ON THE LAND

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 38, 27 September 1923, Page 51

ON THE LAND

MARKET REPORTS. There were 198 head of fat cattle yarded at Burnside last week. A medium yarding of prime to medium quality cattle eventuated, for which there was good competition at a slight advance on the previous week’s rates. One extra prime bullock realised £22, other heavy prime bullocks from £l7 to £l9, medium from £l4 to £l7, lighter from £lO 10s to £l2, best cows and heifers made up to £l2, prime £8 to £lO, medium £7 to £B, lighter and aged from £5. Fat Sheep. There were, 1645 penned, including a good proportion of prime wethers. The sale was steady at an advance of-about Is 6d on the preceding week’s rates. Extra prime heavy wethers sold at from 60s to 635, prime 48s to 555, medium 40s to 465, light and unfinished from 34s to 38s, extra prime heavy ewes sold at from 53s 9d to 57s 9d, prime 36s to 39s 6d, medium from 28s to 325, lighter from 255. Fat Pigs. : —A very full yarding resulted, which consisted principally of porkers. Competition was brisk, and prices were on a par with the previous week’s rates. Prime baconers realised up to 7£d, and prime porkers to 9d per lb, suckers from 15s to 255, slips to 28s, good stores to 435, porkers from £2 5s to £3 ss, baconers from £3 IDs to £5 15s,

A notable feature about the Addington market last week was the small entry sheep, it being 33 per cent, under average requirements, and hot prices resulted in consequence. An over-supply of beef caused an easing of about 2s to 2s 6d per, 1001 b, but little good beef was selling under 40s per 1001 b. Store sheep met with a keen sale for good sorts. Fat Sheep. smallest entry for some years, and a further rise in prices of 3s per head resulted. Wether mutton made from B£d to Old per lb, ewe 7£d to Bld, extra prime wethers 55s to 60s, prime 48s to 52s 6d, medium 44s to 475, extra prime ewes 45s to 51s 6d, prime 41s to 445, medium 38s 6d to 40s 6d, light ewes 34s to 375, old ewes 25s to 30s. Spring Lambs. —Twenty were brought forward and sold from 30s to 37s 6d. Fat Cattle.—There was another big yarding of 435 head, 40,0dd of which came from the North Island, and 70 odd from Otago. Recent values were not maintained, the easing on the preceding week being about 20s per head. The bulk of good beef made from 4ls to 44s per 1001 b, secondary 36s to 395. Extra prime steers £22 10s, prime £l6 to £l9, medium £l2 15s to £ls 15s, light steers £8 15s to £l2, extra prime heifers £ls, prime £lO 15s to £l3, medium £8 10s to £lO 10s, inferior £6 to £8 os, extra prime cows £ls 15s, prime £9 15s to £l2 ss, ordinary £7 to £9 10s, old cows £4 5s to £6 10s. Vealers. —An average yarding, and specially good runners realised from £8 to £9 15s, good vealers to £6, medium £3 to £4 10s, small calves 10s to 30s. Fat Bigs.—A slight easing in porkers’ values was noticeable, and choppers realised from £3 to £6 10s, light baconers £4 5s to £4 10s, heavy £4 15s to £5 10s, extra heavy £5 15s (average price per lb 7d to 7id), light porkers 46s to 555, heavy 57s 6d to 70s (average price per lb 9d),

Sheep Farming on Native*Grass Pasturage (Contributed.) SHEARING. The shepherd manager of a small place will find him•elf busy at this time, particularly as he cannot rely on having expert assistance, most of this labor having been taken up by the larger sheds. Very often he must take the opportunity of getting shearers between the “cut out” of one shed and the starting of another. Moreover he has to be governed by such circumstances as weather, so it behoves him to have all that can be*foreseen, ready, beforehand. ' .

Often, too, he must be ready to muster the sheep before break of day, in order that the ewes may not be separated from the lambs longer than is absolutely necessary. To accomplish this the muster must be in and the drafting done early in. the day, so that the shec-<p may be

shorn and returned to the paddock when the day’s work is done. He will find, too, that he cannot always procure at short notice a man who can be relied on to roll, press, and brand his small clip so that it may go on the market in the most presentable way. Again he will have to look after flock tallies, see that there is no mis-mothering among the lambs, that the night pen is not over-crowded, foresee the next day’s work, arrange to be ready for any kind of weather, in fact have an eye to everything and everybody,.

PICKING up THE fleece.

As soon as the fleece is shorn off the “picker lip” or “fleece O” should be ready to take it up immediately. It is picked up in the following manner. Placing a hand each side of the fleece and catching it with the fore-finger and thumb of each hand he deftly draws it towards himself ; then catching up the fleece in one or two folds with the remaining fingers he goes to the rolling table, and holding the breech of the fleece with the forefinger and thumb of each hand, cleverly throws the fleece so that it alights thereon, extended with the clipped side downwards. Any “second cuts” or bits of dirt thus fall through the table. ROLLING, CLASSING, AND PRESSING. The wool roller next skirts the fleece. This is commonly done by tearing off the dinged pieces of wool about the legs, the inferior wool about the neck, and the dirty, sandy, and stained parts of the fleece wherever they may be found. The detached portions of the fleece thus torn off are thrown into bins prepared for the purpose.

In large flocks they are divided into bellies —first and second pieces in small flocks it is better to pack them all together and brand them bellies and pieces, because if too many classes are made it will be found when the wool is packed for sale that there are too many small packages. s

These small parcels of “fudges” as they are called, are not generally offered .at the big wool sales but are sold at the small oddment sales where they cannot be expected to realise so good a price.

To roll up the fleece first turn in the arms and edges; throw in the neck; throw in a fold on each side to centre; double over and roll from breech to neck. By this method the fine wool of the shoulder, which should be the best wool of the fleece, is shown when the fleece is rolled. The wool should be rolled in a neat workmanlike manner, but not too tightly. A glance is all that is needed for an expert to tell to what class the fleece belongs, and it should be at once placed in bin numbered for the purpose.

If it is to be sent to the market in the most presentable condition care must be taken in the packing, for however well it may have been classed and rolled, if the pressers are allowed to throw it .about and disarrange it they will undo all the work of both classer and roller. It must be handed to the presser fleece by fleece, carefully rolled as it came from the rolling table; the bales should be neatly sewn and branded and kept as clean as possible. A clean businesslike exterior to the bales creates a good first impression, and cannot fail to have a good effect on hovers.

In small flocks fleece wool should not be divided into too many classes. Three should- be sufficient. Lots of one or two bales are sold in “star lots” at the. close of the general wool sales, and it is preferable to have as few “star lots” as possible.

(To be continued.)