FARM AND MARKET

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20375, 15 December 1937, Page 15

FARM AND MARKET

Weekly Agricultural Review (By “ Stockman.") Itema of Interest, Enquiries In regard to Shows and Sales and General Comment from Readers will be welcomed. These shoul4 be addressed to “ Slootaman,” Waikato Times, Hamilton.

OOMING BHOWB AND BALEB

Hamilton Stock Sale: Every Tuesday. Morrinsvllle Stook Sale: Every Friday. Cambridge Stook Sale: Every Monday. Te Awamutu Stook Sale: Every' Thursday.

CHRISTMAS TRADE

BRIGHTER PROBPEOTB IMPROVING WOOL VALUES MARKETS IN WAIKATO Fat oattle are quoted slightly higher at most centres. Store cattle values are usually vnohanged. The dairy cattle trade Is less aotlve. Fat sheep tend to firm slightly. Late quotations are generally repeated for store sheep. No substantial ohange Is reported In the fat pig market. The market for store pigs Is Arm.

Although It hampered harvesting operations Ln some distriots, the heavy fall of rain experienced this week has been of considerable benefit to the distriot and should have favourable repercussions in the store stook market. Although the rain came too late to affect pastures shut up for hay, it has done much to bring on a valuable aftermath of grass in fields which had already been cut for hay. Another development that should favourably effeot Waikato markets has been the Improvement in the wool market for this undoubtedly should do much to restore confidence in regard to young sheep and should, to an extent, remove the uncertainty general in regard to the forthcoming sheep fairs. Market For Beef

Prices for fat oattle oontinue to be well maintained and although a fairly substantial drop before Christmas would have occasioned no great surprise, the market appears to have gained in strength over the past three weeks. Ox beef continues in koeu request at all Waikato yards and at the moment best ox Is making from 83s to 39s 6d per 1001 b, with ordinary prime selling from 27s to 32s 6d per 1001 b. Really choice beef, however, Is still limited and only occasionally do buyers pay above 88s per 1001 b. After a very quiet period cow and heifer beef has shown a distinct improvement and has been making better money at some of the yards. At the central yards yesterday there was a freer trade for all classes and not infrequently prices changed in vendors’ favour, although there was no material alteration in values. Choice cow beef makes to 36s per 1001 b, but sometimes this price is exceeded al Frankton. A fair amount of activity in the ohllled beef trade is reported and another ship with Waikato beef Is due to leave this week.

Fat Sheep Improve Fat sheep values during the fortnight have shown a rising tendency and a further rise, although not a substantial one, was rtscorded at the Frankton yards yesterday when values for both wethers and ewes were sometimes 6d to Is per head better. At all yards a better tone has been apparent, but no considerable advance in quotations has been reported. Wethers make from 2t‘»s to 29s per head and ewes from 15s to 225, but the top figures in both cases are only occasionally obtained. The improving wool values -will no doubt remove much of the present oonoern in regard to the sheep fairs to be held early in the new year and the current opinion is that any drop In values will not be nearly as substantial as expected a fortnight ago. The rise for wool should have a favourable effeot on all sections of the sheep trade.

Values For Pigs With successive drops in the export buying schedule for fat pigs, there has been a corresponding decline in i values at the saleyards where heavy j supplies have continued to come forward. Some classes, however, have been fairly dear buying and have sold well above schedule rates. During the past fortnight fat pigs have j met a i better trade at Morrinsvllle than at J most other centres, although there was I an improvement noted at the Te Kau- j whata sale on Monday. Raconers are ! now quoted from 54s to 77s per head j and porkers ‘from 32s to 525.

Better Than Anticipated With each succeeding wool sale It, ! becomes apparent that wool values j this season are to be considerably i better than was generally anticipated .

NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Stook Route The new stock route for stook being driven from the Morrinsvllle railway to the saleyards Is now open. The roadway is still in a rough state, but even i at present it will be much appre- j ciated by those taking stock from the j station to the yards. The new route t should be particularly useful when j the annual exodus of sheep from the i East Coast starts at the beginning of I the new year as there will be no need ; to take the sheep through the town i as has been the oase in the past. In honour of Mr F. Marshall, who has been farming at Morrinsvllle since the very early days and who once owned the land on which the saleyards now stand, the new route is to be called Marshall Street. Argentine Affaire The Government of the Argentine has deoided to terminate the Dairy Industry Control Board of that country. Since 1934 the board has exercised a somewhat limited control over dairy matters in the Republic. The income of the board was derived from margins on foreign exchange received In payment for exported butter and i casein and from a levy on looally-oon- ! sumed butter. Producers are reported to be interested in future developments, particularly as to whether the system of premiums on butterfat, at present in suspense because of prevailing high prices, is to be resumed or permanently abandoned. World’a Reoord Producer The world’s record in butterfat production by Melba XV is likely to be oommemorated by the ereotion of a statue of this famous cow, or in some other suitable way. The proposal which has the approval of the Australian Ulawarra Shorthorn Society, will be considered by the 150th Anniversary Celebrations Committee. Melba XV.’s record-breaking production, over 365 days, was at the age of seven years and nine months when, on her fffth test, she produced 32,522.51 b milk and 1614.11 b of butterfat, and an average test of 5 per cent. Early Calving I Mr W. Noakes, a West Australian ! representative of the Australian Dairy I Produce Board, has expressed the | opinion that early calving is going to [ play an increasingly important part in ! the development of the dairy Industry ; in his State. Mr Noakes also said | that if peace was maintained overseas jit could hardly be foretold to what i limits the Australian dairying industry ! would expand. There was also, he said, a distinct possibility of extending j the months of production in Western | Australia at a time when the output of the eastern States was lagging.

Chinese Wool For Japan The Osaka Industrial Journal NlkK iikogyo says that Japanese manufacturers of w'oollen goods are giving serious attention to North China wool. The annual produotion from North China Is about 80,000,0001 b., roughly 15 per cent of Japan’s hitherto normal requirements. Despite the oorrfcaratlve dearness and inferiority of the North China wool, It Is considered that Japanese machinery can be successfully adapted, especially as it is already adapted for using staple fibre. This is considered important in view of the war-time economic policy.