FAR! AND MARKET Weekly Agricultural Review

Waikato Times, Volume 117, Issue 19554, 17 April 1935, Page 13

FAR! AND MARKET Weekly Agricultural Review

(By “Stockman.”) Items of Interest, Enquiries in regard to Shows and Sales and General Comment from Readers will be welcomed- These should be addressed -to “Stockman," Waikato Times, Hamilton.

COMING SHOWS AND SALES. Hamilton Stook Sale: Every Tuesday. Morrlnsvllle Stock Sale: Every Friday. Cambridge Horse Sale: April 18. Waikato Winter Show: May 28'th. to June 3. “Alfalfa" Pedigree Jerseys Annual Sale: May 7. Est. S. E. Southee and Sons Pedigree Jersey Sale: May 21. F. R. Seddon and Son’s and J. H. Gore’s Dispersal of Stud Romney and Stud Southdown Sheep: May 22. W. 'R. Shattock: Pedigree Tamworth Pig Sale: May 29. F. Dlscombe, Sale of “Luoerndale” Pedigree Pigs: May 30.

DECLINE IN SHEEP. POSITION IN WAIKATO. STORE CATTLE IN DEMAND. COW AND HEIFER BEEF WANTED. There is nothing unusual to record in connection with the Waikato stook market, except perhaps the unusually keen demand that was evinced for store cattle at 'a special sale held at Frankton last week. This is not to be wondered at in view of the fact that with the season closed for store sheep graziers are turning their attention to store cattle for fattening purposes. The keen competition that existed for the stores, especially for-ward-conditioned Polled Angus steers, can be gauged from the fact that 10s to 15s per head more was realised than had been generally anticipated. The same 'Ann tone has been reflected at other ispecial store cattle sales held throughout the Waikato, offerings at Te Puke meeting with a ready demand. Graziers who have an eye on the chilled meat market will probably redouble their" efforts to produoe the very prime class of cattle that is demanded by this trade. There is an abundance of feed available in the Waikato at present, and the further rains last week have further improved the position.

The Sheep Position. The sheep market can be said to be practically stagnant at the present period, and the offerings that are coming forward are lacking in quality, although there are occasional choice pens yarded. At Frankton yesterday quotations reoorded a marked drop, but full schedule rates were maintained for fat lambs. ‘Competition was of a poor nature throughout, especially for the unfinished sorts. The slackness of the season on the sheep faim is fully reflected at the saleyards. A general apathy among buyers was noticeable at ‘the Morrlnsvllle sale on Friday, and this again could, be attributed to the lack of quality, and further to the faot that there was a surfeit of wethers on the market. There has been a downward tendency in rates among all classes of sheep for the past few weeks, and this will undoubtedly continue for some time, the situation probably showing little alteration until ewes in lamb are marketed in June.

Cow and Heifer Beef In Demand. The beef market has been fairly steady of late, although at recent sales there have been slightly ismaller yardings than usual. The quality generally has remained -good, although at Morrinsville last week the quality was not on a -par with that of the previous week, while at Frankton yesterday the quality could not be called -outstanding. A noticeable feature at the last sales at Morrinsville and Frankton have been the very -small yardingu of ox beef, although -this has been offset to a certain degree by -the heavy yardings in the cow and heifer beef seclion. The market for the latter class was much firmer than of late at the Frankton -sale, and with -good quality offering the bidding was spirited, especially for the extra prime young -cows and heifers. The absence of very prime ox beef from recent sales would Indicate the activity of buyers for the "chilled meat -trade, who are privately buying the best quality that is available. The -recent increase in the quota figure for this class of meat, while not perhaps having immediate advantageous repercussions in tlie Waikato, ensures that the near future of this trade will remain promising.

The Pig Market. While pigs still continue to meet with a steady demand, there has been an easing off in haconers, and this fact was made particularly obvious at the LMorriirsville and Frankton sales, where the smaller yardings of this class elicited prices that represented a slight drop in the prevailing ratesPorkers continue to be penned in

large numbers and are meeting with good compeition at- late rates. The smaller yardings of baconers are, of course, due to the decline in -milk production and the consequent fact that farmers have little milk available for finishing purposes. Pigs that are on hand are being sent to market, and are not being carried on to baooner weights. Many pigs are oomlng forward in an unfinished condition, while some are of unwanted weights, too heavy for porkers and too light for good baconers. It cannot be stressed too often that unfinished pigs are definitely not wanted, and farmers are losing considerably by sending their pigs forward in this condition. Buttermilk Declines. With the general decline in milk there has been, of course, an accompanying decline in buttermilk supplies from dairy factories for large-scale pig operators who depend for their feed supplies on this by-product. This position has been eloquently reflected at the saleyards by the abatement in demand for store pigs. Competition for this class of stook will not regain its keenness until spring, when the dairying season will resume. Farmers arc therefore retaining their store pigs until the spring, when move satisfactory prices will be forthcoming,

Pigs Refused. So exceptionally largo was the entry of -pigs at a -stock sale at a Waikato s-üb-centre this week that further consignments had to be refused by the. auctioneers. This would demonstrate the eagerness of -farmers to quit their pigs before the lean season. Stores Sell Weil. It is a long the Frankton saleyards have seen such a large and representative gathering of graziers, who were present at the very successful sale held last week- From all parts of the Waikato they had oome,and even as far afield as the Coromandel Peninsula and Auckland. Wanting cattle for fattening purposes, these buyers were offered ample scope In this direction, the quality on the whole being attractive and eminently suitable for -their requirements. The quality was -confined -to the bullocks, and what -females were offered were not very, outstanding. Buyers showed a natural -preference for the Polled Angus, but the demand was only a shade easier for the big yarding of dehorned Herefords. An idea of the values ruling at the -sale can he gauged by the fact that prices were from 10-s to 15s more per head than had been anticipated. Forward-con-ditioned four-year Polled Angus steers sold up to £6 9s, -three-year Hereford steers made up to £5 7s, while fouryear Shorthorn steers made up to £4 19s.

Cattle Pavilion.

The new -cattle pavilion in course of erection at the Morrlnsvllle saleyards will be an appreciated adjunct of the yards for the selling of dairy cattle. Pedigree breeders in the Morrinsville district have long felt the need of an up-to-date pavilion, such as the one -at the Claudelands Showgrounds, for the holding of dispersal sales. Yardos Inadequate, It is becoming increasingly apparent that the saleyards at Frankton will prove altogether inadequate in the near future. Frequently there has been serious overorowding at the yards, and especially when there have been exceptionally large drafts of sheep. The position has been intensified by the ever-increasing yardings of pigs.

NEWS AND COMMENT Beneficial Rain. The heavy showers experienced last week must have proved of incalculable benefit to these farmers who had just made their autumn top-dressings-Especially would the rain prove welcome to those who had Included nitrogenous fertilisers. When rain is received a day or two after to-p-dresslng the fertiliser is made doubly efficacious, for If the fields were -previously harrowed, It is washed down -to the roots of the plants where It is needed. It Is a -sound praotice to top-dress when rain is expected, for If dry weather follows for any -period the greatest benefit will not be received from the fertiliser.

Pig Feed Problem. With milk production steadily declining, the feed problem for the pig farmer is every day becoming more serious. Many have sent their porkers, and even weaners, to the saloyards rather than keep them on to baconer weights. Many farmers have sent their pigs to the market in an uniini'shcd state and have lost considerably by tills practice, for pigs in this state are definitely not wanted. The case is quoted of a farmer having nine good porkers and 40 weaners. He was going to sell the weaners, which would have realised only 2s to 3s per head, and carry the porkers on to bacon weights. He was persuaded to sell the porkers, which realised 35s a head. He then spent about 7s a head for meals on the weaners, which toy May should toe then good porkers worth about 35s—in other words, by purchasing some necessary food he should make about £SO from pigs lie was ready to sacrifice at from £4 to £6. As to feeding the weaners, tho farmer had atooot 50 gallons of separated milk. Therefore he would have to feed about ifb of meal per day to each pig, increasing this as the pigs gained in weight, till at 10 weeks Iho pigs, then at porker weight, would be getting 31b of, meal a day—say, 2-lb of meat meal or -meat and bone meal, and lib of pollard. The actual cost of the meal would toe 7s.

Ragwort Menace. The real menace from ragwort does not lie, perhaps, in tho poorer land and hill ooiiinlry infested toy this noxious wood but in the Isolated plant that is allowed to nourish unmolested on (lie good pasture lands. Farmers who allow single plants to seed oil their properties should be prosecuted every bit as rime!] as Iho settlor in the back country whoso land is covered with Ihe pest. J-t requires little effort to pluck out a single plant when carrying out ordinary farm operations, but there are some who appear to he obsessed with the Mon that a single plant is not worth Hie hollicr of a few seconds’ energy and Drat action is only necessary when Die plants show tsigns of taking possession of tho land. Certainly those who lake lhis narrow view will find their carrying capacity

of their land materially lessened toy Die encroachment of the weed, tout, unfortunately, their short-sighted policy will involve neighbouring farmers in the same predicament. An aspect ol the ragwort elimination campaign tuat is apparently given little need is tho unchecked growth of ragwort in gullys. In the Waikato there are gullys that are veritable hot-beds for the development of Die weed, and in one particular area near Hamilton ragwort has been •seen growing in profusion in Die gullies. If ragwort is lo be effectively eradicated throughout the district it is imperative that lucse seedbeds of Lite weed be cleaned up. Unlit this is done; the individual farmer will toe seriously handicapped in his endeavours -to keep his property clean.

Amount of Fertiliser,

A correspondent lias written in regard lo the correct amount of nitrogenous fertiliser that should he applied for winter and early spring growth. Where sulphate of ammonia is being used the minimum drctsslng to

the acre should be 2 cwt., but for really satisfactory results It would be preferable to apply 3 cwt. Those who aro using nitrogen for winter grass, should on no account forget to lime 'liberally. If grass is to be grown-all the year around, tills oontiuual production naturally Implies an increased loss of mineral matter which must be made good by increased dressings of lime, phosphate and potash. In regard to the correct amount of lime to he applied,. It would he advisable to put on scwt. to the acre, while potash can bo applied at tiio rate of .2 to 3 cwt. per acre. Where it is not convenient lo fertilise the whole of the farm, those, fields which possess the besL ryegrass, while clover and cocksfoot (or paspalum) pastures should be selected for preferential treatment.