NOTES AND COMMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21191, 14 August 1940, Page 11

NOTES AND COMMENTS

Certificate of Record Testing During 1939 the first class certificates issued to Friesians totalled 51 and consisted of three 305 day test certificates and 48 yearly test certificates. The average for the 305 day certificates was 13,G99.01b milk and 557.991 b fat, while the 48 yearly certificates averaged 13.862.91 b milk and 516.041 b fat. Tauhei Pig Club Several new members joined the Tauhei Pig Club at its last meeting when Mr W. Hanton presided over a good attendance of members. It was decided to purchase a second sow for the club and to have two custodians, one sow to be kept at the present piggery, which is in charge of Mr S. Smith, junr., and the other piggery to be established at Mr A. E. Gee’s farm with Mr Gee as custodian. It was announced chat Mr Hanton had given the iron necessary for the new piggery. The meeting decided to urge the Government to do everything possible to obtain supplies of pig food that were impossible to obtain in New Zealand owing to restrictions. Rationing in Dominion Methods by which farm production for export could be increased in short order were referred to by Mr C. H. Williams, chairman of a representative meeting of Poverty Bay and East Coast farmers. The importance of rationing, he said, could not be overlooked. The average consumption of meat in New Zealand was 2661 b a head per annum as against 1411 b in peacetime in Britain. If every person reduced consumption by 4oz a day it would mean that 2,400,000 extra freight carcases would be available for export. Bv adding an average of 21b in weight to every animal killed for export there would be the equivalent of •100,000 freight carcases added to the possible exports. He concluded that it should not be difficult to increase the export surplus from New Zealand by 3,000,000 freight carcases. Linen Flax in Southland After hearing full details of the contract terms for growing linen flax Southland farmers have responded well to the appeal by Ministers and officers of the Department of Agriculture and promises have been received of the sowing down of 3203 acres in the central and western districts. This area will ensure that two processing plants will be established in Southland. Officers of the department will inspect the land, which covers a wide area, to decide on its suitability for the crop and proximity to the processing plants. Horses in Australia One sequel to petrol rationing in Australia has been the sudden and widespread demand for horses. During the last decade motor traction has become almost universal both in the city and on the farm, with the result that the horse had little work to do. The Premier of Victoria in a recent speech said that prices for horses had been extraordinarily low during the last few years, but it was expected that a big rise would occur with the immediate demand for horses again, particularly for mediums and draughts. Examinations made last year under the Horse Breeding Act, Mr Dunstan added, had revealed a marked falling-off in the number of stallions registered in Victoria, and it was probable that ’ this year’s figure would show a further decline. However, the position should rapidly change with the return of the demand for the horse for industrial purposes. Farmers in Victoria The Premier of Victoria (Mr Dunstan) is becoming seriously alarmed at the drift of farmers (especially wheat-growers) from the land to seek employment elsewhere, states an Australian exchange. The chief reason, it states, is the fact that the pendulum has swung from a record wet autumn last year to one of the driest winters on record, the average rainfall in the north being only 316 points during the past three months. Seeding operations had been seriously delayed, and only a small area had been placed under crops, while the outlook for graziers was so bad that many of the lambs dropped would be unsuitable for export. Sow’s Capacity For Milking A bad milking sow is v/orse than no sow at all, because she loses money instead of gaining it. It has recently been shown that by drawing milk from one or more teats, when the young pigs are feeding from their dam, the approximate yield can be ascertained, but a good deal of patience and experience is needed to succeed in this procedure. The pigs feed several times daily, and the milk is not let down until they do feed. The milk, too, falls off in quantity from week tp week after the fourth week, until in the eighth week or slightly before weaning, the quantity produced is not much more than one-half the yield in the fourth week. A sow may produce up to lljlb in a day during the fourth week and as little as 3Alb and. therefore, it is not difficult to see how impossible it is to expect wellgrown youngsters where the dam is an inferior milker. Too Much! An unusually honest expression of opinion by a vendor caused amusement at the Burnside stock sale. A farmer of wide experience, now operating in a modest way, had sent eight sheep to the sale, which j he attended in the expectation that they might at the most be worth £l2. But when they were offered for sale it soon became obvious that there was to be keen competition for them, and the vendor’s excitement rose as he watched the price go to £2 6s a head. “What do you think of that?” cried the triumphant auctioneer. “I think it’s remarkable replied the vendor, now thoroughly roused. “In fact.” he added, ”i think it’s too much?” So unusual a response to a good price, he afterwards explained, arose from the fact that he had in mind an occasion over 40 years previously, when he had. sold as many as 50 sheep for the price he was now to receive for one. j To be precise, he had then parted I with over 1000 sheep at lid a head.