SHOWS AND SALES

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21336, 5 February 1941, Page 11

SHOWS AND SALES

Frankton Stock Sale: Every Tuesday. Cambridge Stock Sale: Every Monday. Te Awamutu Stock Sale: Every Thursday. Morrinsville Stock Sale: Every Friday. Te Kauwhata Stock Sale; Every Monday. Taupiri Stock Sale. Every second Monday. Electric Fences One effect of the war-time demand for fencing wire in the United Kingdom has been the extensive use of the electric fence. Ail over the country today, especially where new areas have been ploughed, the single charged wire is employed and, according to a statement by the Ministry of Agriculture, it is proving very satisfactory. Great Dairy Producer In thirteen lactations, the great total of 71691 b fat has been given by a grade Jersey cow, Tulip, the property of Mr R. A. Candy, of Ngarua. Tulip is the top cow of the 4o producers in the Lifetime Merit Register, who have qualified with over 40001 b butterfat as a lifetime production. Her best lactation was in 1932 when she gave 7331 b fat. Despite her age, this remarkable cow is still producing well, having already given 3171 b fat in 178 days. Cost of Drought Drought cost the Queensland butter industry £1,000,000 during the first half of this year. The estimate has been made by the general manager of the Commonwealth Equalisation Committee, Mr C. Sheehy, who says, however, that the territory has made a good recovery since the drought broke. Wine From Milk Wine has now been added to the products of the versatile cow. Science, working with the bovine benefactor of mankind, has succeeded in transforming mankind’s life food into the sparkling beverage which has hitherto been considered a vineyard product. A chance development at the laboratories of National Dairy Products Corporation in Baltimore, the wine resulted from a scientific effort to find better industrial uses for whey. Not marketable today, the wine can be made into either sherry of sauterne type, with an alcoholic content of about 15 per cent by volume.—National Butter and Cheese Journal.” Bombs in Rural Areas Many of the bombs dropped during the intensive raids over Britain have fallen in rural areas, but despite this the mortality in farm livestock has not been as heavy as might have been expected, writes a correspondent from England. Cattle have been the principal victims, followed by sheep, chiefly because of their tendency to herd together. Well down on the list come horses and pigs. Reports from dairying areas indicate that the disturbance of explosions and machine gun fire appear to have little or no effect on the output of milking herds. Culling Out Bulls

Early in January, 1940, the Victorian Cattle Breeding Act, which was passed in 1938, came into operation. The Act, which has as its objective the improvement of the beef/and dairy cattle of the State, provides that if any .bull does not conform to a reasonable standard in respect of type, conformation, and breeding, and does not show manifest evidence of the breed characteristics of one of the recognised breeds, the chief veterinary inspector may order the bull to be castrated or slaughtered. The Act also provides for the improvement of milk and butterfat production in that after January 1, 1945, the Chief Veterinary Inspector may order the castration or slaughter of any bull over two years old which is kept on a dairy farm, and which is the progeny of a cow which has not produced in any one lactation period of 273 days and under a recognised herd-testing scheme, such amount ol’ butterfat as is prescribed. Thus, although the only immediate requirement for dairy bulls is that they must be of reasonable breed, type, and conformation, dairy farmers will need to prepare for the coming into force of the second stage of the Act in 1945 by selecting bulls the dams of which, under test, have reached a satisfactory standard of butterfat production. “Stripping Out” of Cows Breeders of pedigree dairy cattle in New South Wales are reported to be very critical of certain features of the amended lactation herd testing regulation which recently came into operation in the State. These features they fear will ultimately defeat the objectives of raising production and improving the i breeding of pure-bred cattle. One | of the amendments most criticised is | the abolition of “stripping out” be- | fore the undertaking of tests. Many | breeders feel that herd recording I deprived of such a condition will lose I for New South Wales its world-wide I reputation as to the authenticity of j the State’s butterfat production re--1 cords. The N.S.W. United PureI Bred Dairy Cattle Breeders’ Associai tion, which is representative of all ! the pure-bred dairy cattle breed i societies of the State, will make ! overtures to the Minister for Agri- | culture seeking the re-introduction : of the method of “stripping out.” If i Minister is prepared to concede this, ;it has been stated that breeders j would be prepared to carry on under ; the new scheme for twelve months, Iby which time, it was hoped, the i association would be able to formuj late a scheme which would be ac- ■ ceptable to breeders as well as the* ; Government. A sub-committee of j the association was recently sp- ; pointed to deliberate on the issue? at , variance under the new regulations.