STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 3512, 5 July 1921, Page 9

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES

Weekly Stock Sales. Monthly (continuer!). Burnside, Wednesdays Duutroon, 2nd WedneaAddington, Wednesdays a y Waiareka Hail way June- Woodlands, 3rd Friday tion, Tuesdays Milton, 2nd Tuesday Watlacetown, Tuesdays Balfour, 3rd Thursday _ , . , Thcrnbury, Ist Friday Fortnightly. Duntroon, 2nd WednesHiyersdale, Friday day Ashburton, Tuesdays Otautau, 2nd Friday Heriot, Thursdays Hiversdale, 3rd Friday Winton, Thursdays Waikaka, last Friday Wyndham, Thursdays Olydemte, last Tuesday Clinton, Thursdays Periodically as AdverBalclutha, Fridays tised. : Gore, Tuesdays J I .urnsden, ilossburu, Monthly. Orepuki, Mataura, : Palmerston, 4th Thurs- Waikouaiti, Riverj day ton. Ngapara, and ! Winton, 4th Tuesday Otago Central Sales. OTAGO. The winter so far has been remarkably open, while such rains as have fallen have proved beneficial and enabled ploughing operations to proceed satisfactorily. There seems every indication of an adequate area being sown in wheat this season, while winter feed is abundant and stock generally doing well throughout Otago. BURNSIDE MARKET, i The quality of a large and mixed entry of fat sheep at Burnside was very fair, and the demand firm enough to maintain the previous week’s rates, with the exception that at times, more particularly at the close, good ewes were a bit cheaper than earlier in the sale. Mutton may be quoted at wether 4d and ewe to 3id per lb. Country butchers (north) secured a few lots, and one export buyer lifted handy-weight wethers and neat ewes. Graziers helped the market also for sheep just wanting “topping” off. There was a large entry of fat lambs, the quality of many of them being indifferent. Some of the usual buyers were not operating, and sales were made on a lower plane. Best lambs made about Is 64 under the previous week’s prices, with seconds and plain clown twice this amount per head. Lamb sold to 6gd per lb. Rather over 200 head of fat cattle (a number of them but well-forward stores) elicited a good demand at prices much on a par with the previous week's average rates for the bulk of the entry, and the high rates obtainable at times a week ago were few and far between, while there was an casement towards the finish. Beef sold to 45s per 1001 b. A very small and uninteresting yarding of about 50 head of store cattle had slight attention, and prices were unchanged. Fat pigs were firmer, and also small sorts. ADDINGTON YARDS, i A very fair entry of fat sheep at Addington, although not up to the previous week’s yarding, elicited a good demand. The proportion of wethers was greater, and generally prices improved Is 6d a head on rates a week ago. A line of extra heavy wethers (1051 from the south made 28s to 325, ewes making up to 2?s per head. The bulk of a moderate yarding pf fat lambs comprised for the most part indifferent quality, and prices for these were back considerably, while best lambs were cheaper by Is 6d a head than at last sale. A medium entry of store sheep sold fairly well, A liking for Wst grades being evident, indifferent qualities “sagging” in prices a trifle compared with recent prices. Owing doubtless to a smaller entry of fat cattle and improvement in the quality, prices improved, and rates ruling a fortnight ago were obtainable. Store cattle showed very little change, but there was some inquiry for the few pens of good sorts offering. Both fat pigs and stores were in better demand, and sales were readily effected at improved prices. NORTH ISLAND STOCK VALUES. Rains have been fairly general in the North Island, and there has not been much doing in the stock markets of late, and prices are only moderate. In the Auckland district at the Westfield market beef sold to 40s per 1001 b," forward wethers 15s to 18s, forward ewes 11s to 13s 6d, forward hoggets 15s to 18s. In Poverty Bay hoggets made up to 14s 6d, two-tooth and four-tooth wethers 17s, and five-year-old ewes (in lamb) to 21s 3d. In the WanganuiFeilding areas there is plenty of grass, but stock sales are infrequent and dull,-with the exception of stud Friesians, which realised high rates. In the Wairarapa matters are quiet. IToggets made ils, culls 5s to 9s, two-tooth wethers 11s, 13s, 14s, and aged ewes (in lamb) 7s 6d io 10s. In Hawke’s Bay considerable rain lias fallen, and in stock little has been done. Gull ; hoggets sold to 7s 6d. aged ewes 7s 6d, and two-year-old polled steers £1 15s to £2. BALCLUTTTA-CLINTON BALFS. Some SCOO sheep were yarded at Ralclutha, two-thirds of them “fats,” the balance store lambs and wethers. There was j a good sale on a parity with prices ruling ' a fortnight ago. Lambs were better by Is

a head than was the case at Burnside last Wednesday, owing doubtless to more competition ; forward wethers made 18s to 23s 9d, medium from 16s, store lambs 9s to 12s 6d, and sound-mouth ewes (guaranteed) 19s 4d. The few cattle yarded made rather better prices than at last sale. At Clinton about 1200 sheep, chiefly fat and forward lambs, were yarded, and a few wethers. There was a good demand. Store but forward wethers off the hills made 18s 3d, medium store two-tooth and four-tooth wethers 17s, and fair two-tooth ewes 17s. Fat lambs sold on a par with Wednesday’s rates at last Burnside sale, forward mixed sex hoggets 14s to 16s, and culls 6s to 8s 6d. STOCK NOTES. Stock values are very much the same a 3 they were a week ago in Otago. Yardings of fat sheep and lambs at the metropolitan market continue large, and, while tile former show little if any change, the latter have come back in price, due in a measure to lack of competition, as some of the usual buyers, owing to northern works being on thp eve of closing for the season, have pulled out. Lambs, too, are of considerably mixed quality, a fact which tends to conservative bidding—"seconds ’ being numerous and forete.ling a poor “killing” sheet. Beef is selling very well, and in a mixed yarding at Burnside time and again hit 50s per 1001 b, with a general average of about 45s for prime beef. Young cattle (no matter the breed) are hard to quit to advantage; but milkers sell well, and inquirv for bid's ex dams of heavy milking capacity is brighter than was the case a year ago. Messrs North and Sons, Omimi, keep on selling. There is nothing I ke blood, and the Commonwealth booked last week a two-year-old Friesian bull at 200 gs. Otago dairymen should wake up before dl I o -j" :! “goods” are exported. Although the average milk yield of the general run of provincial cows is low, there are some bright spots —viz., there are over 70 cows on C.O.R. test in Otago and Southland whose milk yield exceeds 1009 gallons per annum. It has been decided by the Invercargill stock agents to change the date of the Otautau stock sale from Friday to Wednesday. The City of Winchester loaded some 22,500 carcases of frozen mutton direct from trucks at Dunedin wharf last month. This is the first direct loading, and saves a lot of unnecessary hauling to Port Chalmers, and if made a general practice would help to cheapen charges on meat exported. * The sale of stud stock held by the Associated Auctioneers in connection with t?fo National Dairv Show at Palmerston North did not attract large entries. There was a good attendance, and the Shorthorns of Mr G. N. Bel! (Palmerston North), who is getting rid of his herd, met with keen competition, the lot (11) going to one buyer. Mr T. Seccombe, of Te Teko, who paid close upon £IO9O for them. The top price paid was 142 gs. A Jersev bull made 195 gs, while the- o-nly other sale of note in Friesians was that of Lakeside Beauty at 66gs. The 1700-guinea Ayrshire bull Howie’s Hot Stuff was beaten in the aged class at the Ayrshire Show by Mr T. Logan’s Bargenoch Right at Last, a stylish, deepribbed bull. The same bull took the male championship, the reserve being Hobsland Mendel, the first in the two-year-old class. In the brood mare class at the Ayrshire Show Mr W. Brown’s Farleton Lady Alice, by Dunure Footprint, was first. The champion, Craigie Litigant, scored. , heavily in the yearling filly class, his progeny securing the first three places. Dunure FJowerman, shown by Mr J. Hamilton, was first in the three-year-old male class. Threave Seal, (he winner in the Highland and Edinburgh last year, was first in two-year-olds. A colt by The Dunure took first prize in yearlings. Word comes from Sydney that a. yru-rg Friesian bull of the high-producing Segis Pontiao strain has arrived to the order of Mr Eric Lloyd Jor.es, for his Bundauoon stud, New South Wales. . The newcomer, whose name is Chinook Segis Pontiac'David, was bred by the Washington State Agricultural College, and is now 16 months old. ’ T ■ Hunter White, of Havila.h, New South Wales, has received from England a young Devon bull, from the stud of Mr Robert Cook, Oazelowan. Tiverton, Devon. This bull, Cvazelowan Perfection, is of the same blood as Mr White’s imported bull that won champion honours at the last Sydney Royal Show. FLIES AND SHEEP. There is an interesting article in the June number of the Journal of Agriculture on sheep, maggot Hies and their allies, by “Entomologist,” David Miller, F.E.S. A circular letter was sent out last spring to a large number of sheep owners throughout New Zealand, asking for specimens of maggots and damaged wool. Although the response was not very great, the replies are interesting, and serve to show in a slight measure the districts or localities in the Dominion in which maggot flies are troublesome, etc. A request for specimens

and information is made in order to aid the sheep maggot-fly investigation to secure living specimens on infested wool from all pans ox New Zealand. Maggots carry well upon the- infested wool if placed in a tin. Specimens of adult files of any description whatsoever are also of much importance; these may be sent dead in som* receptacle which will not be crushed in transit. Flies are readily suffocated with tobacco rmoke. Any such specimens would be of aery great value. Notes on any or \ ail of the following points are also essential, even from localities where wool-blowing is not prevalent:—(l) Breed, sex, age and part of sheep attacked; (2) time of year when blowing is most prevalent; (3) locality description, whether land elevated or lowlying, open or sheltered; and any remarks on seasonal climate ; (4) percentage of mortality due to maggot-flics, and whether fly attacks is on the increase or decrease. JUDGING DAIRY CATTLE. Breeders of Ayrshire cattle in every part of the country liad their attention centred recently on the special show at Ayr, where the “new cow,” regarding which so much has been heard, was on parade (says an English Exchange). Anyone who attended the event expecting, however, to see something really new in the breed must have been disappointed, for the exhibits were old friends.. The title of the “new cow” is derived from the departure made at. the show in the standards of judging. . This departure is the outcome of a desire expressed by most breeders to judge the Ayrshire on her merits as a milk cow by taking the actual milk record into account when awarding prizes, and thus unify and improve the type of animal bred. Accordingly, for the purpose of judging, a new scale of points was framed by a committee and approved by the Herd Book Society. Under this scale 30 points aro allocated for form, symmetry and constitution; 35 points for mamfnarv development, including teats, shape of udder and milk veins and 35 points for authenticated milk yield of a cow, or a similar number of points for authenticated milking pedigree in the case of heifers or bulls. —Show Ring v. Sale Ring.— The show was promoted by the Breed Society to demonstrate the new standards in operation, and “to place before the public the proper type of Ayrshire which should receive honours in the show ring.” Likewise, the whole idea underlying the movement was to make the atmosphere of the show ring conform more nearly to that of the sale ring, and to that atmosphere which infects experienced breeders when, making selections for their herds. That the movement was a step in the right direction is borne out by the presence, at the show of a large-number of Canadian. American, and South African and Finland breeders. One of the Canadians, a noted brooder, exhibitor and a veteran, expressed the opinion that this departure should have been made 25 years ago for the sake of the Ayrshire. . Never in his long experience as an exhibitor in his own land or as an onlooker at shows on this side had he seen so many typical Ayrshire milk cows as were on parade on the first dav of the event. There was also a very large attendance of home breeders, and the show, which was carried on for two days, was quite a financial success. Judging was in the hands of Mr Barton, Professor of Animal Husbandry at Macdonald College, Quebec. THE SEASON IN AUSTRALIA. Magnificent ruins have fallen over practically "the whole of the Commonwealth during the past month (says the Pastoral Re’%fotv). What is more, the weather has Sejm reasonably mild, arid feed where short 1 to ihe existing moist conditions. Heavy rain at this time of the vo. . . . ..11 . uug.it noth danger to young iambs, especially if accompanied by a cold snap, but up to the time of writing the losses have been negligible. Stock general by are in good condition, and the outlook for the season, at all events as far as food is concerned, is good. What wi 1 happen hi the matter of prices time alone can Values of both slieep and cattle were inclined to sag rather badly in ihe States during the second half of Ma> Forced realisations kept . the market* heavily supplied, and graz.iers were not buying to any extent. However, since the rains the demand lias improved, and rates are now nretty nearlv back to the level of a month ago. There is a better tone in the markets, and the future seems to be viewed with more confidence. After a dry spell lasting from six weeks to two months, bounteous rains fell over practically the whole wheat belt, during the second half of Mav and early .Tune. In Victoria and South Australia, where conditions were particularly dry. 2in to 4in have bwß recorded, and the average in Western Australia Las been considerably heavier. The falls in New South Wales have also been general, and some heavy totals have boon recorded. On the whole, the outlook can now be summed up as excellent throughout tho Commonwealth.

The hibtory of the past month makes more pleasant reading than for some time tince —a matter of the keenest interest, not only to wool-growers, but to Australia as a ■whole, for undoubtedly her pastoral industry is of paramount importance. Sales ■which have been held in Brisbane, Sydney, and Adelaide have witnessed a series of #learaiK'es which have been uniformly satisfactory. Granted the level of values (except

in special cases) is comparatively a low one, and in the case of coarse crossbreds below the cost of production, the fact has been clearly demonstrated that a demand exists for practically all grades, and also that the market can absorb the quantity which is now being placed on it. It is the more significant that this condition of affairs exists despite the coal strike in England, which has largely disorganised trade, and the almost daily developments occurring on the Continent, that lead to all sorts of political complications. Exchange has also recently been somewhat adversely affected, and yet the demand continues. At least it may bo postulated that a foundation has been reached, and, given that return of confidence which is the very essence of trade provided a sure base exists, we may look forward to a slow but steady improvement generally. It must not be overlooked, how ever, that, while the barometer is apparently “set fair,” so far as the current clip is concerned, but little headway is being mode in the realisation of the great accumulation of the carry-over staple. Further, the majority of the wool on hand is of inferior quality, and catalogues in all centres disclose a low standard of intrinsic value, which is all the more reason that every effort should be made to dispose of the wool on hand before the new clip comes along to give point to the old adage that comparisons are odious. This can only be done by increased allocations for the next few months, and if we do not take advantage of the demand that does exist other countries will.