STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3455, 1 June 1920, Page 11

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Weeklv Stock Sale*. Msnthfy (contlntiodl. Burnside, ■Wednesdays VV oodlands, 2nd ThiL'S" Ash burton, Tuesdays day Addington, Wednesdays tVyudbam, last TbursWaiarelra Railway Juno- day tioo, Tuesdays Uotfour, 3rd Thursday Wallacetown, Tuesdays Thornbury, Ut Friday Hertot, Thursdays Dontroon 4 Otantau. Fortnlohtly. „.- n<l f\ l 6a J . _,, Olinton. Thursday. STS 1 ? - *. tr ? £?i a? Owota, alternate Thur- , ft »^ Bkß .' *•■* fj?, 1 ' days with Clinton Clyiievale. last lhurs Baldutha, Fridays " ay Gore, Tuesday* Periodically as AdverOamaru, Tuesdays Used. Monthly. Lumsden, Moss'oum, Wallacetown, Tuesdays Orepuki, Mataura Palmerstoa, Ist Monday Waikouaiti, ili'erR'lnton, Ist Thursday ton, Ngapara, anc Duutroon, 2nd Friday Otago Central Sales. OTAGO. The weather in Otago has been cold and boisterous during the week, wild south-west winds culminating in rain and hail on low lands, with snow elsewhere. Central wayit was rough and cold, with snow more or less general. Throughout the week the temperature has been unusually low. The day of the milk-recorded cow has not yet come, but the time is surely not far distant, when it will be generally recognised that the milk-recording movement is one of the most important developments in stock breeding and rearing. Recent sales would indicate the worth of a dairy cow with some performance.

BURNSIDE MARKET. There was a large entry of fat sheep at Burnside,' many of the pennings being of excellent quality, some consignments from Canterbury and Southland being of exceptional merit. The best of the yarding realised prices much on a par with rates ruling a fortnight ago, export buyers, however, being very quiet owing to space curtailment, and a goodly number of sheep being on hand waiting at the works. Unfinished sheep, 'both wethers and ewes, were cheaper, fully Is 6d a head than at last sale, and graziers secured odd lots at under prices realised at country sales, some good very forward sorts realising 32s 6d to 35s 6d. There was a good entry of fat lambs, the quality for the most part being ahead of the previous sale's offering. Competition was sufficiently brisk enough from exporters and butchers to ensure a clearance at rates somewhat in advance of those ruling a fortnight ago. The yarding of _ fat cattle was a large one, of mixed quality, a number being light and lacking finish. The demand served to keep prices much the same as were ruling at last sale for medium quality, while prime sorts were fully 15s a head better, prime beef making to 48s 6d per 1001 b, and, in places, a shade more. The yarding of store cattle was a large one, and rather more interesting- than usual. Included in the 350 head were about 100 Hereford crosses, aged bullocks, young steers. and vealers, the balance comprising the usual lot of thin and medium travelled cow and inferior lots. Competition for well bred steers, two-year-old and upwards, was good, three-year-olds making £l3 15s, two years and a-half £9 10s to £lO 10s, vealers £4, empty heifers off tussock £5 17s 6d. Few dairy cows were yarded, but there was a good domand for sound animals near profit. A fair yarding of fat pigs elicited a shade over last sale's prices, but small sorts, of which there was a fair offering, were rather cheaper, small weaners maMnar from 10s to 21s,_ well grown store pigs, fairly well bred, having attention. ADDINGTON YARDS. A comparatively small yarding of fat sheep at Addington evoked keen competition for quality stock at last sale's best rates. Export buying was limited to one firm. Some 2400 fat lambs were generally sought after, well finished lambs, a fair proportion of the yarding, making rates on a level with the previous week's»values. secured the bulk of the entry. The yarding of store sheep was large, and Included a number of southern sheep, but graziers were not keen buyers of anything except best _ grades of lambs and wethers. The yarding- of fat cattle was large and of better quality than has been the case of late. Both light and prime heavy cattle were selling freely, and a good sale resulted, -with prices about £1 a head better than the previous week. A moderate lot of store cattle were offered, including a couple of pens of Chatham Island bullocks. Sales made on the basis of the previous week's prices. Dairy cows were in demand, springing heifers making from £lO to £2O, dairy oows to £22. There was a fair yarding. Pat' trigs were keenly competed for at a shade over lOd per lb, while tho demand for a small lot of store pigs was unchanged. NORTH ISLAND STOCK SALES. Feed is not too plentiful in the North Island, although some districts have been fa-voured with good growing weather. Prices of store stock are barely maintained, Cattle being for the moment in less request than sheep. In the Auckland distriot, at

the West-field market,, beef sold to 51s per 1001 b, forward wethers 25s to 34s 6d, forward lambs 18s to 21s 6d. In Poverty Bay two-tooth wethers made from 22s to 26s 6d, hoggets 17s to 20s, medium year and a-half steers £4 10s, springing heifers £7 to £B. In Taranaki jUomney ewe lambs, good sorts, made 25s to 30s, others 14s to 16s 6d,_ and culls from 6s, forward wethers to 30s, fair yearling steers to £3, weaner heifers to £2 15s, two and a-half-ycar-old steers £8 ss, store cows _to £6. In the Wanganui-Feilding areas prices are unchanged, and business slow., and effected only on a lower basis of values than a week ago. In the Wairarapa two-tooth wethers made from 20s to 265, four-tooth to 30s 6d, forward lambs to 19s 6d, medium from 14s, two and a-half-year-old steers to £9, three-year-olds £9 to £lO. extra £l2 15s, very fair dairy cows at profit to £2l 10s. In Hawke's Bay sheep are selling fairly well, but cattle are dull of saie, two-tooth wethers making 24s 3d to 26s 6d', lambs 16s to 225, small from Bs, empty soundmouth ewes 21s to 255, year and a-half heifers. £4, fair year and a-half steers £4 10s„ three-year-olds to £9 10s, empty cows to £6, fair sorts of dairy cows £l3 to £l6. STOCK NOTES. There is no very apparent appreciation in stock values in Otago since last writing, with the exception of a slight inquiry for well-bred two to three-year-old bullocks, something in the nature of station-bred animals, capable, when "turniped," of carrying, say, up to 3001 bor 9001 bof beef. The slight movement in well-grown forward wethers, reported last week, appears to have "petered" out, as sales made at Burnside wore comparatively in favour of graziers. The bullocks delivered on account of Mr Robert Shennan, Berwick, to Mr W T m. Duke, Dnnedin—the,initial lot of a.big line purchased by the latter—were much admired at Burnside last week. They were wonderfully well finished, and a credit to the fattener, and should kill out in the neighbourhood of half a ton of meat per head. Dairy > cattle in the Sheffield district in Tasmania are being troubled by what has been termed the Midland disease or malnutrition, and a good many deaths have occurred recently. Further investigation by the Government veterinarian will be undertaken immediately. From Eckington (Derbyshire) a case is reported of pigs being attacked by rats with fatal results. It appears that Mr Thomas Riley, of High street, Eckington, had a litter of 11 young pigs in a stable. Tire pigs were attacked by rats, and eight of the young ones, about a month old, were so badly bitten that they died. The sow 13 now suffering from septic poisoning as a result of the bites. A search was made in the vicinity, and a nest of rats was discovered and destroyed. A Jersey cow, Plain Mary, owned by Mr F. W. Ayer, of Bangor, "Maine, U.S.A., has established a new -world's record, by yielding 10401 b butter-fat in 365 days. The previous record of Vive la France was 10311 b butter-fat.

Gloucester Spot pigs sold at high rates in England the other day, a herd averaging over £77, the sows and gilts averaged over £IOO.

At the sale of British Friesians, England (Mr S Fairbairn's herd), £SOO was paid for a heifer, the 118 head averaging £154 18s 4d. , Up till January, 1920, the top price paid in Scotland for a Border Leicester ewe was £230, this price being secured at Mr W. P. Elliot's dispersal sale, Edinburgh. Sire, Leaston Grand Duke.

The following remit will be considered at the annual New Zealand Jersey Cattle Breeders' Association: —"That it be a recommendation to the council that a prize of £SO be given to every Jersey cow which produces over 10001 b of butter-fat under semi-official ■ test, and a further £250 be given to any Jersey cow breaking the world's butter-fat record." WHAT HAS HAPPENED MAT HAPPEN ELSEWHERE. The agreement - arrived at between the Queensland meat companies and the Government for the supply of meat to the State butchers' shops provides (says the Pastoral Review) that 20 per cent, of each work's exportable beef and 15 per cent, of the mutton shall be made available for local consumption. The same proportion of beef and mutton sundries has also to be supplied to the shops. The price is 3d per lb for fresh and chilled L-eef, for frozen beef, and 4-2-d for mutton. The Government undertakes not to export any of the meat obtained from the companies or meat derived from cattle from the State station. The contract expires 31st December, 1920. This agreement means that cattle-owners will have to accept a lower price for their stock than last year, when the Government commandeered only 10 per cent, of the output. As the Imperial contract is still in force, the companies cannot expect to receive a better figure for the meat exported, so the difference must come out of the pockets cf graziers. WOOD CONTROL SCHEME (AUSTRALIA) TURNED DOWN. .. The Weekly Times (Victoria) of May 6 says, inter alia:—"Considerably under half of the wool-growers to whom ballot papers were issued recorded their votes on the proposed scheme of wool control. The votes in favour of the proposal were a very small fraction under the 75 per cent., "which the Wool Council had announced that it would require before proceeding in the scheme. South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania all gave over 75 per cent, of their votes in favoA" of th 9 scheme, but Victoria and New, South Wales were well below that figure. After having deducted duplications, the number of ballot papers issued was 56,438. Of the 26,397 returned there were 1717 informal votes, leaving- a balance of 24,680 formal votes. The figures resulted in 18,480 votes in favour of the scheme, and 6200 against it. The percentage of _ the votes in favour was 74.88, and against it 25.12. The various bodies interested are considering the situation, but i.lthough the vote in favour of the scheme is very close to the percentage required, the Australian Wool Council considers that the total number of votes polled does not justify it in seeking- statutory powers from the Commonwealth Government to carry the scheme into effect. In tho meantime it has been decided that the representatives of wool-growers' organisations will continue to act for and safeguard the growers' interests. PROSPECTS IN TPIE COMMONWEALTH. Conditions in New South Wales are, generally speaking, still pretty gloomy,

particularly in the far west and north-west, where there has been so sign of a breakup of the terrible drought, says the Pastoral Review. In the central-west, northwest plains and slopes, northern tablelands, and Liverpool plains there has been a little rain, but nothing like a sufficiency in the worst parts. Riverina is bad, but the southern tablelands are in good order. The whole of northern Victoria, including the Wimmera and Mallee, is drought-stricken. The western and coastal portions of the western districts are fair,, but going eastward conditions get dry. East of Melbourne and in Gippsland, however, prospects' for the winter are satisfactory, as the result of good rains. More rain is badly wanted on the low country of the northeast. Central Queensland has had very good rains, which have been an absolute God-send to many districts out as far as Boulia, and down to Jundah and Adavale. It benefited parts of the north, and especially the sugar districts on the coast, but unfortunately petered out altogether towards the Downs, Maranoa, and Warrego, only very small totals being recorded. These parts are very dry. In South Australia nice rains occurred in the north last month, though the droughty north-east did not share to any extent. In those parts that did benefit, there should now be good feed for the winter, but elsewhere the country is decidedly dry, and a good general rain is anxiously looked for. Western Australia, taken all round, is in good heart, some very useful rainfalls having occurred in the north-west, where they were badly wanted. In these pastoral areas and the grazing and farming country to the south, the outlook is now satisfactory. Owing to the absence of the much needed autumn rains the agricultural outlook in New South Wales and Victoria is far from satisfactory at the time of writing (third week of April). A good deal of wheat has already been drilled' and is showing through. The recent showers caused the seed to germinate { and the danger now is that the soil will not contain enough moisture to keep the young plants going for any time. In view of the high price and_ scarcity of seed the possibility of having to sow a second time is now regarded with equanimity. The northern parts of South Australia have lately received quite_ respectable rains, and ploughing and seeding operations there are proceeding apace. Unfortunately the central and southern districts of that State are not well off. Seasonal conditions in Western Australia are favourable, and croris are in in good order. Southern Queensland is very dry, and even less wheat than usual is likelv to be sown. The maize crops are exceptionally light, large areas bping suitable only for fodder purposes. To show how scarce the grain is it may be mentioned that up to lis 6d a bushel has recently been paid in Brisbane for maize. That the end of the Imperial Purchase Scheme is in sisrht is evidenced in the issuing- of a notification under the Commercial Activities Act,' which is of such importance that it appears below : Every person, firm or company is required at anv time after date of the notice (April 9. 1920) and before the 30Th day of June, 1920.. holding- or having under his or its control any stock or stocks of wool of the value of £SO or over which has or have not been appraised under the said regulations, to make available within 14 davs from the date on which such stock or stocks of wool is or aire first held or had under his or .its control such stock or stocks of wool for appraisement.

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS. The Tuatapere Winter Show was held on the 13th uit., under the auspices of the VVaiau Welfare Society, the surplus funds being allotted to build a Nurses' Home at Tuatapere. Mr Adam Hamilton, M.P. for Wallace, opened the show. Prominent exhibitors in the- apple classes were Messrs Cochran and Sons, of Happy Valley, who a?oured four first prizes in this section. Mr H. Knowler was, as usual, a prominent winner in potatoes, whilst Mesdames Lawson, Charlton, and Nicholas, and 'Miss Harrison annexed principal honours in the ladies' classes. The takings for the day, with sundry additions, are expected to reach over £IOO. Winners in the various competitions were:—Mrs Tosh, Miss M'Millan, and Messrs W. Erskine, D. M'Kenzie, and C. Payne. The "Winton 'Record" writes:—"lt is pleasing to note that in all parts of the district turnips have come well, and the winter feed problem is not now giving farmers an anxious time." What is believed to be a record price for wheat (says The Sydney Daily Telegraph) was obtained at a sale at the farm of Mr James Groodacre, Eugowra, New South Wales, who recently sold his property. A quantity of wheat was put up for sale in lots of six to eight bags, and sold at from £2 a bag xipwards, eight bags of Canberra bringing tfo.3 record price of £2 14s a bag, or 18s a bushel. Algerian oats reached up to £2 a bag. Of the) £2,000,000 which New South Wales pi - opose-s to raise by local loan, £500,000 will go to necessitous farmers, and £500,000 to necessitous owners of flocks not exceeding 2000 head. The balance of £1,000,000 will be devoted to the completion of the grain silo scheme. Before Mr B. W. Mosley, S.M., on the 26th May, 23 Tuapeka settlers were charged by Inspector Ingram, under the Noxious Weed Act, with failing to cut Canadian thistles, and in tome cases ragwort, and were each fined 20s plus costg, which ranged from 7s to 17s per head. A recent meeting of the Greenfield Farmers' Union adopted remits in favour of asking the Government to have Califomian thistles placed on the second schedule of the Noxious Weeds Act, and to appoint a Produce Commission to represent the interest of dominion farmers. A remarkable potatc-igrowing record, duly certified by vouchers, was disclosed as the result of a competition at the Franklin Winter Show. Mr C. H. Ma3on, on his Pukekohe Hill property, produced from an area of land slightly under one acre, 18 tons 3cwt Iqr 211 b of potatoes, of a market value of £273 lis 7d. The vouchers and all documents were examined by the Auckland Star correspondent. The value of tutu as a fodder plant was discussed at the Pastoral Lands Commission's sitting at Ashburton last week. The point was raised by a statement of Mr PI. H. Allan, who in his evidence referred to sheep feeding off this native plant, both small and large varieties, on Mount Peel. U?t **. Cockayne said that experience in Nelson icm3. Marlborough showed tutu to be a most valuable pasturage. There was an

idea that it was too dangerous to use owing to its poisonous qualities, but experience had shown that the damage arose only when moving or driving stock which liad been on this class of feed, or in turning sheep into it when empty. The sale is reported of part of Rakahcuka estate (Southland). The area is 800 acres, being the homestead block and known throughout Southland as Mr Jamei Fleming's farm. When Mr Fleming retired .from active farming he sold out to Mr James Milne, who has since worked the property. The new owner is Lieutenantcolonel J. Hargest, late of Marideville. The annual meeting of the, Taranaki Farmers' Union carried the foJowjng remit:—"That as a means of rotriotingthe trafficking in land, legislation be provided that on a sale all existing mortgages _be either paid off or each reduced by a minimum of 10 per cent., increasing 1 per cent, for every 10 per cent, of rise over previous sale."