STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3867, 24 April 1928, Page 19

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Wnkly stsek Sales. Burnside, Wednesdays. Addington, Wednesdays. Waiareka Bailway Junction, Tuesdays FeetnlQhtiy. Blversdale, Fridays (March, April, and May)Wallacetowu, Tuesdays. Ashburton, Tuesdays. Heriot, Thursdays. Winton, Thursdays. Wyndham, 'Thursdays. Clinton, Thursdays. Balclutha, Fridays. Gore, Tuesdays. Monthly. Edendale, Ist Monday. Palmerston, 4tb Thursday. Winton, 4th Tuesday. Mataura, Ist Thursday. Tokanui, 4th Monday

Monthly (continued!. Duntroon, snd Wednesd»y. Woodlands, 3rd We£. nesday. Milton, 3nd Tuesday. Balfour, 3rd Thursday. Thornbury, Ist Friday. Otautau, 2nd Wednesday. Riversdale, 3rd Friday (except March, April, and May). Waikaka, last Friday. Clydevale, last Friday Periodically as Advertised. Lumsden, Mossburn, Orepuki, Waimabaka, Waikouaitl. Biver. ton, Ngapara, and Otago Central Sales.

OTAGO.

I'he weather during the week in Otago was somewhat varied, fairly high temperatures being experienced at times, with useful rams, and a degree of cold possibly warranted at this season of the year.

BURNSIDE MARKET. An entry of 285 fat cattle at Burnside, compared with 226 the previous week, about sufficed the very fair demand experienced for finished bullocks and females The quality was somewhat mixed, some well-finished heifers and medium-weight bullocks being included, together with odd pens of heavy steers and a goodly number of prime cows. Plain cattle were not lacking. The demand at the opening was on a par with the previous week’s values foe best cattle, to improve about 10s per head as the sale progressed, beef making up to 30s per 1001 b. The supply of fat sheep, 2280 (2628 last weeki, sufficed the somewhat irregular de mand. Early in the sale heavy wethers sold at an appreciable advance, but not so ewes. Later on in the sale values slackened for prime heavy wethers, but good sorts of ewes firmed up. finishing well. On the run of the sale, early values were Is to 2s better than a week ago, and at rhe finish much the same as the previous week, with the exception of best ewes. Butchers’ wethers of best quality made around 6d per lb at the maximum, but, as indicated, prices rocked considerably. The entry comprised fair to prime ewes for the most part, the proportion of heavy wethers being moderate.

Some 64'0 fat lambs, compared with 333 at the previous sale, comprised fair to prime quality, and some unfinished pennings The demand was brisk for killable lambs at unchanged rates, lambs making to 10<l pier lb.

The entry of fat pigs. 213 (140 last week), again sold comparatively well, thanks '.o the bidding of a Canterbury buyer, while stores, 54 (41 last sale), moved off rather more freely. Baconers sold to s?d and porkers to 7J,d per lb. COUNTRY STOCK SALES. — Balclutha.— At Balclutha on Friday there was a yarding of from 8000 to 9000 sheep and lambs, including about 2000 fats, and prices on the whole compared favourably with those ruling a week ago, when there was an exceptionally large yarding. Top price for fat lambs was made by a nice line sold on behalf of Hastings Bros., Inch Clutha, at 35s 3d, the next best being a line of heavy Romney lambs, sold on account of Mr H. Holgate, Barnego, at 34s 9d. Fat wethers sold at up to 32s 3d and fat ewes at 16s to 245; two-tooth ewes, to 36s fid; mixedage ewes, to 28“; good failing-mouthed ewes, to 16s; poorer sorts, to 8s; ewe lambs, 255; rape lambs, 22s to 24s 9d; small lambs, 12s to 16s; store wethers, to 28s 6d. Unfortunately before the close of the sheep sale very heavy rain fell, which, drove all but those vitually interested away from the pens, and undoubtedly adversely affected the closing prices. Only’ a very few cattle were yarded, mostly poorer class dairy cows, for which prices ruled low. There was a fair yarding of pigs, and prices showed an improvement compared with those of the previous sale. Suckers sold at from 7s to Us. — Milton.— Some 2000 sheep were yarded at Milton last week, the demand being quiet. Good sound-mouth paddock ewes sold to 335, very fair two, four, and six-tooths 33s 3d, medium sound-mouths 25s 3d to 29s 3d, small two-tooth ewes 28s 7d, failing ewes 19s, ewe lambs 225. forward lambs 24s 6d. wether lambs 18s 9d, mixed sex cull lambs 10s 3d, and store wethers 21s 3d. — M’Nab.— The fortnightly stock sale was held at M’Nab on Wednesday in the presence of a good attendance of farmers and buyers. There was an entry of 75 fat sheep, and the market was fully maintained at recent quotations. Fat wethers of fairly good quality‘changed hands at from 27s 9d to 33s 3d, and fat ewes from 14s 5d to 17s 6d. while a small lot of very good lambs made 33s 3d. The entry’ of .store sheep comprised 2339, a large proportion of which were breeding ewes mostly of the aged variety. The market throughout was fairly good, (and prices were just about maintained. Store lambs made from 21s 4d to 24s 7d for forward sorts, and backward sorts realised 16s sd. Few two-tooth ewes were offering, and the best price (37s 6d) was realised for a line of 100, sold on behalf of Mr R. L. Byars. Otama. Wellgrown and good-conditioned four, six, and eight-tooth ewes made 345, and fairly’ good sound-mouth ewes from 23s Id to 265. Good, fresh, and well-conditioned old ewes made values ranging from 17s lid to 22s 6d, while medium quality made from Us 5d to 16s Id, and culls down to 4s 9d. There was a small entry’ of medium quality steers and heifers, which realised

good values, prices for steers being. £7 10s to £lO, and heifers from £7 to £lO. There was only a very small offering of stores. Yearling steers made £2 2s 6d and springing cows up to. £7 2s Cd. STOCK NOTES. The somewhat hectic demand for breeding ewes and medium steers experienced early in the month has for the nonce slackened off. There is no appreciable decline in values, however, merely that graziers are taking stock of the position, and regarding their winter food supplies with some discrimination. Fat cattle met with a steadier demand at Burnside at the last weekly’ sale—not that the supply was short, but the sale this week being on Tuesday, nn off day, tends to uncertainty in supplies generally, and butchers were inclined to buy full supplies when the opportunity’ offers, always provided there is no great increase in price.

The advent of an outside buyer of bacon pigs at the metropolitan market induced larger supplies, which were lifted, thanks be, at no diminution of values. The pig section has for long enough been the despair of fatteners, and it is possible that from now on there will be more freedom in buying and curing of the elusive pig. The champion Shire gelding at the Shire Horse Show, Islington (England) jn February last made 180gns. The top price for mares was 360gns. Clan Chattan, born 1926, by Captain MacGillivray’s Carlrossie ex Empress Broadhooks, made 2000gns at the Birmingham Shorthorn sales in February, to an Argentine buyer.

Thirty-six head of pedigree Ayrshire cattle were shipped recently from Glasgow to Canada. The animals were drawn from the herds of Mr Thomas Barr, Mr Robert Templeton, Messrs A. and A. Kirkpatrick, and other well-known breeders. A consignment of 11 Berkshire and Tamworth pedigree pigs arrived at Auckland from Canada by the Union Company’s steamer Waihemo recently. The pigs are similar to previous consignments sent during the last few months. Mr L. White, of New Zealand, secured top price for Shorthorn females at the Sydney beef cattle sales recently, obtaining 350gns for Langley Gwynne 4th. Although too early yet to expect manylambs several have made their appearance in the Westmere district. The youngsters (reports our Wanganui correspondent) are a very healthy looking lot. A remit recommending that legislation be enacted giving a farmer the right to shoot strange bulls that had wandered to his property was passed by the Waikato sub-provisional executive of the Farmers’ Union the other day. Mr S. W. Iles, Matahuru, described how damage and inconvenience had been caused farmers in his district by’ stray’ bulls, and said something should be done to check their depredations.

The rights of stock inspectors to examine herds suspected of being diseased, was mentioned at a meeting of the Poverty Bay executive of the Farmers’ Union bv a member (states the Gisborne Times). He stated he knew of one herd suffering from tuberculosis, but he understood that the inspector could make an inspection without the owner’s permission. The union agreed to ascertain if the inspector could not make an inspection without the owner’s permission, and if this was found to be the true position, the aforesaid member added that he would complain about the herd in question. SCOTLAND’S AYRSHIRES. The trade in the Hobsland yearling Ayrshires on account of Mr Thomas Barr, of Monkton, Scotland, was considered satisfactory this year, the average for 19 head being £46 13s. compared with £34 last year for 20 head. The best price of this season's sale was lOOgns for a yeariing bull. At Lanark, Scotland, about 120 yearling Ayrshires -were catalogued at the annual sale of pedigree bulls. An interesting feature was the disposal of a number of dehorned bulls from the noted herd of Mr A. W. Montgomerie, Lessnessock, Ochiltree. The bulls averaged £2O 15s. The top price paid was £7O. The following are some of the more important herd averages^ —

CENTRAL OTAGO SALES. — Alexandra.— . The development of Central Otago of late years has proceeded at such a rate that stock-selling facilities have not been able to keep pace with it. The position to-day is that Alexandra, the centre of a thriving stock-raising district, is without saleyards or sale. Settlers in the surrounding districts have now decided to make an endeavour to establish saleyards and regular sheep sales in the season at Alexandra. A company to establish and maintain sale yards is now in the process of formation, and an endeavour is being made to induce the stock and station agents to include Alexandra in their circuit of sheep sales in Central Otago. A ten-acre site, situated about 200 yards from the railway station is available for the purpose. It is a Government lease, but it is not anticipated that there will be any’ difficulty in securing the freehold for the purpose of erecting sale yards. The project is justified in that the sale would have wide areas of stock-rais-ing country from which to draw its entries. The mountain sheep from both sides of the Clutha River as far south as Roxburgh could be relied upon, and doubtless Bannockburn sheep owners would send sheep to Alexandra to get the benefit of railway transport. This would also prove a not inconsiderable attraction for buyers, but tend to further isolate Lauder. However that is a matter which, no doubt, the stock and station agents will consider.

CLYDESDALE STALLIONS AT SYDNEY ROYAL. There- were eight competitors in the class for stallions four j'ears old and over, ineluding well-known prize winners in A. T. Creswick’s. Kerrston. W. G. 11. Roberts's Dunuro Norval, and T. Robson's Windermere Sensation, which won second prize in this class last year. The first award, and later, the reserve championship, went to a newcomer, A. Gillis’s Rising* Morn, an imported horse bred by J. P. Brown, Foohubers, Scotland, sire Rising Tide, dam Imperial Joan. . This horse, which was landed in Victoria last September i 3 aged eight years, and has not been pt-eviously shown in Australia, though a noted prize winner in Scotland. The second award went to Dunure Norval, who last year secured the premier position in this class. This horse is now nine years of age, and due to a momentary lameness did not show to the same advantage as at last year’s show. Kerrston was placed third. Moonlight, a good type of horse imported from New Zealand, was fourth. He was bred by A. Kelso, Otago (New Zealand) sire Myroe Footprint (imp.), ex Waterside Ruby. In the three-year-old and under four class, there were only two entries, the first award going to D. Weir’s Boree Cocky, bred by exhibitor, sire Widgiewa Knight, dam White Heather (imp., N.Z.). Widgiewa Knight is by the imported sire Baron Belmont. Boree Cooky is a compact, well-developed bay. The New South Wales Department of Agriculture secured the second award with State Monitor, bred by exhibitor, bv High Honour (imp., N.Z.), dam Monica. This colt was the winner in the two-year-old class last year. In the two-year-old class five colts were paraded. The first award went to V. P. Dahlenburg's Cooring Monarch. This colt, which gained the championship last year as a yearling, was later again selected as champion. He was bred in the purple, his sire, Flashdale, and dam. Wells Mescal, beiim Cawdor Cup winners in Scotland and both championship winners in Melbourne and Sydney were shown by Mr W. M. Black, Coldstream, Victoria, who bought these with several other mares for his Cooring stud. Prior to the dispersal of his stud, Cooring Monarch was purchased by Mr Dahlenburg for the record price for a yearling of £l5OO. Cooring Monarch has developed well since last yeai and is a well-set-up handsome bay. He was shown in perfect condition, being well covered, but not fat, so that his excellent qualities were seen to advantage. The second award in this class went to V. D. Cox’s Sir Lisle, a stylish colt bred by exhibitor by the imported New Zealand sire Scotland's Footprint, ex Lyla. An attractive colt, Princ-o Dudley, owned and bred by H. Powell, by Prince Regent (imp., N.Z.), dam Nugget, was placed third.

FAMOUS “BELLE VUE” MERINOS SOLD.

Probably the highest price paid for a ewe (a six-tooth) in Australia was 230gns at the dispersal sale at “ Belle Vue,” Tasmania, on March 29 last. Early in the sale a special stud ram, Triumph, realised 500gns. A merino ram at tins sale was purchased for America for 80gns (perhaps the first sale of a stud merino made to America). Some of the wonderful averages secured for this noted merino sheep are worth recording: —Seventeen stud and special rams averaged £9O 16s; 29 two-tooth stud and special rams, £77 3s; 9 early ram lambs, £42 7s; 23 late ram lambs, £24 18s 9d; 27 four-tooth selected rams, £l3 13s; 75 two-tooth flock rams, £l2 ss; 87 two to six-tooth flock rams, £6 6s; 7 selected early ram lambs, £l2 12s; 115 selected late ram lambs, £6; 65 flock ram lambs, £3 8s 3d; 57 stud ewes, due to Jason 11. £25 4s; 53 stud ewes, due to Triumph. £ll Ils; 50 stud ewes, due to Leader, £8 ,2s 9d; 50 stud ewes, due to Jason 111, £6 0s 9d; 50 stud ewes, due to Premier, £7 7s; 50 stud ewes, due to Son of Comet IV, £3 8s 3d; 40 stud ewes, due to Son of Monastic, £5 10s 3d; 50 cast for age stud ewes, £7 7s; 100 four-tooth stud ewes, £6 6s; 28 special two-tooth ewes, £l7 6s 6d; 80 stud two-tooth ewes, £4 4s; 130 ewe lambs, £6 16s 6d; 170 four-tooth pure merino ewes, £2 17s 9d; 160 two-tooth pure ewes, £2 9s; 200 ewe lambs, £2 9s; 450 pure ewes, three years and upwards, £2 7s 3d.

It is interesting in the foregoing connection to learn that a fair-sized consignment of the “ Belle Vue ” merinos were landed at Dunedin on Friday for Otago sheep owners. EMPIRE MARKETING BOARD. Copies of the initial reports prepared for the Empire Marketing Board are now coming to hand. The reports are in the nature of preliminary surveys of the ground to be covered in several spheres of Empire development, and may be obtained in New Zealand from Messrs Gordon and Gotch, Ltd. HERD-TESTING AT STIRLING. The figures for March, certified to by the Southland Herd-testing Association, show the Stirling group in the top position for the month. In the Stirling group there are 30 herds comprising 1096 cows and the average monthly production per cow was 6851 b milk, yielding 26.781 b but-ter-fat, with a 3.9- test. The highest herd, comprising 47 cows, gave an average of 38.401 b butter-fat, the highest cow giving 63.361 b butter-fat The other groups were : —Pukerau, Mataura, Edendale. Waimatuku No. 1. and No. 2, and Otautau. There were 186 herds under lest, with 6598 cows, and the average milk production was 6351 b, butter-fat 24.851 b, average test 3.9. The association also tested 87 herds, with 1117 cows, the owners taking samples and weights of milk, and 389 cows in class B. This made a total for March of 273 herds, with 8104 cows, and the fact that the Stirling group has come out in the premier position is a matter of satisfaction to the dairymen of that district, A FORMIDABLE COMPETITOR. Argentina is the most formidable competitor that New Zealand and Australia have to contend with. The primary products of the Argentine are many, and her exports of the various lines are very extensive. Progress in agriculture gener-

ally has been steady, and Argentina ranks next in importance to Canada and the United States as an exporter of wheat. In 1927 it shipped 4,216,211 tons. There was an unusually heavy crop of maize, and the exports last year amounted to 4.334,854 tons. Maize was the feature of the country’s oversea trade in primary products. The season was also favourable for linseed, and 1.965,532 tons were exported last year. Exports of chilled beef broke all records. Last year 6,147,762 quarters were exported, compared with 4,933,403 quarters for 1926. There was an increase of approximately 240,000 quarters in the exports of frozen beef, which aggregated 2.606,566 quarters. The mutton sent overseas amounted to 1,862,086 carcasses, and lamb to 1,690.619 carcasses. The international demand for hides was reflected in the shipments for the 12 months, which numbered 2,102.775 dry ox hides, and 5,705,299 salt hides. Canned meat shipments were maintained; the total of 2.525.558 cases showed an increase of about 280.000 cases for the year. The butter trade was the smallest since 1922, the decrease being due to a dry wintef. A total of 794.911 boxes was exported, against 1.081.259 boxes in 1926. These items disclose the potentialities of Argentina as an exporter of primary products and the extent of its competition in the world's markets. EXPORT OF STUD SHEEP. A suggestion that the export of New Zealand stud sheep was a near-sighted policy assisting to build up the flocks of New Zealand’s strongest competitors was refuted by Mr J. B. Mobdie, of Dalgety and Co., Ltd., in a statement to a Dominion representative. Tn his opinion stud breeders in the Dominion were refusing to receive overseas orders, and by refusing them New Zealand would lose a very valuable trade.

Commenting nn the shipment by the vVaikawa to California of a consignment of stud rams, a writer in a nrovin-ial newsnaner remarked that: “Our New Zealand sheen breeders are surely borrowing trouble w}ien they are sending away their best stud sheen to improve the flocks of other countries that are to-day competing with this Dominion in the wool and meat markets of the world. It is a great compliment to our sheen breeders that their stock is eagerly soimht after bv North and South American station holders, and for some years nast numbers of our best stud sheep have been sent to the Arp-entine. The latest consignment is for California, prominent Wairarapa breeders having shipped during the week some 90 stud Lincoln ram and ewe lambs. There, is another side to the

picture, however. The Argen’iie is onq of New Zealand’s strongest com * titors in the London market, in both meat and dairy produce, and the building up of South American flocks with the assistance of New Zealand’s best stud sheep is sure’y a near-sighted policy that will eventually result in the payment of usurious interest by this Dominion.” “ The sale of the 90 Lincoln rams referred to was made by us to a wellknown stock breeder in California,” said Mi’ Moodie. “A good amount of correspondence and many cablegrams passed before negotiations were completed. Our client explained that previous purchases bad been made in England, but the restrictions. prohibiting export from England owing to foot-and-mouth disease, effectively closed that market to California!. stud masters. He further pointed out, and we agreed with him, that the present conditions gave New Zealand breeders a chance to compete with the English market. The sheep forwarded will be exhibited at the national ram sale in Salt Lake City, and we certainly hope that the consignment will give satisfaction to the purchaser, and be a good advertisement for our Dominion Lincoln sheep. If so, we look for repeat orders, and we have no hesitation in saying that our Lincoln breeders would welcome an export business being worked up with California.

“For many years past Lincoln stud sheep have been almost unsaleable, any transactions passing being done at very low rates. During the past 10 years a number of our oldest established flocks have been dispersed owing to paucity of demand. Only a small portion of the United States of America is fit for rearing stud sheep, and breeders find it difficult to maintain their flocks at a high standard unless yearly importation of new blood is secured. The same remarks apply to the Argentine in regard to sheep, and although—as well-known—stud masters there have spent thousands of pounds in importing Romneys from New Zealand, their competition in the sale of studs has in no way affected the Dominion. Argentine are certainly strong competitors against us on the London market in beef, and, to a lesser degree, in mutton and lamb, but if we for the future refused to sell that country another hoof of either cattle or sheep, their trade would still flourish, and fresh blood required for the upkeep of their herds and flocks would be secured from outside the Dominion. B.A. wools have not so far taken a very high place in the textile trade, and are unlikely to do so for many years to come. Pastures and climatic conditions count for everything in the rearing of stud stock, and neither the United States

»f America nor the Argentine A.n compare with New Zealand in either. “I have ho hesitation in saying that practically all stud breeders in the Dominion look forward to receiving oversea orders, and are only too anxious to quote ■when an inquiry comes along. Stud breeding with us has increased rapidly during the past 15 years, and if those interested in this pursuit had to rely entirely on internal sales the business would wane rapidly, and many flocks would have to be dispersed. “ England has many of the oldest established stud herds and flocks in the world, the Dominion studs having been founded from the Mother Country. When England refrains from selling to foreign countries,, then the quetPlon of doing likewise might be’ debated in New Zealand. By refusing overseas orders the Dominion would not only lose a very ■valuable trade, but also one of the best and cheapest advertisements. It can safely be left to the intellect of our hardheaded stud breeders that they are not sending away their very best stock. A studmaster will generally arrange that the elite of his flock—those required for the carrying on of his flock—are grazing in some quiet secluded paddock when a purchaser is near at hand.’’

Highest. Average. Low Milton (5) . . £70 0 0 £36 12 0 Lessnessock (8) . . 37 0 0 23 3 9 Auchenbrain (7) . 70 0 0 35 7 2 Barbolgh (G) . 27 10 0 22 6 8 Bargenoch (5) . 25 0 0 19 14 0 South Craig (3) . . 40 0 0 31 13 4 Crofthead (5) . 27 0 0 24 4 0 Netherhall (2). . . 50 0 0 40 0 0