On the Land

New Zealand Tablet, 1 June 1916, Page 51

On the Land

GENERAL. * Land which is supposed to be thoroughly cleared and cultivated usually contains more weeds than pasture land/ said Dr. Cockayne, Government Biologist, at Palmerston North the other day. In the course of the Hawke’s Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society’s meeting, one member said: ‘ Factory butter of late years is 20 per cent, worse than the same butter of seven or eight years ago.’ Another member also remarked; ‘ Like mutton, the best of it goes Home to the Old Country.’

An Ashburton farmer informed a Guardian reporter that a fair amount of grass land has now been ploughed, but a large number of fields have still to be turned over. The present dry weather is not improving the condition of the grass land for ploughing purposes,, and it is turning over very lumpy and hard.

The largest cattle station in Queensland is Nockatunga, in the Thargomindah district. It has an area of 2900 square miles, and carries 20,000 head of cattle. The largest sheep station is Milo, which occupies 2800 square miles, and has 160,000 sheep. Warenda and Goodwood, in the Boulia district, on the borders of South 'Australia, are worked as one station, though given in the stock returns as separate properties. They cover 3720 square miles. Taldora station, which has a smaller area, runs 39,000 head of cattle — did—according to the Queensland stock returns.

Evidences of the phenomenally mild season continue to accumulate, and it is stated that growth has never stopped in local gardens, although it is now nearing the end of the first month of winter (says the Balclutha Free Press ). Even potatoes left in the ground when digging the crop are now sprouting several inches above the ground, showing that there has been no frost. In one garden can be seen a second crop of apples, which are now ripe, and are being picked and eaten. The first crop was a very fair one, and the second crop is nearly as good. Among the smaller fruits, second crops of black currants are numerous.

Cattle breeders and others have been interested in a monster Durham ox. weighing 30001 b and measuring 12ft 6in round the girth and 4ft through the shoulders (says the Sydney Telegraph). The monster bullock, which has been on exhibition, is almost identical in measurement with those on record of the famous English beast of 1891. The present bullock, which is Tasmanian-bred, has a greater chest jneasurement, is slightly smaller round the loins, but is the same length from head to tail. The two bullocks are believed to be of the same stock. The Tasmanian bullock, now seven years old, was purchased by its present owner, Mr. M. J. Flynn, for £207. He says he recently refused an offer of £SOO for the beast.

- At Burnside last week 191 head of fat cattle were yarded, comprised mostly of good quality. The yarding being a large one, together with the fact that a number of butchers had bought privately, prices were lower by 10s per head compared to previous week’s rates. Quotations; Best bullocks, £ls 10s to £l7; extra, to £24; medium to good, £l3 to £l4 10s; best cows and heifers, £l2 to £l4 : extra, to £l7 lOs ; medium to good, £8 10s to £lO 10s; light do, £6 15s to £7 15s. Fat Sheep.36sl penned. A large yarding of good quality. Competition from butchers was keen, and prices compared to previous week were firm at equivalent rates. Freezing buyers were operating, but prices obtained in most cases were beyond their limits, consequently only a small proportion of the yarding was bought for export. Included in the entry were some pens of extra show sheep, which elicited keen competition and commanded extreme prices. Quotations: Best wethers, 32s to 345; extra show sheep, £2 10s to £5 10s; medium to good, 28s to 30s 6d ; light do, 22s to 24s 6d ; best ewes, 30s to 345; extra, to 525; good, 27s to 28s ? 6d; medium-, 21s to 22s 6d;

inferior, 14s 6d to 16s 6d. Fat Lambs. — 1443 penned, the quality of which, on the whole, was good. Competition for good quality was keen from exporters, and prices were very firm at late rates. Graziers were also buying freely any unfinished lots. Quotations, 22s to 24s 6d; extra show lambs, 35s to 465; good, 19s to 21s 6d; unfinished, 14s 6d to 17s. Pigs.— A small yarding, comprising 23 fats and 20 stores ; consequently prices were very high for both classes. In the case of fat pigs extreme prices were obtained. At Addington last week the entries of stock were smaller than at the previous two sales. There was a good attendance of buyers, and store sheep were firmer at slightly advanced rates. Although the yarding of beef was a comparatively small one, the market was rather weaker, as exporters were unable to operate. Fat lambs opened easier, but improved on previous week’s rates. Fat sheep were in keen demand at an advance of Is to 2s. There was dull sale for store cattle, but a strong demand for pigs. Fat Lambs.— Extra prime lambs, to 30s; prime lambs, 22s 6d to 26s 6d ; medium, 19s 6d to 225; lighter, 15s 3d to 19s. Fat Sheep.—Prime wethers, 27s to 33s Id; others, 23s to 26s 6d; merino wethers, 16s lOd to 26s 6d; prime ewes, 26s to 31s; medium, 22s to 25s 6d ; others, 14s 9d to 21s 6d. Fat Cattle.—Extra prime steers, to £lB 10s*; ordinary steers, £9 7s 6d to £l2 10s; extra prime heifers, to £l4 13s 6d; ordinary heifers, £8 5s to £9 ss; extra prime cows, to £l2; ordinary cows, £6 2s 6d to £9 10s. Pigs.—Choppers, 50s to 120 s; extra heavy baconers, to 101 s 6d; heavy baconers, 74s to 85s; light baconers, 58s to 70sprice per lb, 6|d; heavy porkers, 46s to 48s; light porkers, 38s to —price per lb, 7d to 7Jd; medium stores, 24s to 28s; small stores, 14s to 255; weaners, 6s to 11s. POINTS IN CALF FEEDING. It is especially important that a certain amount of colostrum or green milk be fed to begin with. The colostrum is even more digestible than whole milk. It has a slightly medicinal effect, and is required to put the stomach and intestines of the young calf into working order. The colostrum is nature’s provision for the new-born animals, and, while specially valuable for these, it is quite unsuitable for feeding to older calves, and when fed to them is often the cause of trouble. If for any reason colostrum is not available a substitute, such as an egg switched up with a little castor oil, should be given to the new-born calf. All young calves, and particularly those that prove poor drinkers, should be fed three times a day for the first few days. This entails a little extra labor, but is amply repaid by results, as digestive troubles which frequently culminate in scour, are often avoided by its adoption. Regularity of feeding is also very important, and is a factor which has a very direct bearing on the general health of the calves.

The quantity of milk fed should be gradually increased as the calf grows, .at least up to the time when other foods can be safely introduced. If a calf just gets the same amount of milk when four weeks old as it did when one week old, it is clear that it must either be overfed when a week old, or very much underfed when four weeks old. In order that the young animals may make steady progress the rations should be steadily increased as they develop. The actual quantity of milk fed should depend on the milk available, and the purposes for which the calf is intended. The milk should be either carefully measured or weighed, as guessing at the quantity is very unsatisfactory. "When any change in the ration is made, it should be ■ gradually effected so that it may be as little felt as possible. Calves are very easily upset, and an abrupt change in diet is a common cause of trouble.