THOUSANDS OF CATTLE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19900, 30 March 1939, Page 4

THOUSANDS OF CATTLE

BIG SURPLUS THIS YEAR RESULT OF DRY SEASON DISTRICT FEED SHORTAGE The Gisborne and East Coast districts this year, as a result of the dry conditions ruling during the past isix months, have a surplus of cattle that is far in excess of normal seasons, and thousands of cattle are being sent away because there is insufficient feed to carry them over the winter. There are at present 1500 Gisborne and East Coast cattle in the Waikato awaiting sale, while large numbers are on the road heading north. It is estimated by one Gisborne stock man that there are 2000 cattle at present on the road between Opotiki and Taneatua. While more than the usual number of cattle are available, buyers appear tc be fewer, for the whole of the North Island seems to bo suffering from (he effects of the dry spell, and the outlook is not encouraging at present, for even if sufficient rain falls now to thoroughly- saturate the ground the amount of ■ growth that can he expected is not great enough to warrant an attempt to hold a large numbf of cattle over the winter. Petition in Waikato "The Waikato is the only district in the North Island with feed,” stated a Gisborne stock agent to-day. "but buyers there have not sufficient confidence to operate. Although they are better off for feed than anywhere else, they have not a great deal, and they are afraid they might be caught with a shortage before they are able to unload again. "There is also a shortage of shipping space, and they fear there may be difficulty in getting their fat cattle away. It is possible to make sales at only very low prices, and trade is practically at a standstill.” The position is southern districts of the North Island is reported to be even less encouraging. Feilding and Storiford Lodge sales provided an outlet earlier in the season, but cattle were not wanted in those districts now because of the dry conditions. Because of the lack of feed botli locally and in outside districts, prospects are obscure for the first of the cattle fairs at Matawhero next week. A yarding of 5000 is expected, but if conditions elsewhere have not improved little outside competition is expected. Early this week the dry spell in Opotiki was broken by an inch of rain, and if there have been further falls in other districts the position may be eased somewhat, but a satisfactory recovery in the feed position is not expected now until next spring. Increased Cattle Herds In the past Gisbbrnc station owners have been building up their herds of cattle, which are necessary on the hill country to make the pastures suitable for the grazing of sheep. In other words, cattle are used in the place of agricultural implements, which cannot be used on the hills. There has been little difficulty in most seasons of disposing of the surplus cattle during the autumn, because even if dry conditions have been ruling locally there has been sufficient feed in other districts usually to absorb whatever the Gisborne and East Coast had to offer, but this is one period when the station owners have been caught with large numbers of cattle at a time which corresponds with dry conditions throughout the North Island. Early this season cattle were being sold to the Waikato at satisfactory prices, buying taking place in the paddocks, but at present paddock sales have been out of the question, and cattle sent to the Waikato recently have been on a consignment basis. Grown steers a few months ago were being bought at from £8 10s to £9 10s, good sorts of breeding cows from £5 to £6, 2J-year steers to £7, and 18-month steers from £6 to £6 ss. It is difficult to estimate what similar cattle are worth in Gisborne at present, but Morrinsville quotations last Friday were: Young freshconditioned Hereford cows and heifers, £4 10s to £4 17s; others, £3 17s to £4 Gs; Polled Angus cows from Gisborne, £4 Is; lighter, £3 10s.