STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3775, 20 July 1926, Page 19

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

WMkhr Suck Uln. ..nUily (cMtl.aMi, OaatrooQ, f.d Wadnc Addington, Wednesday*. j t - Walarika Bail way June- w ■/.* . . tfeo, Twadays. Woodland., Ird Wo* oeiavj. .. _!T" l C t !, y - UiUon, 2nd TuMdtr. ftifcrsdale, Friday.. D ' . . ' ' tlUuun. Tu.w..ti. ,rd Thursduy. Aahburum, Tuesdays. Thombury, Ut Friday. Hanot, Thnradayt. Otautau, Sod Wadnaw Win ton, Thursdays. Wyndhatn, Thursday*. HiTcrsdalo, 3rd Friday. Clinton, Thursdays. Waikaka, last Friday. Balolutha, Fridays. Clydorslv, last Friday Oars. Tuesdays Msnttily. P a3SSI!L. M Bdsndals, Ist McnC-y. . A«artlsad. Palmira ton, 4tb Thun, temsden, Hossbare, day. Orepuki, Waimahaks, Winton, in Tuesday. WaikouattL BWer. Mataura, Ist Thursday. ton. Kgapara, and Tokanui, 4th ilcadaj'. Otag« Central Salas. OTAGO. Splendid winter weather was experienced in Otago last week —cold at times, lmt some sunny hours daily,—and generally welcome farm conditions. BURNSIDE MARKET. The yarding of fat cattle at Burnside last Wednesday comprised 219 head,, a fair proportion being light and plain, together with a moderate sprinkling of extra prime local and railed bullocks from the south and central. The opening demand indicated the probability of prime cattle later in the day realising much appreciable rates, but such was not the case. The earlier sales resulted in prices hardening 10s to 15s per head, but towards the close, values were much on a parity with the previous sale’s best rates. Beef may be quoted as making up to 42s per 1001 b, much good beef making, of course, 1 considerably less. The yarding of sheep 1569 (2059 last week) was of useful quality, despite some pennings of plain fine wools. Early sales were inclined to be sticky, but some improvement ensued, which was barely maintained, and generally, values were much the same as the average rates a week ago to Is better at times. Wether mutton, other than prime light wethers, may be quoted as making up to s£d per lb. The few fat hoggets penned, 58, as compared with 50 the previous week, lacked, for the most part, quality, and realised rather lower rates than at last sale, the best of them making around 9Ad per lb The entry of store cattle was again fairly large, some 300 being yarded. Included among fair average cows were several pens of fair to good sorts of two and a-half and three and a-half-year-old steers, the best of which sold well. The pick of the dry cows also met with a free demand, but inferior sorts were unchanged. The moderate supply of fat pigs (90) met with an unchanged demand, also stores (16). Baconers made tq 8d and porkers around 9kl per lb. NORTH ISLAND STORE STOCK VALUES. Prices of store stock in the North Island remain unchanged, but first-grade hoggets and wethers met with very fair competition. In the Auckland province up to 32s per 1001 b was paid for prime beef, the demand being good at this figure for choice in the Westfield market. Forward steers make £7 to £8 15s and forward wethers 24s to 26s 6d. In the Waikato values are on much the same plane as in Auckland. In the Wanganni-Feilding areas fair aged breeding ewes made 20s to 245, fair ditto mixed ages 22s to 265, wether hoggets 13s to 16s, ewe hoggets 16s, mixed 10s to 17s 3d, and wethers 18s to 21s 6d. Cattle are dull of sale. In the Wairarapa good wether hoggets made 12s to 17s, culls 10s, ewe hoggets 13s to 16s 6d, wethers 21s to 24s 9d, and fair breeding ewes 21s to 24s 6d. In the Wellington province best milking cows realised £lO 10s to £l4, August cal vers £4 5s to £5 15s, extra £lO 10s, later sorts £4 to £7, and extra £9 15s. In Hawke’s Bay mixed wethers made 18s to 208 6d, wether hoggets 9s to 15s 6d, station cows (in calf) £2 15s to £3 ss, station two-year-old steers £2 15b. In Poverty Bay good breeding ewes four to five years old made <o 24s 9d, forward wethers to 24s 9d, and medium 20s. Generally bidding at auction is slow. STOCK NOTES. Values of fat stock at the Burnside metropolitan market, Otago, do not get away in the anticipated manner. While lambs throughout the season have moved off fairly well, fat sheep prices will not permit of graziers who bought early getting oufc of their purchases with a profit. Then beef values, owing to the fine weather and feed prospects, and the many well-conditioned cows being marketed, are not such as to cause fatteners of bullocks to enthuse on the outlook, although there is bound to be some appreciation in fat stock values. The local market is being supplied with prime cattle weekly from far afield. Messrs James Gow (Mosgiel), J. P. Herlihy (Patearoa), and W. D. Hunt (Wallacetown) have consistently sent in consignments of extra well-finished cattle and at last sale Messrs Donald Macdonald (Edendaie), John M'Mainis (Quarry Hills), and others sent in to Burnside well-finished 'bullocks. Dairy cows at present, of type and soundness, make from £9 5s to £l2 ss, but few good sorts are offering. Mature steers of breeding, and breeding ewes well in lamb, are realising relatively good values, the latter class of young and well-grown crossbreds being worth anything around 40s per head. Otago’s prime cattle are being called* upon for the Christchurch trade once more, a mob of some 200 fat bullocks now on turnipe at Balclutha having been sold to go forward as required at a price considered better than at present ruling hereabouts. The average price for 157 Kelmscott dairy Shorthorns (England) was £6l Bs, this class of dairy stock apparently growing in favour. At the Royal Dublin Society’s Spring Show in May last the attendance reached the remarkable total of 70,313. This

4»eats the record held by last year's Horse Show, when the number was 67,129. There are now 24 cow-testiug associations in County Limerick, Ireland, with over 7000 cows under test. This is a great development in a short number of years, as in 1920 there were only nine associations with 2000 cows under test, and the movement is a growing one. ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SHOW. AUCKLAND, 1926. The General Committee of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, Auckland, met recently, Mr W. W. Massey presiding. Conditions for carrying out the Royal Show in Auckland were received from the Royal Agricultural Society. It was stated that the Royal Society would contribute a subsidy of £1250, and would provide the championship ribbons. Considerable discussion took place regarding the methods to be adopted in canvassing for entries for the Royal Show. It was decided that the president and secretary should visit the breeders of the province with a view to obtaining entries. It was also decided to send schedules of the Royal Show to all breeders of pedigree stock in New Zealand, and to erect sheds for sheep and pig exhibits at the at a cost of £I2OO. THE DAIRY WORLD. Heifer calves should be inspected at an early age for regularly placed teats. Occasionally a; calf will have five or six teats. The earlier the extra teats are snipped off with a pair of scissors (advises an expert) the better. Improvement in the placement of the teats is to be expected from the bull, and lie will have a tendency to transmit the udder of his dam, sire’s dam, and other dams in his pedigree. If a bull is found producing in his heifers worse udders than their dams, he should be thrown into the discard at once, for he is doing more mischief in the herd than any animal in it. Professor H. A. D. Neville, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at the newly chartered University of Reading (England), has announced that a degree course in dairying—the first of its type in Great . Britain —would be instituted at the beginning of next season. The importance of milk and its by-product as staple foods and the growing demand for and increasing supply of clean milk, said Professor Neville, necessitated the employ ment of a large number of highly skilled scientific men and women whose training had accustomed them to the problems of dairying, and this degree would fill the gap. Dairying was no longer a thirdrate trade, but an important profession. The course, open to all matriculation students (men and women), will be of three years’ duration. Successful students will receive the degree of B.Sc. (Dairying). The first year will be devoted to pure science, including chemistry, botany, zoology, and another subject, the most favoured being physics. The second year will embrace the subjects of dairying, including building construction, live stock and dairy farming, bacteriology, mycology, and practical dairy farm work. The finai year will be demoted to dairying generally, including dairy hygiene and legislation and advanced science. No doubt some further details in connection with the sale of a fair number of pedigree Ayrshire cattle sold on behalf of Messrs A. M. Weir, of Menzies Ferry, and G. R. Herron, Pukerau, will be welcomed. The former breeder submitted 40 animals for sale. The highest price paid wasTOOgns for the bull Ivanhoe Grandee, by Porirua Style 111.-—lvanhoe F.ancv, and was secured by Mr J. Donald (Wairarapa). Other bulls went at 70gns, most of them being bought by North Island breeders. Mr R. S. Weir (Seaward Downs) took Ivanhoe Fashion Plate home for 77igns. Mr J. Donald bought five animals which cost him over £3OO ; Several animals were brought from Southland to Otago. Mr Peter Walker, of Palmerston, purchased the bulls Ivanhoe Happy-Go-Lucky, Ivanhoe Pilgrim, and Ivanhoe Bandsman. Messrs Bissett Bros., of Kaitangata, bought the bull Ivanhoe Scotchman. , , , Mr D. J. Ireland, of Goodwood, secured three animals from the herd of Mr H. S. Irving, whose herd was sold in conjunction with Mr Weir’s stud. His purchases were three heifers, May Thorn, Cinderella 11., and Miss Thornhill. Mr P. Walker bought the heifer Kate’s Fancy from the same herd. After the first four or five lots ot Mr Herron’s (Greenpark) bulls had been scld the demand dragged considerably, and the balance of the bulls was not offered. _ The Royal Show bull Rising Star was offered under reserve, and, after opening at 50gns, the bid of Mr H. S. Irving, he went on to 76gns, Mr A. MTiay, Pukerau, being last bidder, but, having failed to reach the reserve, was passed in, and so Rising Star remains at Greenpark. Mr M‘Lay was a free buyer, as was also Mr R. B. Tennent, on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, for the Galloway Experimental Farm, the latter securing six nice heifers, and paid the top price, 24gns, for young females. SLUMP IN CHEESE. Is Jersey milk unsuitable to cheese on account of its high moisture content, or is the low moisture cheese of non-Jersey districts thereby prevented from attaining a better price-level in relation to Canadian? Replying to a letter from Mr W. R. Wright, ot Rahotu, the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. O. #J. Hawken) wrote on May 15:— “I am afraid I cannot agree with your contention to the effect that ‘very rich milk’ is the ‘one and only cause of the slump’ in New Zealand cheese. It must not be overlooked that our increased export of cheese has, so to speak, caused New Zealand cheese to be competing against itself. Whereas in 1913 the United Kingdom received from New Zealand only some 27,359 tons of cL ?se, in 1925 she received almost 70,000 tons. The imports of cheese into Great Britain from all countries in 1925 show an increase of 35 per cent., and this increased quantity had to be sold at prices which would carse it to go into consump-'-4i. New Zealand had to find a market for more than 42,000 tons of cheese in 1925 in excess of that for 1913, whereas

Canada in 1925 delivered in the United Kingdom slightly less cheese than in 1913. Canada had merely to maintain her connections and New Zealand had tc find more extensive markets. Surely such a factor as this should not be overlooked NON-JERSEY PRICES IN LONDON. u Many good judges of cheese quality in England have not had experience with manufacture. The cause which some assign to defects is not always correct. It is known that in some instances the ascribed to ‘ high testing milk’ used in cheese manufacture has been due rather to uncontrolled and high summer temperatures at which some of our autumn-made cheese are held in London. The age of the cheese is also another of the factors which have to be considered in this connection. If your contention was correct to the effect that Jersey milk is the cause of the disparity in price between Canadian autumn cheese and New Zealand’s spring and summer make, this would hardly account for the fact that cheese from the South Island and certain North Island districts manufacturing cheese from milk, none or little of which is from Jerseys, have not maintained their relation with Canadian so far as price is concerned. I am of opinion that the cause you suggest does not. therefore, adequate! v meet the case.” Replying under date of July 3, Mr Wright contends that tho problem has not been solved by “the experiment of shipping Jersey milk cheese to London,’’ and adds: “If, as you say. New Zealand is competing against itself, we must be producing too much, so the Prime Minister s cry of ‘Produce ! Produce ’’ must be altered to ‘Reduce! Reduce!’ Then, in traversing my slogan of Jersey milk being the sole cause of the slump, you mention that cheese made in Jersey-free districts only fetched the same price as that made where such milk predominate, but such a statement very strongly condemns the present system of grading because first grade is given irrespective of fat or moisture content, and tne smart London buyer, picking out the low fat and moisture content cheese, sells it as Canadian per lb. above New Zealand), while the unfortunate suppliers here get paid the minimum. The second reason given against control by the Makowhai Dairy Company, in its reply to the Prime Minister’s query asking for their reasons, states: “Our cheese being of low moisture content, will be pooled with Central Taranaki and others of very high moisture content, thereby causing us a definite loss above our ordinary shrinkage.” So this company know 3 all about the losses suffered through Jersey milk. “At the Palmerston cheese production conference Mr Singleton considered some of my assertions extravagant, but only instanced one—Canadian being below New Zealand. Most certainly the first shipments known as > ‘spring fodder’ made (before the gras3 comes) from odd butts of stacks, a cheese requiring to be eaten with condiments to disguise its musty twang, fetched 3s below ours, but last week’s cablegrams have dispelled this illusion, for this wretched stuff is at par with New Zealand, while Canadian (old) is as usual, 14s above ours, some of the latter being too old as far as shrinkage is concerned. At Palmerston I showed that from milk going into the vat till cheese is sold the conditions are dishonest, deceitful, and degrading, and now another class of innocent sufferers have these conditions imposed on them—auditors of certain factories who have to certify to an illegitimate moisture laden content. “The National _ Dairy Association, dreading another million loss next season, through an unchecked continuance of this failure-producing experiment, states in its annual report that since October Canadian had shot ahead, and was. now at 14s above New Zealand, which is a grave matter, and that the remedy should be out before the new season commences. It is generally felt ; that a lead will not be given m regard to finding a remedy by your department, if we are to judge by its treatment for many years of the rimless cheese question, when all appeals and representations fell on deaf i ears, but perhaps a recommendation from the National Dairy Association in view of the certain approaching catastrophe in ; cheese prices might meet with some consideration.”

CANTERBURY CRAIN ANO PRO OUCE MARKET. CHRISTCHURCH. July' 16. This morning a Sydney cable notified an advance for New Zealand potatoes. Front I £lO to £ll was the preceding quotation, and this morning's was £l3. The quotation refers to the Walhora’s shipment, which was 40 per cent, less than originally proposed, and in all probability it Is this circumstance that forced values up. The Kaitoke sailed yesterday from Lyttelton for Sydney with 14,360 sacks, and this quantity will be supplemented at Timaru by 6000 to 9000, .and at Oamaru by a few more, so that the total shipment should exceed 22,000 sacks. This will make the total despatches to Sydney this season close on 100.000 sacks. The next vessel arranged for is the Karetu, at the end of the month. In spite of the Sydney position, the local market to-day was inclined to be depressed. Just enough potatoes are going north to spin out supplies, and northern traders apparently are content to meet the needs from consignments instead of forward operating. The Kurow this week took only 2900 sacks (of which 400 were seed), and the Katoa about the middle of next week will probably have a small cargo. Very few potatoes are coming in from farmers, the shipments recently having been from wtatoes in store at the ports. Sydney offers have firmed from £8 5s to £8 10s for August-September, at which figures a fair amount of business has been done, and September at up to £8 15s. Local coastal is quoted at £7 for July and up to £7 15s for August for any quantity. Onions are* about up to £ls a ton on the trucks available. “Dead" is the usual response to inquiries about the seed market. AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS. Speaking at the annual meeting of agricultural officers and students held in Dublin recently, Mr Hogan, Minister of Lands and Agriculture, said that, after seeing the Departments of Agriculture at work in many other countries, he could frankly say that the Irish Free State had the best Department of Agriculture in Europe. The samples of phosphate rock taken from the deposit recently discovered in the district between Kilfenora and Ballyvaughan, in County Clare, Ireland, was exhibited in the educational section conducted by the Department of Agriculture at the Spring Show recently. It is hoped that a successful effort will be nade to develop this source of phosphates as a fertiliser, which would benefit agriculture in Ireland considerably.

The effective occupation of Australian pastoral lauds in the interior was the subject of an interesting review by Mr Cecil H. Goode, Inspector of Leases for the Government, when giving evidence before the Pastoral Commission. He emphasised the necessity for security of tenure, the preservation of permanent herbage, and the provision of better transport, and other modern conveniences. He stressed the importance of permanent •ahrubs and herbage, and said that the rabbit pest was a grave problem. Bunny killed out the saltbush and ringbarked the mulga and other trees. Foxes were increasing, and although they killed rabbits were likely become a serious pest also. He advocated a stricter enforcement of the Vermin Act. He favoured motor roads at parallels of 60

to 80 miles running northward towards the Northern Territory. The 1925-26 season was a bad ono for tho dairy farmer of Hawke’s Bay, drought and lack of feed causing a big falling off in output. What farming means nowadays—a North Wairarapa dheep farmer has this year manured over 200 acres of hill country 1 remarks the Wairarapa Age). The manure las had to be distributed by hand* the land being too steep for any other method. A striking testimony of the value of .top-dressing and good management on a dairy farm was mentioned by Mr J. W. Deem at a smoke concert at MangatokL when he referred to the return secured by Mr Marx, of the ElthamOpunake road (says the Pahiatua Herald)*,

He got 11,2501 b of butter-fat from 50 acres, equal to 2251 b per acre. The following remit was recently passed by the executive of the Mid-Canterbury Formers’ Union to be forwarded to the Dominion Conference:—“That the Government provide for the maintenance of the more important roads solely out of motor taxation/’ Interesting figures regarding the grading of butter alnd cheese by the Government dairy grader at Napier show that Hawke’s Bay, famed for the high standard of its wool, may also be justly proud of the quality of its butter and cheese (says the Napier Telegraph). Official statistics show that during the 12 months ended March 31 last, 37,709 boxes of butter were graded at Napier, and of that quantity no fewer than 37,508 boxes were graded as first grade, and only 201 second grade, the percentage of first grade being 99.166. Of the 1297 crates of cheese, all was graded as first grade. Returns prepared by the Dairy Produce Control Board show that during the 1925-26 season, from July 1 to May 15 last, 34,318 tons of butter were shipped from Australia to the United Kingdom. Queensland contributed 13,584 tons to the total, Victoria 12,069 tons, New South Wales 7787 tons, South Australia 856 tons, and Tasmania 52 tons. The question of the method of disposal of the butter often occasions much discussion and argument among traders. The following return shows that the most popular method of disposal is shipment on consignment. Particulars are as follow: Shipment on consignment, 88.9 per cent.; f.o.b. sales, 3.8 per cent.; c.i.f. and e. sales, 5 per cent.; c.i.f. sales, 2.2 per cent.; and c. and f. sales, 0.1 per cent. The freezing season practically ended in Southland when the Mataura Works closed down (reports the Ensign). For the season 121,500 sheep were put through at Mataura, 114,000 went through the Makarewa Wr.rks, and about 108,000 passed through at Ocean Beach, making a grand total of 343,500. Some wild guesses as to the quantity of butter that had been exported from the Auokland Province during the last five j ears were made by passengers on the Waikato-Taranaki farmers’ special train. Prizes were offered to those making the nearest guess. The correct figures were 161.360 tons, but the replies ranged from 25,000 tons to 14,500,000 tom. The winners of the competition were Messrs J. Thompson, of Hamilton, and H. Hull, of Waiuku, who each made an estimate of 160,000 tons. “We are losing both general and special rates from these soldier settlers who are walking off Crown Land farms, and the position is becoming serious,” said Mr W. Morrison, chairman of the Waitotara County Council, at its monthly meeting at Wanganui recently (says the Chronicle). This statement arose out of a reply to the council in which the Commissioner of Crown Lands stated that he regretted very muoh that the position of various soldier settlers’ accounts did not allow of an advance in alleviation of the rates. Mr •Morrison said that, so far as the county was concerned, the position wa<i very serious. When things got too tight soldier settlers simply walked off and left the county with no chance of recovering either general or special rates. The finances were being upset year after year. In an address to the National Boekeepers’ Conference at Hamilton, Mr A. E. Earp,

senior apiary instructor at the Department of Agriculture, stated that in 1908 the honey production in New Zealand was about 1,000,0001 b; in 1523 production had swelled to 3,000,0001 b. but there was no more tendency to over-production than in 1908. Last year 4,480,0001 bof honey was produced in this country, and about 700 tons was exported, the balance being consumed in New Zealand. There were still large tracts of land in New Zealand where beekeepers could establish themselves and produce large quantities of honey, and that should provide a means of livelihood for a large number of immigrants. At the Hawera Poultry Club’s dinner recently Mr L. Cocker, in presenting the Minorca Cup to Mr G. Kent, said he believed that this was the only purely utility cup in New Zealand. Its object was to bring back the Minorca breed froiri excessive fine “fancy” points to a blend of good points and good laying. He considered that more interest was taken in Minorcas at Hawera and Stratford than further south, at Palmerston North and Christchurch'. At a Farmers’ Union meeting at Shannon, it was stated that the farmers of Denmark, who are our chief competitors in butter, have for years paid more than 3$ per cent, for money, with the result that they are the richest people per capita in the world. A communication was received at a meeting of the Masterton A. and -P. Society regarding trouble encountered with scouring wool marked with tar (reports the Wairarapa'Age). “It was time farmers realised that they should avoid tar for branding purposes,” said the president, Mr David Smith. In resigning his membership, a wellknown Masterton business man wrote to the meeting of the Masterton A. and P. Association the other afternoon (says the Wairarapa Times) stating that he had no desire to make another donation to what might be termed a “side-showmen’s benefit society.”