STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 3399, 7 May 1919, Page 9

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES

Weekly Stock Sale*. Burnside, Wednest Ashburton. Tuesda., Addington, Wednesday Walareka Railway Junction, .Tuesdays Wallacetown. Tuesday* Heriot, Thursdays Fortnightly. Clinton, Thursdays Balolutha, Fridays Gore, Tuesdays Oamaru, Tuesdays Wallacetown, Tuesday* Monthly. Palmerston, Ist Monday Wlnton, Ist Thursday Duutrocn, 2nd Friday

Monthly (continued). Woodlands, 2nd Thereday *Vyndham. last Thureday TaJ/our, 3rd Thursday Thornbury, Ist Friday Duntroon A Otantau. 2nd Friday Biveredale, 3rd Friday Waikaka, last Friday Clydevale, last Thursday Periodically as Advertised. Luinsden, Moss'ourn, Orepuki, Mataura, Waikouaiti. iiiwerton, Ngapara, and Otago Central

OTAGO>. A fair week of open weather, cold and boisterous at times, but with little rain, was Otago's experience during the closing days of last month. Inland the weather was seasonable, and generally the only sustained grumble one hears is in respect to the effects of the low temperature on the growth of feed and the consequent "brake" on values of store stock. The inquiry for stock food of any description is insistent, but there are no sellers. The root crops have come along wonderfully during the past few weeks on all areas where the soil conditions are at all favourable. Needless to say, this is a source of satisfaction. Harvesting has made considerable progress during the past few ..days, and a good deal of oats have been stacked. All kinds of damaged cereals will be worth looking after this season. The Hon. Mr Guthrie is reported to have the latest information in respect to shipping. He says that for May the Dominion will be allowed space for a million freight carcases of meat, and in June space for considerably over a million freight carcases, with, of course, the prospect of further space being allocated. The Board of Agriculture recommend in respect to the cattle tick that tick infestation be notifiable, and that infested cattle bo dipped, and movement of affected animals curtailed. Mr George Livingstone has been reelected Crown tenants representative on the Otago Land Board by a two to one majority over the opposition. Congratulations. BTJRNSIDE MAKKET. There was a big yarding of sheep at Burnside, a considerable number—practically the overflow of "the usual fat sheep sectioncomprising old ewes and " canning " sorts. The quality of many of the pennings was excellent, and considerably in advance of recent offerings. Exporters and the trade secured many cheap lots. Heavy prime wethers were back 2s a head, and medium and inferior considerably more, mutton making about sJjd per lb, all sunk. No improvement was evident in the demand for fat lambs, the scarcity of shipping affecting the demand. Several hundred store sheep were sold. Open-woolled broken ewes, according to condition, 7s 6d to 19s; soundmouth fine wools, 17s to 20s; broken fine wools, 4s to 10s; fair-conditioned merino ewes, 4s. There was a very fair quality yarding of fat cattle, the demand being much on a par with last week's market, beef making to 47s 6d per 1001 b. About 200 store cattle were yarded, a mixed lot. The demand was dull, yearlings meeting with an improved demand, but two and a-half-vear-old steers were in no better request. ' Fat pigs sold readily at late rates, the few store sorts (about 20) making the previous week's prices. ' > ADDINGTON YARDS. The yarding of fat sheep at Addington was large, and comprised of chiefly medium to fair quality, with some few pens of prime heavy sheep. The latter class was rather firmer than at last sale, and generally the demand by exporters and others was better than the previous week. A big entrv of fat lambs of fairish quality was cleaicd at unchanged rates. Store sheep were fairly numerous, Chatham sheep (passed at the previous sale) and some from Otago being included in a representative lot. No improvement in price was evident, and many lots were passed. Ewe sorts were unchanged, but wethers were easier, with lambs about the same. The quality of a moderate entry of fat cattle was generally excellent, and beef was very firm at recent values. The store cattle were of indifferent quality, and, although in small siipnlv. proved ample for the weak demand. Good dairy cows sold freely at up to £l7 and ns low as £lO. A big entry of fat pigs sold at slightly lower rates. Stores wore* not wanted. NORTH ISLAND STOCK VALUES. Business in stock circles in the North

Island is on a moderate scale, and at a rather lower basis than last month. Beef in the Auckland district ranges up to 50s per, 1001 b; store wethers, 22s to 275; unfinished lambs, 10s to 15s 6d. In the Poverty Bay district young mixed wethers, 21s to 245"; lambs, 7s to 12s; yearling Hereford cross steers, £4 4s; two-year-olds, £B. In the Man»watu district, wethers 24s 6d to 27s 6d; emnty young ewes from 22s to 24s 6d; fairjjambs, 10s to 12s 6d; small, 4s 6d to 8s- 6d; ordinary year and aI half steers, two-year-old heifers, £7 to '£B 10s; forward cows to £9. In the Wai- | rarapa district prices of 'stock are much the same as advised in our previous report, the same tale coming from the Wan-ganui-Feilding areas, with, generally, " fats" realising lower rates. In the Hawke's Bay . district two-tooth wethers were sold at 21s 6d to 25s 3d; small mixed sex two-tooths, 16s to 18s; lambs to 13s; good shorn sorts to lis 6d; medium yearling steers, £3 3s; two-year-olds, £5 to £7; store cows, £4 to £5 • 10s.

BULLS “BREAKING RECORDS.” 1 Bull sales lor the Home season of 1919 have been concluded, i'ne demand tor all breeds nas been quite phenomenal, and record-breaking has been the order of the day all rouna. tohorthorns have at last witnessed the breaking of the long-time record held by a Duke of Connaught bull which Lord hitzhaidmge bougnt at one of the JJunmore sales tor 4500g5. At Penrith a week ago Mr John Barnes, Aikbank, Wigton, Cumberland, got 4750 gs for the Scocs-bred Gartly Lancer from Mr Albert J.y Marshall, Stranraer, tire Argentine exporter. The Aberdeen-Angus established a new record of 2bbUgs, just double the previous highest. Ayrshires have been on the flood-tiae of high prices also —the sale of the Low Milton bull stirk at the Hillhouse sale to Mrs Houison-Craufurd for IVOdgs eclipsing ail previous records for bulls of the West Country breed. It was the climax of a remarkable succession of prices, and very conclusively demonstrated the value of combined merit and milk-record pedigree. In previous issues of the Otago Witness we have reported record prices in Herefords, etc. ! MR S. KIDMAN SPEAKS.. I Mr .Sidney Kidman’s opinion in respect to future cattle prospects, particularly in the State of; South Australia, should be worth something. He has been termed the i “cattle king ” of Australia. The Adelaide Observer reports an interview. “Will beef remain dear?” Mr Kidman was asked. “I think the price will go still higher,” he replied. “ You have not got the cattle. South Australia cannot supply herself, as our northern country is of such a lou carrying character. The areas are droughty and the rainfall is poor. It can supply sheep, but it is not -cattle country. We have to go to Queensland to get into the true cattle lands. There they have in the worst parts from lOin to SOiiTof rain and up to 40in. I am interested in a run in Queensland where last year we had 70in. There is no bother about selling bullocks in the State. They go to the meat works, and you get very satisfactory prices. They take them in mobs of 750 each. I sold one establishment a single line of 12,000 bullocks and cows.- You can get rid of 20,000 easier than 50 head, as there is a shortage in Queensland. In South Australia you oan’t buy a good store bullock under £l4 or £ls, and very few are available at that price. ’ Worst Seasons on Record.— “ How have the seasons been, Mr Kidman?” “ For the last two years they have been the worst I have ever' known in the north, particularly from Hergott to Oodnadatta. Every one in that part has lost heavily. One of the stations controlled by the Crown Pastoral Company, Annandale, fared ex-, ceptionally badly. That comprises 2574 square miles, and through the bad season they were not able to carry 100 head on it.' i The stock had to bo removed to save their lives, and what were left behind were any I that were too poor to travel. Mncumba l was another case. You hoar people say, ‘Oh, improve the country.’ Well, you can do what you like to that kind of land, but you cannot make It carry cattle or anything else in dry times. On Macumba ’ I have six or seven good flowing bores up to about a million gallons output, and they cost mo from £IO,OO to £12,000. I thought after devoting all this money to improvements, to say nothing of dams, Macumba. which is 25 miles from Oodnadatta, would produce a fair number of cattle. But this past season Macumba would not carry 500 head. Very few people have any idea of the condition of the country from Farina to Oodnadatta, and from there to the MaoDonnell Ranges and out to Birdsvile and Innamincka.” “Yon have lost heavily, then?” “ Well, I’ll give you some idea. I had i 14.000 owes on the road. I bought them | in Queensland, and they are at Innamincka pow. All that I have got left is 2000. and those are isolated. Of course, the same

conditions apply to one- part of New South Wales, the West Darling. It is the worst season we have had there. We have had to send sheep away to Queensland and to other parts. We have had such terrific winds that It is doubtful if the tanks can be put in good condition again for £IO,OOO, owing to the damage from this cause. We have had some rain during the last six or eight weeks north from Hawker to the Mac Donnell Ranges, and these will relieve the position very much. In one jnstanoe I railed 300 bullocks from Maoumba to near Kapunda, and now I have sent them back to Mundowdna, so, when they have to be railed again to market, they-will have made three journeys. That will be ecmal to £3 10s a head I will have paid on them to the railways. When I sell them the expenses on those cattle will be about £5, including commission and other charges. The losses in stock north of Hergott during- the last 12 months must have been exceedingly heavy. I am judging from my own bitter experience.”