On the Land

New Zealand Tablet, 12 August 1915, Page 59

On the Land

GENERAL. Mr. J. Porteous, a supplier to the Winton Factory, informed a representative of the Winton Record that he cleared £370 from 30 cows during the season just closed. As showing the high values to which stock prices have risen, it may be mentioned that a line of 90 fat bullocks is under offer to a Palmerston dealer at £2 7s 6d per cwt (says the Feliding Star). If not accepted, the offer is to pass to a Christchurch buyer, who has the opportunity of purchasing the line at =£2o per head. A meeting of dairy farmers at Te Arai decided (says the Gisborne Times) to go in for cow-testing on the lines suggested by Mr. Beatson, Government dairy instructor, who delivered a helpful address on the subject. Eight of the 15 farmers present promised about 200 cows for testing purposes. The interim return of sheep in the Dominion as at the 30th April, 1915, shows a total of 24,465,526 head. Compared with the complete returns for the previous year, this is a decrease of 333,237, made up by shrinkages of 169,591 in the North Island and 163,646 in the South Island. . The figures of the interim return are approximate only ; the complete returns for 1915 will be published in due course. The exceptionally high prices ruling for stock of all description have compelled the Master Butchers' Association to raise the price of meat (says the Otago Daily Times). An indication of the strong demand at present existing for butchers' meat was apparent at the Burnside sales last week, when one pen of lambs was disposed of at 345, while several other pens were sold at over 30s. Fat sheep changed hands at up to 42s 6d. Beef was selling at well over 40s per 1001 b, the top price being .£2O 5s for a pen of prime bullocks. To show how substantially prices have increased, it may be mentioned that prime cattle could be bought three or four years ago for 27s to 28s per 1001 b. At Burnside last week there was a large entry of fat cattle, and consequently prices suffered to a slight extent, whilst the moderate yardings of fat sheep and lambs met with a good sale. Fat Cattle. 292 yarded, a fair proportion being well finished bullocks and heifers. This large yarding appeared to be in excess of requirements, consequently at the commencement of the sale prices were 10s to 15s a head lower, but towards the end matters improved and prices were very little short of previous week's. Prime bullocks, £l6 to £18; extra, to £2O ss;,good do, £l2 10s to £l4 10s; light, £lO to £l2; best cows and heifers, £l2 to £l4; good, £lO to £ll 10s; light and inferior, £6 to £B. Fat Sheep. 2396 penned. There was spirited competition, and prices were very firm at previous week's rates, and in some cases Is per head higher. Prime wethers brought 30s to 335: extra, to 42s 6d ; good do, 24s to 265; light, 21s to 22s 6d ; best ewes, 27s to 30s; extra, to 40s; good do, 22s to 245: medium, 18s to 20s; preservers, 10s 6d to 14s. Fat Lambs.—4Bo penned. There was a brisk demand for all killable lambs at, an advance of Is to 2s per head, while stores were about the same. Prime lambs brought 24s to 265; extra, to 345; good, 20s to 225; stores, from 14s to 16s 9d. Pigs. There was a moderate yarding of 62 fat pigs and a small entry of 42 stores and weaners. Porkers and baconers were keenly competed for and realised fully equal to previous week's prices. Stores and small sorts ,met improved demand, and in most cases sold at a distinct advance upon late rates. At Addington last week there were large entries, particularly of fat stock, and there was a good attendance. Fat cattle brought very high prices, the rate per lb being the highest for years. Prime fat lambs were very firm, but unfinished sorts were easier. In sympathy with lambs in the store pens,' store sheep sold irregularly. Ewes and ewe hoggets and forward wethers sold well, but other classes were easier. Fat Sheep.— There was a large yarding of fat sheep, including a

number of extra prime lots of wethers. , There was a keen demand by butchers for all classes of sheep, and prices for all ordinary to; prime quality were 2s to 3s per head better than previous week. The bulk of the wethers offered made 30s and over; extra prime wethers, to £7 10s; prime wethers, 25s to 355; others, 19s 4d to. 24s 6d; merino wethers, 23s to 30s 6d; extra prime ewes, to 52s 6d; prime ewes, 24s to 32s 6d; medium ewes, 19s 6d to 23s 6d; others, 16s to 19s. Fat Lambs. —Extra prime, to 435; fat, 22s 6d to 27s 6d; medium, 18s 6d to 225; lighter, 12s 6d to 18s. Fat Cattle.— Extra steers, to £4O; ordinary steers, £8 10s to £l3; extra heifers, to £l4; ordinary heifers, £6 5s to £ll ss; extra cows, to £lB 17s 6d ; ordinary cows, £6 to £l3 10s." Price of beef per 1001 b: Extra steers, to 60s; others, 35s to 555. Pigs.—Choppers, 50s to 140 s; extra heavy baconers, 85s to 92s 6d ; heavy baconers, 74s <to 80s; light baconers, 57s 6d to 70s— per lb, 6Jd to 6?,d; heavy porkers, 45s to 50s; light porkers, r 38s to 40s—price per lb, 6|d to 7d. LUCERNE VARIETIES IN CENTRAL OTAGO. The following note on a lucerne variety test carried out during the past season on an experimental plot of two acres at the Matangi Orchard, Earnscleugh, Central Otago, has been supplied by Mr. G. M. Marshall, the owner of the property (says the Journal of Agriculture). The varieties under test were Spanish, Hunter River, Peruvian, Turkestan, and Dryland. ' The past season has been a very unfavorable one. During the early part of it we had a succession of heavy frosts; these were followed by high winds from the north-west and south-west; then came a long period of droughtT Yet throughout these adverse conditions the Spanish variety gave the best results. One outstanding feature is the rapidity with which it starts into fresh growth after each cutting, and maintains a load of from 4in to 6in ahead of all other varieties under test. The weight of hay produced is far greater than that of the other varieties, on account of the extra length and the very heavy leafage which the Spanish variety produces. It also stands up better during the cold weather than the other sorts, starts into growth earlier in the season, and maintains its growth later. Tn my opinion it is the best lucerne growing in Central Otago. Hunter River ranks second, while Peruvian, Turkestan, and Dryland do not give anything like the crop that the Spanish does. This year we had three cuttings for hay, and fed off the fourth.' ..' - MAIZE MEAL FOR PIGS. A trial was made at several experimental stations in Holland with the object of testing the relative value of different meals, especially maize meal, barley meal, oatmeal, and buck-wheat meal for the fattening of pigs. The trial was made with forty-eight young pigs, all of the same age and weight, divided into four lots. The animals of each lot received respectively as much as they would eat of the different meals, and in addition they all had daily a supply of skim-milk and some potatoes. After they were killed, an examination of the carcases showed that the flesh of the pigs fattened on maise was not so -firm or saleable as that of the pigs fed on the other meals. This result is the same as has been reported from trials in America and Canada, and is worth noting. Maize is a good food for growing pigs, but other meals should be substituted, either in part or altogether, during the last month or two of the fattening process.