STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3886, 4 September 1928, Page 19

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

W*:kly stack Sat„. Burnside, Wednesdays. Addington, Wednesdays. Waiareka Railway Junction, Tuesdays Fortnightly. Blversdnte, Fridays (March. April, and May). Wallacetown, Tuesdays. Ashburton. Tuesdays, lieriot, Thursdays. Winton, Th'’-sdays. Wyndham, Thursdays. Clinton, Thursdays. Balclutha, Fridays. Gore, Tuesdays. Monthly. Edendale, Ist Monday. Palmerston, 4th Thursday. Winton, 4th Tu-sday. Mataura, Ist Thursday. Tokanui, 4th Monday

Monthly . (continued). Dunlroou, 3tid Wodneo* i duyWoodlands, 3rd Wofi. neoday. Milton, 2nd Tuesday. Balfour, 3rd Thursday. Thornbury, Ist Friday. Otautau. 2nd Waduooday. Riversdale. 3rd Friday (except March. April, and May). Waikaka, last Friday. Clydesale, last Friday Periodically as Advertised. Lumaden, Mossburn, Orepuki, Waimahaka, Waikouaiti. Bivertou, Ngapara, and Otago Central Salo*.

OTAGO. Although the weather in Otago during the week at times tvas boisterous, there was but little rain. Temperatures were variable, and generally warm, with fail falls of snow inland. The rainfall for October was:—Dunedin. 73 points; Oamaru (North Otago), 1.58 in; Ophir (Central). 85 points. The winners of the Southland Dairy Beautifying Competition for 1927-28, under the auspices of the Southland A. and P. Association, were* —Best on all points. Drummond Factory; factory showing most improvement, Wright’s Bush Factory.

BURNSIDE MARKET. Fine, warm weather prevailed at Burnside, and the attendance of town and country butchers was good, together with a fair number of graziers interested in store sheep and cattle. The yarding of 250 fat cattle (207 last sale) comprised for the mcst part mediumweight bullocks, a fair proportion of prime cows, and a sprinkling of nice heifers. A few extra heavy prime bullocks were also yarded and a small proportion of unfinished cattle. There wa« a good demand at 10s to 20s -lower than the previous week for prime bullocks, extra heavy declining more than this figure. Beef may be quoted as making up to 48s per 1001 b. The entry of fat sheep (2800, compared with 2223 the previous week) comprised a fair number of pennings of prime heavy ewes, a goodly proportion of average butcher’s wethers (some extra heavy), and a moderate number of finewoolled wethers. There was little if any change during the early part of the sale, but midway light prime wethers and average-weight sorts ’eased Is to 2s per head, to improve gradually on all qualities except heavy wethers, which sold at unchanged .rates' throughout. Generally the sale was a good one, and taken all through values can be quoted similar to the previous week, finishing strongly. Wethers sold to 7d per lb. The yarding of fat pigs totalled 139 (152 last week), and comprised fewer porkers than at last sale, but not many of the baconers were quality' pigs. There was a firm demand for best bacon sorts, with porkers making a few shillings per head more money than a week ago. The best of the store pigs (92 entered, compared with 93 last week) sold fairly well. The store cattle section contained some 150 head, cniefly cows and some medium yearlings, together with 30 moderate two to three-year-old steers. Values were firm for all classes, although the steers were passed at auction.

COUNTRY STOCK SALES. GORE. The fortnightly stock sale was held at • Gore yesterday in the presence of -a large attendance of farmers. Fat Sheep.—The entry comprised 165, which ineluded some good quality wethers and ewes, and for which there was a satisfactory demand at firm rates. Fat wethers realised from 35s 6d to 42s 6d, and poor.quality down to 295, and prime ewes made up to 375. wr Store Sheep.—There was only a small yardingoffering of 266. which were mostly breeding ewes, and mostly' old sorts. Values were in keeping with recent sales, a pen of young ewes realising 40s 6d, . while good full and failing sorts made up to 29s 2d, and poorer quality 15s down to 7s 6d. Fat Cattle.—An entry of 20 head was forward, and comprised some of the finest beef seen in the yards for some time. There was good demand all round at very satisfactory values. A line of six prime well-finished bullocks sold by Messrs Dalgety and Co., Ltd., for Mr W. L. Scott, “Pine Grove,” Mataura, realised from £l9 10s to .£2l, the highest priced pair going to Mr D. O’Neill, butcher, Gore. Mr Scott’s bullocks averaged £2O 5s lOd ahead. Other good bullocks, were quitted at from £l4 to £l6, -and lighter sorts from £ll 5s to £l3 2s 6d. Fat cows and heifers changed hands at from £7 to £ll. Store Cattle.—ln the store pens there ■ was an entry of 95 head, the heaviest for some time, owing to the approach of the dairying season. The bulk of the entry was comprised of dairy cows coming in for the factory, and competition was • keen for good sorts. A special line of dairy cows sold by Messrs Dalgety and Co.. Ltd., for Mr T. R. Keown, Balfour, realised values ranging from £5 10s to £ll 15s. Others realised from £5 to £l2 15s, and springing heifers from £4 12s 6d to £5 10s. Store steers made from £6 2s- 6d to £7 10s, yearling steers £5 9s 6d, and calves £2 7s 6d. STOCK NOTES. Stock conditions in Otago at present are good, although more rain would be welcome, as unless we soon get a good fall, sufficient to reach the subsoil, there will not be a continuous and generous growth of grass. __Stock, however, • are doing well, and dairy cows arc coming in fast, in good condition, and this augurs well for milk yields.

The ewes are coming to the lambing in rare pick, and there seems to be a ecssatic* in the death rate. As for dry sheep they are for the most part in capital order, and carrying a good length of wool, and sound. There is still a keen demand for store cattle, and graziers are not now as discriminating as to the breeding of the steers he purchases as hitherto. In the Auckland province at Westfield fat stock market prime bullock beef eased 15s per head, but beef, even so, made to 46s per 1001 b. indicative of the tone of the demand for beef animals in the Dominion.

The secretary of the Wyndham Dairy Factory Company has received advice that the calfskins from the Southland calves had been sold at 8s lOd each. A herd-testing group has been launched in the Taieri, and will be in full swing for this season. A fair membership has been secured, fully confident that the results will justify the slight increased work entai'ed. Over 1500 cows will be tried out this season in this locality. A consignment of sheep from Gisborne was yarded and sold at Burnside. They were well-bred sheep, more open in the wool than what we are accustomed to see, and apparently had a dash of Lincoln blood. Both ewes and wethers were penned, making around 22s and 40s respectively. The secretary of the Royal Agricultural Society says that general entries for the Adelaide Royal Show constitute a record in the history of the society, viz., 5459. Chief increases were noted in cattle (for which it would be necessary to erect 100 -additional pens), sheep, dairy produce, export fruit, cookery, agricultural produce, and needlework. “ I think most farmers are making one great mistake about the bobby calf trade,” said Mr A. Edgar, of Waipukurau, at the Heretaunga Co-operative Dairy Company’s annual meeting in Hastings, “ They are hanging back wondering how it is going to turn out and worrying about this and that. Send your calves along if you ve got any,” he added enthusiastically, “ and help to develop -the trade. You may be getting a fairly small price now, but if you send a good article to Britain and the Continent and create a demand for veal, you will be getting a sovereign in no time. But it is no good sending anything but a first class article Home. They do not want it.” Between 25.000 and 30,000 “hobby” calves have already been received at the Horotiu and Southdown Freezing Works this season, the daily average exceeding 1500 (says a northern paper). The operations of the industry now embrace the Bay of Plenty. Thames, Rotorua, Waikato. Paparoa, and Taumarunui. About 500 men are employed in the business. As evidence of the increasing volume of business being done in the comparatively new “bobby” calf industry, the main North road between Wanganui and Patea is dotted with small holding pens, placed at convenient road intersections (states the Wanganui Chronicle). Calves are gathered in these and are collected in motor lorries for removal to the works. “ Well, I don’t think any sheep ovei 100 years old ought to be killed,” remarked Cr W. Carr at the last borough council meeting (reports the Marlborough Express), during a discussion on municipal abattoirs matters. “ I think you ought to change your butcher,” observed another councillor, when the laughter aroused by Cr Carr’s sally had died away A rapid tour of the North Island is at present being made by an octogenarian cattle breeder from the United States, Mr T, S. Cooper, who arrived at Wellington from San Francisco by the Makura. and who will return to the United States by that ship, sailing from Wellington on September 11. Mr Cooper, who is regarded as one of the leading breeders of Jersey cattle in the world, has been in business at “Linden Grove,” Coopersburg, Pennsylvania. for 54 years, and is carrying on the work started by his grandfather, who emigrated from Holland to the United States a century ago. The town of Coopersville was named in honour of the family. The progenitors of the famous stock bred by the Cooper family were imported from Jersey, and they have continued to import from that island and from Guernsey ever since.

The third annual sale of pedigree Friesian dairy cattle was held at the Hobson Farm, W’arepapa. Helensville, on Thursday, August 23. The sale attracted a large attendance of buyers from all parts of the Province, and was highly successful. The highest price of the day was lOOgns paid by W. H. Turner, of Aongatete. for the ten-months-old bull Hobson Zozo Chamnion (Springbank Zozo Mercena—Lady Zozo Alcartra Van Racelands'), whose three nearest dams average 881.451 b fat. The next highest Price was 95gns for the yearling bull. Hobson Ens’gn Ollie (Ensign Pontiac Vai dessa Fayne. imp.—Nettie Ollie Korndyke De Koi, imp.). this animal being purchased by a Queensland Fries : aa breeder. The highest price for a heifer was 60gns. paid by Mr W. H. Madill, of Kohimarama. for Hobson Princess Pontiac II (Ensign Pontiac Valdessa Favne —Princess Johanna Mercedes), and W H. Mama, of Kaitaia. paid 56gns for Hobson Maplewnod Zozo (Snringbank Zozo Mercena—Manlewood Vaildessn Pontiac). The 40 animals averaged 33.9gn5.

SOUTHERN DAIRY FACTORIES. BROWNS. The annual report of Browns- Dairy Factory states that with a final payment of Id per lb butter-fat for the season the total payment will be Is 7d per lb. A dividend of 6 per cent, is declared. The manager, Mr Watson, secured the cup in the grading competition. The retiring directors are Messrs T. Finn, R. C. Frisby, and H. Kerr, all being eligible for re-election. HOKONUI. The annual report of the Hokonui Dairy Factory is satisfactory, last season’s make of cheese being two tons- more .than the previous season. The final butter-fat payments to milk suppliers will bring the amount up to Is 6d per lb. Buildings have been erected costing £l7B 5s sd, and the bank loan* account substantially- reduced. The directors. Messrs L. Brown are J. .’•etire, and are eligible for a further term.

AWARUA. The Awarua Dairy Factory’s annual report to date states that Is 6d per lb butter-fat has been paid, and there are still some consignments to sell, and a further 2d will be paid immediately, and possibly more, making to end of the season Is 9d per lb. The following directors retire, and offer their services for another term: —Messrs M. Forde, A. B. Longmuir, and James Robertson. WYNDHAM. Wyndham Dairy Factory’s annual report: states that 433 tons 161 b cheese and 20,563 lb butter were made for the year, the make of cheese being 14 tons and of butter 10001 b more than in the previous season The sum of Is 5d per lb. butter-fat was paid, and a further 3d is now authorised, making Is 8d for the season, while the ieserve deposit account at the bank has been substantially increased. The plant is in good order. A dividend of 6 per cent, on the paid-up capital is recommended. The retiring directors, Messrs S. Shaw and R. M. Davis, offer themselves for re-election. GLENHAM. The make of cheese at the Glenham Dairy Factory totalled 161 tons, an increase of 6 tons over last season. A payment of Is 8d for the season will be paid, and a dividend of 6 per cent, on the paidup capital. The buildings and plant, with the exception of the whey tank at the ■ factory, are in good order. The retiring directors, Messrs D. M’Kenzie and James Scott, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election. BRYDONE. The output of cheese from the Brydone Dairy Factory was 304 tons. The sum of Is 7d per lb butter-fat has been paid, and a further IJd per lb is now available. The plant and buildings are in good order. The reserve fund has been augmented. and now there is a credit balance of £3600. A dividend of 6 per cent, on the. paid-up capital is recommended. The retiring directors are Messrs W. Coker, A. J. Townley, and A. A. Thomson, al! of whom offer themselves for re-election. MENZIES FERRY. The Menzies Ferry Com:*—«y reports a good season’s work. It is anticipated that last season’s payments for butter-fat will total up to Is Bfd. Plant and buildings have been kept in goor order, and the manager’s house enlarged. A dividend of 6 per cent, on the paid-up capital is recommended. The retiring directors Messrs F. Crosbie, P. Walsh, and A. M. Weir, are eligible for re-election. , PINE BUSH. A payment of Is 7d per lb butter-fat has been made by the Pine Bush Dairy Factory, and there is a sum of £174 8s 5d still to be distributed. The buildings and plant have been kept in good order. A dividend of 5 per cent, on the paid-up capital is recommended. The retiring director, Mr D. A'. Smith, submits himselt for re-election. N.Z. JERSEYS IN SOUTH AFRICA. Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co., Ltd., have received advice from South Africa that at the recent Durban Show, at which there was a record exhibit of Jersey cattle. New Zealand-bred cattle and their progeny were eminently successful. Mr W. B. North, of Durban, who has made several shipments from New Zealand, won both the grand championship for females and reserve grand championship for males. The grand champion cow was Meadowvale High Talent, bred by Messrs E. O’Sullivan -and Sons, near Stratford. Taranaki. This cow also won the special class for best butter-fat cow, and was only narrowly beaten by the champion milking Shorthorn cow as the best dairy cow in the show.

A daughter of Meadowvale High Talent won first prize in the 18 to 24 months class, and was subsequently awarded the junior championship. In the class for bulls, two to three years Old, Mr North also won with his latest importation. Ex Officio, a bull bred by Messrs A. Christie and Co.. Whangarei, North Auckland. In the two-year-old heifer c’ass 12 heifers competed, and all four prize winners were from New Zealand herds

CHAMPIONS AT THE HIGHLAND SHOW. At the Highland Show (Scotland) in July last in the Shorthorn section the male championship was awarded to Mr R. L. P. Duncan’s two-year-old Balcairn Royal Standard, with Mr A. J. Marshall’s yearling Bridgebank Vulcan taking the reserve ticket. In the female line Mr F. L. Wallace’s two-year-old heifer, Balcairn Lupin, was allotted the championship, with Captain John MacGillvray’s Calrossie .Flossy Belle winning the reserve. The supreme championship went to Mr Duncan’s bull, and the reserve was allotted to Mr A. J. Marshall’s yearling bull. The Ballindalloch Cup, for the best bull of the Aberdeen-Angus breed, was secured bj' Mr J. J. Cridlan’s Evader of Harviestown, bred by Mr J. E. Kerr, of Harviestown. The Ballindalloch Challenge Cup, for the beet cow or heifer, went to Colonel Kennedy’s' three-year-old Bettina. a daughter of Prince Benson, of Ballindalloch. The president’s medal for the best Ayrshire was won by Colonel W. T. R. Houldsworth, Dunlop Radiance. The reserve overhead champion was Mr James Howie’s Beauty VI. The special for best female Ayrshire also went to her. The Friesian section was interesting. The supreme and the female championships were won by Mr James Kilpatrick’s heifer Craigiemains Beauty. Lord Glentanar’s Tyneside Swell Again’s Swell was reserve female champion, and Mrs . Eadie's bull Douneside Pel Pilot II was male champion and reserve for the supreme championship. The reserve male champion was Mr E. Ross’s Douneside Ideal. The president’s medal and the Cawdor Cup went to Mr David Adams with his three-year-old- colt Satisfaction, by Dupplin Castle, ex Rosiecraig, the reserve in each case being Miss M. E. Reiths’s two-year-old colt Renown, by Duniire Destiny, ex Dunure Essential. Great interest was taken in the special class for filly, colt, or gelding foaled in 1927, and got by a registered Shire stallion, all of which were bred in Aberdeenshire. Mr John Fowlie, Millhill, Long •ide, was first with an extraordinary big

grey gelding, by Wick Brigadier. MGeorge Dawson, Phingask, Fraserburgh, was second with a brown get of the same sire; Mr James Burr, Mains of Schivas, KHon, third with a brown get of Wick Lngadier; and Mr James Cowie, South Haddo, fourth with a dark brown by Medwenham Recruit.

THE SEASON IN AUSTRALIA. Good rains have greatly benefited cereal crops in all the States (says the August issue of the Pastoral Review), it seldom happening that conditions are so generally favourable over the wheat belts as at the present time. It is true that July tails were somewhat below the average in the smith-eastern section of the Commonwealth. Thanks, however, to previous precipitations, which had reached the subsoil, and the regular changes in the weather from dry to relatively wet, growing conditions have left little to be de■—rosts have been frequent in the south. As frosts, besides destroying insect pests, tend to check too rank growth 111 wheat plants, they were welcome, specially seeing that crops are rather forward in the early sowing districts. A fair amount of feeding down is being done by farmers possessing sufficient sheen to do the job expeditiously. Where carefully done this should lead to better stooling and cleaner crops, for sheep often snow a preference in feeding for wild oats and other weeds. Many growers are also harrowing the wheat fields, soil conditions being more than usually favourable. particularly where sheep have been in the crop. The month under review, as viewed trom this side, and so far as wool dealings are concerned, has been flat, stale, and unprofitable. Rarely has a similar period or quietness been experienced, but with the opening of the sales in Svdnev matters generally should liven up. Buyers are now arriving after interviewing their principals, and so far as Bradford is concerned the outlook is not good. Even after allowing for t z usual pessimistic atmosphere in which the average Yorkslureman is reared, there is apparently some legitimate cause for such. The Continent is seemingly able to undersell Bradford at practically every point, and it is dimcu.t to see under present conditions where any material change can take place. Undeniably trade is far from "ood *9, , e northern countries, and quite possibly a drop in wool values would not have much effect on the position. Turning to the Continent, matters are more favourable, and if France and Belgium are carrying rather heavy stocks, Germany is reported as likely to be a good buyer, not only for herself, but also for the countries on her eastern boundaries for whom she acts as a banker. In the United btates raw wool is receiving rather more attention, but probablj’ wlim the auctions commence Germany and Japan will be found the biggest factors. bair to excellent rains have been recorded over most of the pastoral areas of Aew South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia during the last few weeks. Unfortunately the falls in the far north of the latter State and in parts of Central and Western New South Wales were light and scattered, but elsewhere seasonal conditions can be described as satisfactory on the whole. Feed is naturally short, but, given an early and mild spring, which seems probable, prolific growth can be looked for. Though the winter has been moderately severe” stock are holding their condition well. Losses of lambs between the drop and marking have been light, so there ought to be a large supply available direct off the ewes when the export season opens. There has been no material change in the conditions in Queensland. About a third of the State, comprising most of the western and north-western area, remains desperately dry, while the balance of the State is in fair to good heart. The bulk of the pastoral country in Western Australia camjdso be described as being fair to good. The purely agricultural districts of the west received splendid rains last month, and feed there will now grow at a great rate. It is anticipated that 2,000,000 lamb carcasses will Be exported this season, this being about the normal output, providing London values are iminta-’ned. ° DAIRY PRODUCE CONTROL. Mr Dynes Fulton, speaking at a meeting at Hamilton last week, said he had been a member of the Control Board for 12 months, and its meetings had been “ nothing but wrangles.” The last meeting was “ the worst wrangle of all.” The board was not giving the producers value for their money. There were 12 directors, each getting £250 a year, and the chairman was receiving £750. All received, in addition, their travelling expenses. The Control Board was on the Statute Book, and while the board remained in existence it was essential that the suppliers of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company should be represented on it. Personally he did not like accepting money without giving value in return, and he certainly felt that the board as a whole was not r giving value. It remained for the proYacers, if they desired it, to rise up and demand the repeal of the Control Act. When the opportunity occurred to express his opinion fully of the work of the Control Board, he would not hesitate to do so. Asked if there was a possibility of a reduction of the board’s levy on dairy companies, Mr Fulton said he did not see any such possibility. He added that he desired to be quite fair, however, and to state that the board had done a tremendous lot of good, and had more than repaid the producers the money they had put in. The position at the present time, however, was entirely different.