STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3488, 18 January 1921, Page 9

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

WerVlv Stork Burnside. Wednesdays Aehbnrton, Tuesdays Addington, Wednesdays Walareka Railway Junotion. Tuesdays Wallaoetown. Tuesdays Heriot. Thursdays Fortnightly. Clinton. Thursdays ! Ow.ika, alternate Thor- i days with Clinton I Balclutha, Fridays | Gore. Tuesdays Oatcaru, Tuesdays j Monthly. Wallaoetown, Tuesdays PatmeistoQ. Ist Monday | Wiston, Ist Thursday Uuntroon, 2nd Friday ;

Month!* fcontlnufttfl. " oodlaiide, 2nd Uhlt*day last Thor»day BaJour, 3rd Thursday Thornbury, l6t Friday Itontroon A Otantan, ~; nd Friday Br| ! Friday ‘ f Friday ‘ P'luvale. last ThuruPeriodically as AdverUsed. 1 ntnaden. Moesourn, virepuki, Mataura, Waikouaitl, UWerton, Ngapara. and Utago Central Sales.

OTAGO. The weather during the past week has been of a holiday nature, but rain is wanted throughout Otago, and farmers are getting anxious. Cereals have suffered no harm owing to being well advanced, but turnips and rape are languishing for lack of sufficient moisture. It is good hay-making weather. A downpour of rain would be welcome. Central is burning up. The first wool sale of the season in Otago takes place on the 18th inst. New Zealand wheat growers will hold a conference in Christchurch on the 19th inst. to discuss with the Minister of Agriculture wheat prices. One wonders if any South Otago organisations will be notified, as, after all is said, we can grow wheat, and should be represented. BURNSIDE MARKET. The quality of rather a large yarding of fat sheep at Burnside was only fair, ranging from very medium to prime. Owing perhaps to the warm weather, very fat heavy sheep were a good deal cheaper than at last sale, with light prime selling relatively higher. Values sagged generally, however, and last week’s prices were back a couple of shillings, despite brokers passing a good many lots. Not so many fat lambs were penned as the previous week, and rates firmed up id to fd per lb. The quality was fair, prices ranging from 20s to 33s 9d. The yarding of fat cattle was good, but over many were forward and passings were freely made, beef with difficulty being realised at any time over 50s per 1001 b, and much good stuff, both heifer and steer, made under this rate. Fat cattle compared with last sale were down £1 Is a head. Some 230 store cattle were v arded, and, with the exception of about fifty, they were a moderate lot. The demand was slow, and several lots were passed at auction, but afterwards were sold, a yard of aged bullocks in fair order made x)l3. two yards of forward three year-old steers made £ll 10s to £l2, a pen of two-and-a-half-year-old steers £3, and an excellent pen of year-and-a-half shorthorn cross steers in capital condition realised £4 7s fid. Prices were hack fully £1 a head. Dairy cows sold to £2O 12s fid, but most of them were very ordinary, and sold around £8 a head. Fat pigs were easier (a small entry), but young sorts sold comparatively well. A DDIXGTOX YARDS. The yarding of fat sheep at Addington was a fairly large one, the quality being very fair. The demand wa3 easier, exporters being moderatively active at rates which ranged round 5d a lb for wether mutton and ♦d for ewes. This indicates a decline of about 5s a head compared with values secured for ewes at last sale. The entry of fat lambs

was comparatively large, some 2330 being penned, a large proportion being good. In this section, exporters were active, and prices improved fully 2s 9d per head on the previous week’s rates, best making from 28s to 355, and light from 20s 6d. The quality of the store sheep was quite good, but the demand. Good sorts of springers were readily given to anything except lambs, these making to 21s 7d for rape sorts, young wethers made from 13s to 245. The quality of rather over an average entry of fat cattle was for the most part good. The demand was quiet, and prime eef was sold at up to 51s 6d per 1001 b. Store cattle were in small request, and the very medium entry more than satisfied the demand. Good sorts of springers were readily taken at £l4 to £22, a fair number being offered. Fat pigs (a good entry) eased a shade more, with an average supply of store and young sorts meeting a bright demand. CLUTHA-CLINTON STOCK SALE. Some 1500 to 2000 sheep were yarded at Balclutha on Friday last, chiefly wethers, with a few pens of fair ewes with lambs at foot. There were also about 120 head of cattle. The demand was depressing, sales only being effected at reduced prices, and, although vendors met the market with equanimity for the most part, several lot 3 were unsold. Very fair young wethers made from 14s 6d to 22s 7d, the former price being paid for small two-tooths; ewes with fair mouths with good lambs at foot made 14s 6d all counted, and ewes (not guaranteed) with lambs were passed at. 11s, fourtoQth crossbred wethers 20s to 22s 6d; dry mixed aged ewes passed at 15s. Few cattle were sold, some very fair two-and-a-half-year-old steers making £7 10s, other sorts rather under Burnside rates, with “fats” not wanted by butchers at the moment. There was no sale held at Clinton. STOCK NOTES. Owing to the dry weather, and pending the opening of the freezing works in Otago, values of all classes of stock have declined. The opening rates given by exporters in Canterbury have not tended to cheer up fatteners of lamb and wethers, but possibly speculative competition will assure a sharp rise in the near future. Exporters, owing to the tied market at Home, must be working a good deal in the dark at the present time, as meat at Home is still controlled until, maybe, June —to-day’s prices being 9d for wether mutton and Is Id per lb lamb. In the meantime, producers can but urge for decontrol and encourage competition at this end, and “carry on.” Opening prices up north for lamb and mutton are respectively 9id and sid for wether and 4j for ewe, all first-grade at the works. The Waikouaiti, which arrived from England on the 11th inst., should have unloaded some valuable stock from the Old Country—viz., 23 head of cattle, six sheep, and three pigs. Amongst these should be a. Shorthorn bull for the Knapdale Estate, Southland, an Aberdeen-Angus bull to Murray, Roberts, and 00., Wellington (as agents), and six Aberdeen-Angus bulls and eight heifers for Mr Armstrong- (Wellington) There is also a Jesrsey bull, a red Poll, and a Shorthorn bull and two Berkshire pigs for various buyers A Southdown ram comes for Mr James Knight, of Feilding, while Mr Lancaster (Wellington district) secures a Jersey bull and a Jersey heifer Then there are four Border Leicester sheep for Mr H. F. Nicoll (Canterbury). These consignments will be very welcome, but it is a pity there are not a few more pigs, as this Dominion is in need of new blood. The decision of the Royal Agricultural Society of England to adopt in most- sections the principle of single judging for next year’s show is of import. Economic considerations have had due weight, no doubt, but given a sound judge it is quite a reasonable proposition, but otherwise . . . The fat stock shows have commenced at Home, the first being held at Norwich in November, when a Shorthorn heifer, bred and exhibited by the Duke of Portland, Welbeck Abey, was champion. This heifer scaled 16cwt lqr 161 b at two years seven months old. An Aberdeen-Angus heifer (two years ten months old) was reserve champion. The tenth 2000 gallon cow has appeared in Great Britain, and dairy farmers are rapidly realising the great benefits to be derived from the use of a bull from a high yielding dam. The cow in question is the British Friesian, Wig gin ton Geraldine, who has given to date in 303 days 2063 gallons of milk, and is still producing six gallons daily. She is ten years old. has produced seven calves since 1914, and has previously given lactation period yields of 816, 1143, 1538, 1226, and 1221 gallons. She is the first cow in the West of England to attain the 2000gallons yield, and Lieutenant-colonel Morrice, the owner, has only been breeding Friesians for about two yeai-8. lie is fortunate enough to own a ten-months-old son of Wigginton Geraldine, a well-grown, beautiful, young bull, as big as the average bull at 18 months. All Wigginton Geraldine’s daughters are in the Wychnor herd of Lieutenant-colonel W. E, Harrison, Burt.on-on Trent. It is claimed that all the ten 2000-gallon British cows are Friesians.

The breed at the last London Dairy Show won every open championship offered. The Eaton Hall herd of dairy Shorthorns, belonging to the Duke of Westminster, was sold in Penrith in November, when 105 head averaged £223. The top price was 875 gs, paid by Mr M’Gowan, a United States breeder, for the cow Bare Charm, which was first and champion at the Royal Show at Darlington. Her heifer calf went at 270 gs to Lord Forteviot, of Dupplin Castle, Perthshire, who also paid 410 gs for a young bull.

An average of over £475 for 104 Horefords was realised for Mr Griffith’s pedigree Hereford cattle at Farrington, England. the other day. The top price was 3000 gs, paid for Carnation’s bull calf, Aldersend Conqueror. The cow Carnation made IOOOgs ar>d goes to the King’s stud. A six-year-old cow, Phoebe, made 1250g5; Mayday, a seven-year-old cow, llOOgs; and Lavinia, a nine-year-old, 1100g3. The American Sheepbreedcr reports that Messrs F. S. King Bros. 00., of Laramie, Wyoming, have sold to an Australian breeder a yearling Rambouillet ram for £IOOO. This ram was sired by a famous ram of King Bros.’ breeding, known as Pride of the West, champion Rambouillet ram at Chicago in 1918. The yearling ram was champion in the C type Rambouillet class. Mr W. T. Ritch, the well-known wool expert, has given it as his opinion that the fleece of this yearling seemed to be the most perfect type of Australian fleece he had seen in America. The wool, it is estimated, will spin 78 s, which is the exception for a Rarnbouillet ram. It will be interesting (savs the Australasian) to learn the destination of this ram, and to see whether the arrival will be advertised.

According to Roderick’s Review, a very informative paper dealing with land and live stick interests, and published in Bloomfontein, which has come to hand, the cattle trade in South Africa is “booming.” The paper, amongst other interesting news, contains a report of a recent sale of Friesland cattle at Bloomfpntein, showing that record prices have been ruling for this great milking breed. There had been a very big gathering from all quarters at the September sales of Frieslands, when a bull, Admiral Beatty, from the Craig Byres stock, was one of the lots offered for sale. Great interest was evidently taken in the dispersion of this noted herd, and the opening bid for the bull mentioned was £3OOO, and after a keen tussle between Mr J. Grant, representing the Hon. Josepli Baynes, and' Mr E. T- Webb of Benchfield, the latter became the purchaser, amidst a great outburst of cheering, at the record price for South Africa of £7750. There were many other great prices at the sale, Sir David Graaff paying £4OOO for the show champion bull Rust General Burger. A bull bearing the familiar name, Craigie Footprint, got by the record-priced sire, Admiral Beatty, made £1600; the reserve champion bull made £2OOO, the second reserve £IOOO, and the third reserve £2OOO, while several of the females made £IOOO each.

THE CLYDESDALE IN ENGLAND. The report by the Ministry of Agriculture on the Licensing of Stallions in England and Wales under the Act. 1918, during season 1920, makes interesting and somewhat disconcerting reading (says the Scottish Farmer). The growth in popularity of the licensing system is first commented on. In the year 1911, when the voluntary system began, only 313 certificates were issued. In 1919, the last year of the voluntary system, the number was 2334. In 1920, under the compulsory system enforced by the Act. 4153 stallions were examined, and of these 3749 were licensed. The refusals numbered 404. Of the 3749 licensed, 3370 were pedigree stallions, and 379 were horses not entered or accepted for entry in any recognised Stud Book. Shire stallions, as might have been expected, were by far the most numerous. Of the 3370 licensed, 2258 were of that breed. Clydesdales numbered 286; Suffolks, 193; Percherons, 33; hackneys, 202; thoroughbreds, 183; Arabs. 19; hunters, 9; Cleveland bays, 8; Yorkshire coach horses, 7; and Welsh roadsters (whatever they may be), .3. Among the pony breeds the distribution was as follows : —Welsh, 33 ; polo, 21; Dale, 17 ; Fell, 17; Shetland! 10; Highland, 1; New Forest, 1; and Welsh cob. 69. The disquieting figures are found in Table 11. The number of Shires examined was 2520, and the number rejected 262. or 1014 per cent. The most frequent causes of rejection were roaring 74, and whistling 73. Fifty-seven were rejected for sidebone, 14 for ringbone, and 19 for cataract. For stringhalt the rejections numbered two, and for shivering five. The number of Clydesdales presented for examination was 332, of which 46 wore rejected, or 13.8 per cent. The largest number, 14, were rejected for roaring; sidebone was responsible for 13, and whistling for 10. One was rejected for stringhalt, but none wont down for shivering. Of 205 Suffolks offered, 12 were refused, or 5.9 per cent. Fight of these went down for whistling, and two for sidebone. The applications for Percherona numbered 34, and one, or 0.3 per cent.., went down. The horse was rejected for

sidebone. Of 18 horses rejected as “rigs,” 10 were Shires, three were Clydesdales, and the Suffolk, hackney, and hunter had one each. The others were non-pedigree horses. Hackneys failed to the extent of 7.8 per cent, of the applications; thoroughbreds to the extent of 5.2 per cent.; hunters, 10 per cent.; polo ponies, 4.5 per cent.; Fell ponies, 10.5 per cent. ; Shetland ponies, 9.1 per cent. ; and Welsh cobs, 8 per cent. It will be seen from the foregoing that, in so far as England and Wales are concerned, the Clydesdale has a bad preeminence in respect of percentage of rejections. This is a condition of things that admits of remedy. Anyone who has seen some of the English-owned Clydesdales at the Royal and other shows can hardly have been surprised. There is room for improvement in various respects in the character of the Clydesdale stallions travelled in England. It Is to be hoped that the salutary lesson taught by these figures will not go unheeded. With respect to all heavy breeds, it is noteworthv that roaring (102) and whistling (101) are the diseases which have proved most- disastrous. Stringhalt and shivering are happily very rare. The total re lections for shivering were seven. The figures for Scotland are interesting. The total number examined was 748 (says the N.B. Agriculturist). Of these, 75 were refused, the diseases on account of which wore as follows: —Stringhalt, 16; shivering, 4; roaring, 24; sidebone, 9; ringbone, 4; bone-spavin, 4 ; cataract, 1; defective genital organs, 8; defective conformation, s—total,5 —total, 75. Two of those condemned for stringhalt were also affected with roaring, two with ringbone, and one with sidebone. One of those rejected for shivering was also affected with ringbone ; one of those rejected for roaring was also affected with ringbone and defective genital organs, and one with defective conformation; while two of those rejected for sidebone were also affected with ringbone. The percentage rejected of those examined was 10. In due course the unsound breeding horse will be eliminated, without doubt. This should make for the rearing of an improved race of Clydesdales.