearer in the Masterton district shore 1123 sheep in five and a-half days. His cheque for the weik was £l4.