STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3698, 27 January 1925, Page 19

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Weekly Stock Sale*. Ninthly (continusdt. Bornude, Wednesday*- Duntroon, ‘Jad Weiner Addington, Wednesdays day. Waiareka Railway Juvj Woodlands, STd Wed tlon, Tresdaya. Odsdaj. Fartnlgtitly. Milton, 2nd Tuesday. liallour, 3rd Thursday. BlTersda.e, Frida. I *. i borat-ury, Ist Friday Waliaeexjwc, Tuesday 3. Duutroon, 2nd Wedne* Asnturtop, laesanya. jj a _ Acrtot Win ton, ihnrsaays. Wjodham l-barsdayi Eivereda.e, 3rd Frid»- £““°?: r *'“ r ff» Ja - Waifa*., last Friday. Monthly. Perit ideally a* Idendale, Ist Monday. Advertised, talioerstou, *th Tburs I.umsden, Mossbnm Orepuki, 'Yaixnahaka WinUjo. 4t.h Tuesday. Waikcnaitt, Kiver Uataura, Ist Thursday ton, Ngapara, and fakanul, lib Monday. l/( age Central Sales

OTAGO. The weather proved too dry last week, although good enough for harvesting operations. The pasture was drying up fast, water in the paddocks was scarce, and rape and late sown swede crops were frizzling ud. owing to the warm, windy temperatures experienced. The flutter in forward lambs last week was due in a measure to anxiety among farmers lest their rape should disanoear ere they had a chance of securing some of the feed. Hence, possibly dear lambs, if unable to turn them off fat worth 40s per head. The very welcome rain at the week-end has, however, wrought a marked change for the better. BURNSIDE MARKET. The yarding of fat sheep at Burnside totalled 2264, compared with 2439 the previous week, a representative lot with, however, a considerable number of plain to good trade ewes. Some heavy prime wethers from Gore and the Kelso district were forward. The opening demand was ouiet. and eased as the sale progressed heavy prime wethers being back 2s per head, ewes Is to 3s, and towards the close sales were hard to make. Wethers of handy weight made to 7£d per lb. Exporters were buying fairly steadily throughout the sale. The fat lambs numbered 888, as against 626 the previous week, the quality being only fair, and although some excellent consignments -were included too many unfinished pennings were forward. There was a good demand at about last week’s values, graziers securing small lots at 27s 9d to 28s 3d, extra forward 32s 3d. Fat lambs were making close up to Is per lb, prime sorts 38s 6d to 47s per head. The yarding of fat cattle numbered 361 compared with 292 the previous week. There were some, good lots of prime steers from the south, including a big proportion of unfinished steers and fair to prime cows. Easier ratos were noted early in" the sale, but values lifted for quality cattle to ease later on. Values may be quoted as being lower by £1 per head than last week, beef making to 36s per 1001 b. Rome 360 head of store cattle, chiefly cows and medium young sorts, with half a dozen pens of fair to good steers, were penned. The latter class if over two years old sold well, others about the same as a week ago. Four-year-old £7 15s, three-vear-olds made £6 10s to £6 15s. two-year-olds to £4 10s, mixed yearlings 25s to 355. Some 150 fat pigs elicited a very fair demand at rates ruling the previous week, with baconers making around 7d per lb and porkers around 7Jd per lb, and stores unchanged. NORTH ISLAND STORE STOCK VALUES. Harvesting has made good progress, and a big lot of hav has been well saved, although a good deal is damaged owing to the changeable weather, which has been more or less goneral in tho North Island. Freezing works are very busy, and some big lines of lambs have been safely landed. A great many owes have been secured for Sooth Island sheep-breeders and northern graziers. over 50,000 being sent from Gisborne. The demand generally is good both for store cattle and sheep. Rape lambs are making 26s to 295. shorn sorts 19s 6d to Fss» small shorn 14s to 16s, Romney cross

two-tooth ewes 38s to 40s, good two-tooth wethers 35s 6d, mixed ages (ewes) 30s, year and a-haJf stews to £3 10s, medium two-year-olds £5 7s 6d, throe-year-olds to £7 ss, good three to four-year-olds, in forward condition, £7 10s to £8 ss. BALCLUTIIA-CLINTON STOCK SALES. At Balclutha about 4000 sheep were varded, 1000 being wethers and the balance lambs with an odd pen of inferior ewes. There was a very spirited demand, forward lambs selling particularly well. Rapo lambs made 30s, 32s Bd, 33s Id; station, mixed sexes crossbred lamps, 26s 6d; twotooth wethers, 32s to 33s 3d; full mouth Central wethers, 36s 6d; old ewes, around 14s. At Clinton, some 10CO sheep were offered and sold at relative values, medium twot.ooth ewes making 38s 7d, 68s 8d; very fair mouths, good but not guaranteed ewes, 29s to 33s 4d; inferior, 20s s<i : mixed sexes, rapo lambs. 28s 8d; mixed sex hill lambs, small, 23s 9d; good wether lambs, 50s. STOCK NOTES. The wool sale impending last week at Dunedin appeared to have gripped all hands concerned with stock in Otago, to the exclusion practically of business other than that having to do with fat lambs and sheep Values, however, have not receded to any extent, and any lines of breeding ewes, forward wethers, or wellbred bullocks realise prices on a par with those ruling a week ago. Young sorts are still sticky. The high, warm winds of last week have adversely affected tho rape and swede crops, and rains would be welcome. Grass is going off, and graziers on the lower levels are not such keen buyers as they were earlier in the month. The next meeting of the council of the Royal Agricultural Society will be held in. Christchurch on Wednesday, the day previous to the Canterbury A. and P. ram and ewe fair in March next Heavy-weight cattle and sheep at Home are not selling at anything like the money realised for medium-weight stock, this apparently being more or less a world-wide development, and emphasises the importance of encouraging early maturity breeds and small joints. Anthrax is officially reported among sheep on a block of land three miles from Cootamundra (New South Wales). Out, of a, flock of 400 60 have died. Inoculation saved the others. The man at Newcastle who contracted anthrax from a brush is expected to recover. „ The number of Canadian cattle consigned as stores landed at ports in Great Britain during the week ended October 25 amounted to 1955. The consignments included two of 237 and 530, landed at Birkenhead on the 20th and 23rd respectively, of which only 49 were licensed out for further feeding; one of 271 at Cardiff on the 20th; one of 449 at Glasgow on the 21st, and one of- 477 at Manchester on the Stud merino sheep are realising high prices in South Africa. At the dispersal sale-of Messrs Wiehahn and Arnolds flock £950 was paid bv Mr W. E. Edwards for a nine-vear-oid ram bred by the Austin Warn ganella Company. Mr Arnold paid £(#o for a ram and £llO each for four ewes. Stud ewes realised £25 to £llO, and up to £22 10s was paid for ram lambs. THE CLYDESDALE WORLD. Clydesdale breeders will have noted with retrret the loss of several high-class animals in Scotland. Phillipine (18044). belonging to Messrs R. and J. Chapman, a son of Bonrnie Buchlyvie (14(02), purchased for 23«)gns at the Seaham Harbour dispersal sale, died recently lie was a prize-winner at many shows, including the Highland and the Royal (England). The same breeders lost the mare Heather Mint (40874), bv Apurna (145577), a full sister to Craigie Sylvia sold to America at a very high figure. . Mr J. Kilpatrick has lost his mare Qraigie Sunray (52466), by Bonnie Buchlyvie out of the Cawdor Cup champion Wells Ray. Mr A M. Montgomery, Netherhall, Castle Douglas, has sold and shipped to Mr Harry Sal way, Bellbloek, Taranakn New Zealand, the Clydesdale stallion Epmard (20912), states the N.B. Agriculturist. Row rising three rears old, he was bred by Mr Montgomery, and was got by the great sire Fyvie Sensation (20012) out of Rolens (51229), by Dunure Refiner (17872). His pedigree shows that he is of the best Clydesdale blood, his ancestors all having been great showyard winners. A grand type of horse, of the kind favoured m New Zealand he was second at Dalbeattie to the champion, Benefactor, the only time shown. Some other stock are included in the shipment which left Home on December 10, 1924.’ BRITISH FAT STOCK SHOWS. The fat stock shows held at various Home centres in December lacked none of their former interest, and Smithficld Club Shows and Norwich, Birmingham, and Edinburgh presented once again the triumphs of the prime specimens of various British sheep and cattle breeds. Early maturity has won a notable victory at the Smithheld Uub (states file Scottish Farmer). The day of wether*Mutton even when under two years old is over. Nobody wants to feed sheep for an extra year and at the end receive about one-half the price for them that they would have made a year earlier. Smithfield Club Show has come and gone, and it has been characterised by some features peculiarly gratifying to Scotsmen. Tho fact* that both long wool and short wool champion prizes in the sheep section, and the Prince of Wales’s Challenge Cup, which is the supreme honour in tho sheep section, have all gone to Scotland is something to boast about. It was no ordinary achievement for a mountain breed like the Choviot 9 to win against Suffolks and Southdowns. In the cattle section, as hitherto, the Aberdeen-Angus breed maintained its wonderful supremacy in fat stock competitions. Alike as purebred or as dominating cross, the London results of 1924 maintain its long tradition of supremacy. As crossing siro, tho Sihorthorn reigns supreme. In view of the keen rivalry which exists tho world over regarding the merits of tho different breeds of stock it is interesting to note the breeding of the winners in the carcase competitions at Smithfiold. London. Tho competition was excellent, with the following results: — Cattle Carcases. Steer or Heifer (under 15 months)—Mr Morris Eyton (Shorthorn Angus) 1, His

Majesty the King (Rod Poll) 2, Sir Bernard Groenwoll (Shorthorn) 3, Duke of Portland (Shorthorn) 4. Steer (15 to 24 months) —Duke of Portland (Aberdeen-Angus) 1 and reserve champion, Alfred Palmer (Galloway) 2, Major Morrison (Aberdeen-Angus) 3, Captain lhomson, Kairnes, West Linton (ShortnornGalloway) 4. Steers (under three) —Lord Ponrhyn (\Velsh) 1, Alfred Palmer (Galloway) 2, Sir Robert Jardine (Galloway) 3. Heifers (under three) —W. A. Sandeman (Aberdeen-Angus) 1 and champion, W. VS orth and Son South Devon (Shorthorn) 2. J. Douglas Fletcher (Aberdeen-Angus) 3. Sheep Carcases. Long Wool Mountain Wether Lamb— North Wales College (Welsh Mountain) 1, Miss Findlater, Jerviswood Mains (Blackface) 2, Mrs Jervoico (Black Welsh) 3, R. Graham, Crosshonse, Milton Bridge, Midlothian (Blackface) 4. Long Wool Mountain Wether—G. and R Findlater, Jerviswood Mains 1, W. yohnston 2. R. Graham 3. It. M‘Konna 4 (all Blackfaces). Short Wool Wether Lamb—Lady Fitzgerald (Southdown) 1 and champion, 11. E. kmith (Suffolk) 2, Lady Ludlow (Southdown) 3. Short Wool Wether—Duke of Portland 1, Lady Fitzgerald 2, His Majesty 3 (ail Southdowns). Crossbred Lamb—F. Holland (SouthdownRyeland) 1 and reserve champion, A. Holland (same cross) 2, Miss Dickson, Flernmgfcon (Suffolk-Cheviot) 3, Miss Findlater (same cross) 4. Crossbred Wether—Duke of Portland (Suffolk-Soulhdown) 1, A. Holland (South-down-Ryeland 2, W. Johnston (SouthdownCheviot) 3. Big; (701 b to 1001b)—F. Holland (Large Middle) I, Mrs Sofar Whitburn (Middle White) 2. J. Fricker (Berkshire) 3. Pig 1001 b to 32>01b—A. J. Cousins (Essex) 1 and champion, Mrs Whitburn (Middle White) 2 Pig (1601 b to 2201 b) —J. Fricker (Berkshire 1 and reserve champion, Mrs Bruce Ward (Bericshire) 2. DAIRYING HAPPENINGS. Ayrshires swept the boards in the milk record competitions in Gloucestershire. They beat both dairy Shorthorns and British Friesians. Their milk yield over full lactation period turned out practically 10001 b above the Shorthorns (says a Home exchange. Bho 1 * better bulls ” special dairy train over the Erie railroad in Northern Indiana reached 9807 people with its programme, and distributee! 28 Friesian bulls, 13 Guernseys, 11 Jerseys, and one Ayrshire in the territory covered. This programme (states our informant) was made possible through the co-operation cf Mr L. D. Fuller, agriculturist for the Erie railway, the dairy breed associations, the Indiana agricultural extension service, dairymen, and business men, began at Decatur on October 20, and finished at Crown Point on November 1, making 12 stops in all. In securing the bulls for the train no bull was included whose dam had a record of less than 4001 b fat. The train and equipment consisted of four express cars, containing 23 Friesian bulls, 14 Jerseys, eight Guernseys, and one Ayrshire bull; a large day ccach in which to give lectures and show educational motion pictures, a flat car, used as a demonstration platform, an agricultural exhibit oar, and a private car to accommodate the staff. Live Stock Journal reports that an extraordinary performance was put up by Mr R. W. Carson’s Mastermun’s Golden Cidonis, a Jersey cow that has been consistently rich throughout the whole of her last two lactations. Her figures are:— Amount of milk, 241 b 12oz, producing 21b 3-ioz butter 146 days after calving. Thus it will be seen that the ratio—i.e.. the amount of milk required to make lib of butter—was only 11.151 b. This cow aver aged throughout tho whole of her 1923 lactation 6.82 tier cent, butter-fat, and in her previous lactation 6 51 per cent. The sire of this cow is Masterman, of Oaklands. The British Friesian dow, Chaddesley Glen Stately, has moved up from the ranks of the cows, and in her third lactation yielded 3C96gal in 365 days. She is owned by Mrs Johnson, of the Gladlas Ellesmere, Salop, England, and is the youngest cow in the country, being just upon six years old. THE SEASON IN AUSTRALIA. The general rains experienced over the main agricultural districts of the eastern States in the middle of December further delayed an already late harvest, but apparently did not do much damage to standing crops (says the Pastoral Review). Since then tho weather has been finer, although occasional storms, which, over the northern half of New South Wales were particularly heavy, have occurred. The more Seasonable conditions have allowed farmers to push on with harvesting operations, and by the time these lines appear in print the bulk of the grain crops should be safely garnered. Judging by district reports, the wheat sample is turning out well up to the average. Thanks to the late ripening, bleached grain is not so prevalent as might have been expected. Neither does smut show to any great extent, but rust has evidently affected the quality in some parts where heavy soils predominate, and that received too much rain at the wrong time. Weather conditions in Western Australia remain seasonably dry. The wheat crop there is turning out quite up to previous expectations, From information received from various sources, and summarising the official estimates, tho wheat yield for the Commonwealth, by States, may be put down as follows: — Bushels. New South Wales .. 60,832,000 Victoria •• 45,000,000 South Australia .. ►. ~ 32,910,000 Western Australia .. ~ 21,628,000 Queensland M «. M h 2,712,000 Tasmania ~ 267,000 163,349,000 Tho allowance of a maximum of 50,000,000 bushels for seed, local consumption, and feed requirements leaves well over 110.000,000 bushels for export. It may be added that on no occasion since the war has the total production excooded 150,000 009 bushels. The nearest was in 1920-21, when 145,873,000 were garnered. The last month of 1924 passed without impairing the reputation of the year for being a kindly one as regards pastoral seasonal conditions. Although it is true the north-west is still very dry and there are parts of the centre of the continent that need rain, taking the country by and large it is seldom that the proportion of good to bad has been so favourable as it is

to-day. Queensland is having a bountiful summer, frequent storms bringing the growth on splendidly. The northern half of New South Wales has also benefited by rains since last writing. Riverina and Victoria have perhaps had enough for the time being, and most graziers there would probably like to see a long fine spoil, as summer rains are liable to do more harm than good to dry feed. Tasmania, South Australia, and the bulk of the south of Western Australia are having a normal good season.

With conditions as they are, it is only to be expected that live stock values should remain at a high level. The holidays caused some irregularity in the market for fats in but store sheep and ewes are unaffected and continue firm. An improvement has even taken place recenly in cattle valuos in Queensland. A demand has sprung up for bullocks of suitable ages for fattening fi r export, and prime stuff, thanks to the early opening of the meat works, is now worth 3s to 4s per 1001 b more than at the beginning of 1924. The month under review having been largely made up of holidays there is not rnuch to report in regard to wool other than a small series in Tasmania, comprising some 25,009 bales, at which tho chief feature was a great amount of irregularity. However, in the main this may be associated with outside selling - centres, where conditions are not quite so stable as at tho bigger auctions. Closing sales of 1924 found the market, generally speaking, at an all-round lower level by some 5 per cent., as compared with tho best rates of November, this being more apparent in thoso wools not coming quite within the definition of super and not so pronounced in skirtings when exhibiting any quality. W ith the progres of the sales it has become apparent that growers who were Tempted to sell privately have again unwittingly played into the hands of speculators, and at the risk of being accused of undue repetition, it is certainly difficult to realise the fact that a tempting price for one or two top lots seems to outweigh all considerations for the lower grades, where really the great rise in value has taken place, and which play such a big part to-day in the financial result. Despite the warnings broadcasted by the various pasteralists’ associations there is no inconsiderable weight of wool to-day awaiting realisation which will show a very handsome profit to the intermediate buyer, at the expense of tho grower, who had to face all the risk during the 12 months of growth, only to bo shorn, quite unnecessarily. be it remembered, of an undue proportion of the return to which he was justly entitled.