NOTES AND COMMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21043, 21 February 1940, Page 10

NOTES AND COMMENTS

Topped Ram Market The Waitetuna sheep breeder, Mr F. C. Johnstone, whose rams made from 10 to 16gns at the first annual Romney ram fair of the Waikato Sheepbreeders’ Association at Claudelands last week was the most successful vendor at -the fair. At the opening Romney lair last year Mr Johnstone was the vendor of the toppriced rams, while rams from the same breeder were in demand at top prices at other sales during the year.

Successful Pig Breeder The most successful pedigree pig exhibitor at the recent Franklin Show was Mr A. T. Rogers, the wellknown Ngaruawahia breeder. Apart from many class awards, he won several championships. These included the Berkshire boar championship with Woodburn Landon, the reserve Berkshire boar championship, and the Berkshire sow championship with Mountley Pleasant Girl lGth. His imported boar. Berkswell Up-to-date sth, was the champion Tam worth boar, and he showed the champion boar of all breeds between the age of 8 and 14 months. Benefit From Classed Wool One prominent feature of the wool appraisement is the reward to those growers whose wools are classed to the correct grade, count and yield. The official appraisers base the price on a fixed schedule, strictly to Bradford qualities, and any wool not properly graded is penalised. A difference of to Id in the price on the average weight of a bale represents from 14s to 28s per bale, and this amount means more than the actual railage. The necessity of efficient classing can therefore be realised. Consulting Officers Six consulting officers, five in the North Island and one in the South Island, have been appointed by the New Zealand Dairy Board. Their work will be to establish contact with farmers and to assist them in connection with herd management and farming matters generally. They will co-operate with officers of the Department of Agriculture with the common aim of increasing per acre and per cow production within the Dominion. The officer appointed for the Auckland district is Mr W. D. Corby, who will make his headquarters in Hamilton Telegraphed Forecasts For special farming operations, arrangements can be made with the Meteorological Office, Wellington, to send forecasts by telegram. Requests may be made eitner »>y letter to “The Director, Meteorological Office, Wellington, or by teelgram to “Weather, Wellington,” and replies will be sent by collect telegram. J.n formulating a request, especially if made by telegram, one should state clearly of what the forecast is to be a warning, viz., whether of strong winds, wet weather, coldness, etc., what period the forecast should cover, and whether more than one is required. It is also advisable to indicate the nature of the particular farming operation involved. Unless directions to the contrary are given, forecasts will cover the 24 hours from the time of issue. Form of Request Requests should be expressed in a reasonable form for it is necessary to emphasise the forecasts to cover more than one or two days cannot, as a rule, be made with any great degree of accuracy, and due regard must be paid to the changeableness of the weather. For instance, to answer a request for advice of the approach of seven days of fine weather, the forecaster might have to wait many weeks or even months before such a long spell of good weather was at all likely. However, occasions probably would arise when a forecast of the following nature would be justified: “Expect two days fine thereafter fair prospects several days settled weather.” Testing For T.B. At a recent meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council tentative proposals for the tuberculin testing uf dairy herds were outlined by the Director-General of Agriculture, Mr A. H. Cockayne. The director-general said he proposed to take up the matter with departmental officers at Auckland with a view to a survey being made to ascertain the number of dairymen supplying raw milk who would be prepared to have their herds tested and accept valuation on condemned cows in accordance with the provisions of the Stock Act. If a number of dairymen concerned showed agreement to this, and a start were made to get some of the herds done, it might be possible over a period of time to include all herds supplying raw milk. The Future What is to be the future policy of the society and how best can the interests of members be served, consistent with the national needs in the present emergency, states the annual report of the Ayrshire Cattle Herd Book Society of Scotland. It is of interest to note that since the war started, it says, 19 new members have been enrolled, which shows the dairy farmers have already made up theii minds to carry on breeding Aryshires and registering them in the Herd Book. The council heartily recommends that this policy of breeding and registering be continued. It is absolutely essential for the welfare of the nation that dairy farming should not only continue but should expand, so that every member should do his utmost to keep up and increase his stock to the limit of his ability. The prices being obtained for Ayrshires, both pedigree and non-pedigree, at present are very satisfactory, continues the report. They should be bigger still when the trouble is past.

Testing For Tuberculosis The American Department of Agriculture announces that every herd of cattle in America has been tested for tuberculosis. Also that all counties in all States except six counties in California, are now modified accredited areas, which means that they have less than half of one per cent of tubercular cattle and that all reactors have been slaughtered. This

campaign, which began in 1917, has caused the slaughter of about 3,750,000 cattle, but the country is better off without them. The incidental commercial effects of this programme are important but hardly calcuable. For example little is heard now of tuberculosis in hogs, at one time a problem for producers. Milk Supplies in Sweden In towns and those rural areas in Sweden coming within the urban hygiene regulations .milk and cream for human consumption may not be put on sale without first being pasteurised, nor can fresh cheese or ices made from unpasteurised milk be sold to the public. The Hygiene Commission can authorise, for one year only and revocably, sale without pasteurisation in the case of milk from herds which are free from tubercular reactions or have been registered for at least six months in the State scheme for fighting bovine tuberculosis. To entirely non-react-ing herds the State may grant exemption for at least two years.