ON THE LAND

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XLVIII, Issue 45, 15 November 1923, Page 45

ON THE LAND

MARKET - REPORTS.

There was another full yarding of fat cattle at Burnside- last week, consisting of. 275 head. The major portion comprised medium .quality steers and cows. Prices opened slightly easier than, those ruling on the previous week, and tis the sale progressed they gradually declined further. • At the end of the day prices may bo quoted 10s to 15s below the opening • rates. Ertra prime heavy-weight bullocks made to £18,55, prime heavy-weight bullocks £l6 2s 6d to £l7 7s 6d, medium from; £l4 12s 6d to £ls 7s 6d, others from £l2 upwards, best cows and heifers £9 to £ll ss, medium from £7 7s 6d to £8 ss, others from £6 upwards. Fat Sheep. fairly large yarding was brought forward for last week’s sale, 2183 being penned. A good percentage consisted of well-finished shorn wethers. At the commencement - of the sale prices opened 2s. below the previous week, and as the sale progressed there was a further noticeable decrease in. values. Several pens at the latter end of the sale, were passed in. Extra prime heavy-weight woolly wethers realised to 675, "prime heavy-weight woolly wethers from 52s to 57s 6d, medium from 44s 9d to 48s 6d, lighter kinds 40s upwards,, extra prime shorn wethers 44s to 46s 3d, prime shorn wethers 38s 6d to 41s, medium shorn wethers 34s 9d to 375, lighter kinds from 32s 6d upwards, extra prime woolly ewes to 60s, prime woolly ewes 45s 6d to 49s 6d, others from 40s upwards, extra prime shorn ewes to 42s 6d, medium-from 34s 6d to 37s 9d, others from 30s upwards. Lambs. —There were 72 penned, which was a slightly larger yarding ' than that of the preceding week. Prices showed little difference compared with the previous week’s sale. Best lambs sold to 40s, others from 32s to 36s 3d,., small and inferior kinds from 28s upwards. Fat Pigs.— was a medium yarding of pigs, and a clearance as effected ' under keen competition at enhanced prices. Prime baconers and porkers were sold at an advance of about 5s per head, and medium weights were also slightly dearer. Sheep Farming on Native-Grass Pasturage (Contributed.) - WHAT TO DO WITH THE LAMBS. Fat lambs intended to be sold as such should be drafted as soon as they are fit for the freezer or butcher. As soon as they are fit let them 7 go. On hilly land it is generally a mistake to wait for an increase of weight, when they are fit, for they may fall off in condition, and besides the ewes will thrive better w r hen the lambs are taken from them, and this is an , important consideration, if there be any likelihood of scarcity of feed; and again it frequently happens that the prices, fall late in the season. The best ewe lambs should be kept for the breeding-flock. It will be necessary to cull out each year such ewes as show signs of age, of inferiority, and if a certain number of ewe lambs are kept there will be always two-tooth ewes available 'to make up; any shortage. All lambs except the close-woolled should be shorn for the sake of greater cleanliness, greater immunity from parasites, lesser risk of being stricken by the blow-fly, and lesser liability to be cast during the ensuing year. It is better not to shear lambs intended for the local sale. Unshorn lambs invariably bring , a better

price in the market, as they present a better appearance to the public. It is a good practice, too, not to wean lambs too early, even though they should be something of a strain on their dams. This more especially applies to lambs raised on hilly country where there is a shortage .of succulent , grass to pasture them on. It is dangerous to put newly-weaned lambs to graze on low-lying wet paddocks, particularly when the grass has been allowed to grow too long and: rank. In such paddocks they appear to be especially liable to the ravages of lung-worm and, scour-worm. If a healthy growth of green feed, preferably short green feed, is available on the hills, this will be found the best place for them. Care should be taken not to overcrowd them in small paddocks. Stocking too thickly can never be beneficial, and is often a fruitful source of disease.

Once more let me repeat: keep;the best ewe lambs to maintain the standard of the flock. • The sooner 5 the wether lambs are sold, if fat, the greater the profit; generally speaking; get all the : fats you can straight*from the mothers. The balance of the lambs may be kept or, sold as : stores, as may seem best having consideration for fattening, markets and other circumstances. With regard to the fattening of lambs, not intended to be kept, on rape or other artificial-crops, one must be governed by the cost of producing such foods when there is a good demand for ■ stores. In winter or indeed at any time, if lambs that have been grazing on wet low-lying land show signs of coughing or scouring, move them .to high country as soon .as possible. , T , ". -.- ; ' . ’ OVER/FEEDING CAUSES LOSS OF LAMBS. / / . ‘ Lambs are liable to suffer from over-nutrition. Many losses which sheep-owners erroneously - attribute to woolball have been traced to an unhealthy condition- of the kidneys. When sucking the mothers lambs occasionally pluck locks of wool from them and swallow them. These bits of wool form little balls in their stomachs and doubtless cause death in some .cases. - Any sheep-farmer of experience will have found dead large lambs five or six weeks old.” As they were in good condition and appeared healthy with no scouring, he for lack of other cause has put the deaths down to wool ball in the stomach. A Government veterinarian claims that in the' majority of cases observed . by him the wool ball was, not the cause of death, as it caused no obstruction in the stomach. The cause- was rather the unhealthy condition of the kidneys, .which were much enlarged, pulpy- showing signs of hemorrhage; and that this was the result of over-nutrition. As a test it was arranged to examine the stomachs of a number of fat lambs slaughtered at the freezing works. Out of 4000 lambs dealt with nearly 40 per cent, had the wool ball in the stomach. This fact speaks for itself. Again many farmers have noticed that after docking' these occasional deaths entirely or almost entirely cease. The reason is that the loss of blood caused by docking has resulted in loss of condition. The best .remedy therefore is to dock the lambs at . the age of two or three weeks and thus prevent, the evil in time as it is almost always lambs over that age that are lost through over-condition. - - • * ROOK SALT. "... .> : I The practice of placing rock salt in covered boxes at much frequented spots on the sheep-run cannot be too highly spoken of. The sheep once, they have - s tasted it readily take to and look for it; indeed should the salt .. have become dissolved by rain they will greedily lick up the earth round about the boxes. The salt acts as a tonic for x them and brings 7 about an improvement; in condition. It is claimed by some to be a deterrent against foot-rot. Some flock-masters, however, attribute abortion to the too ,liberal use of salt, so that there may be wisdoiri in withholding it' from pregnant ewes. ’ In former times . sheep-owners in Spain were compelled by law to provide a certain amount of salt each year for their flocks.' There is besides moving the lips and bending the knee, another interior: prayer , without intermission, v and that is the longing of Thy heart. , Whatever else thou mayest be doing, if thou longest ‘ after that Sabbath : of God, Thou - dost not intermit to .pray— continual desire is Thy continual voice.St. "Augustine. ■... ■ -