On the Land

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 40, 21 October 1925, Page 53

On the Land

MARKET REPORTS.

There was a medium yarding of fat cattle f at Burnside last week, 200 head being penned. The quality was only fair, and there’ were very few pens of really prime bullocks forward, the bulk of the entry comprising cows and heifers of medium quality. Prices opened firm at late rates, and at times there was a" very noticeable rise in values, especially for any ell-finished light cattle, but, taken all over, prices may be quoted on a par with the previous week’s rates. Prime heavy-weight bullocks made up to £3l 10s, heavy-weight bullocks £27 10s to £29, lightweight bullocks £lB 15s to £23 12s 6d, prime heifers up to £lB 2s 6d, medium heifers £ll 10s to £l4 15s. Fat Sheep. There was a medium yarding of 1611 penned for last week’s, sale. The quality was good, and the 'bulk of the entry comprised wethers of which there were several pens of extra good quality. Prices opened on a par with late rates, and as the sale progressed values for heavy sheep firmed, and at the end of the day prices for this class had risen from Is to Is 6d above opening rates. Some of the northern butchers were operating, and naturally this outside competition on a small market kept values firm. Prime heavy-weight wethers made up to 60s, heavy-weight wethers 54s to 575, light-weight wethers 42s to 455, prime heavy-weight ewes 45s to 48s 6d, heavyweight owes '42s to 445, light-weight ewes 30s to 335, new season’s lambs 40s to 45s 6d. Lambs. — spring lambs were penned of good average quality. Prices were well up

tbs those of the previous week, ranging from 36s to 48s 6d. Pigs.—There were 110 fats and 123 slips. Fat pigs sold at rather less

than the preceding week’s high rates, and the others showed little change.

Entries were on the small side at Addington last week, and there was a good, sound, sale, though fat cattle failed to hold the previous week’s rates. Eat Sheep.—There was an average yarding, which included several trucks from the Tapanui district of South Otago. One line of 150 from Heriot mad© 45s 7d to 60s Id. The sale generally was a shade dearer than on the preceding week. Extra prime wethers made 57s 6d to 60s Id, prime 47s to 53s 6d, medium 43s 6d to 48s 6d, light 39s lOd to 435, extra prime ewes to 46s 4d, prime 40s 6d to 445, medium 37s to 40s, light 34s lOd to 36s 94, prime shorn wethers to 36s lOd, ordinary shorn wethers 34s Id to 35s 6d, prime hoggets to 42s 4d. Eat Cattle. There was an entry of 412 head, which included 80 head from the North Island, and consignments from the Chatham Islands and the West Coast. Values were down on the previous week by 20s to 30s per head. Butchers complain of the high prices now ruling for meat, in consequence of which consumption is being restricted. Extra prime beef made up to j£.>s7a 6d per 1001 b, prime beef 52s 6d to 565, f— prime heavy 50s to 52s 6d, medium 46s to j 495, light 42s to 44s 6d, and rough down to *' 27s 6d. Extra prime heavy-weight steers made £27 to £33 12s 6d, prime heavy steers £2l to £24, medium weight £l7 to £2O 10s,

light £l4 to £l6 15s, rough £ll to £l3 10s, extra prime heifers £lB to £22 ss, prime £l2 15s to £ls 15s, ordinary £9 7s 04 to £l2 10s, light £4 6s to £8 10s, extra prime cows to £l9 2s 6d, prime £l2 10s to £ls 10s, ordinary £9 5s to £l2 os, light £7 15s to £9, aged £4 to £7 10s. Vealers. —There was a good sale. Runners made £8 to £9 17s 6d, good vealers £6 10s to £7 ss, others £4 15s to £6 2s 6d. Eat Pigs. — Choppers made £3 10s to £7 10s, baconers £4 7s to £6 10s: prite per U» Bid to 9-id; porkers 55s to 82s, price per lb 914 lo 101 d. MORNING AND EVENING MILK EAT PERCENTAGES. Where milk producers sell milk that has been drawn in the morning, there is always some risk of it being deficient in fat. Milk drawn from the cow in the morning is invariably poorer in buttermilk than that secreted in the afternoon or evening. Dairy farmers and all who produce milk for human consumption should be fully aware of this fact, and of the reasons which account for it. It is not because the milk drawn in the morning and in the evening is different, although, when a cow lies still the percentage of water in the milk is larger, and that of the solids proportionately small, but the variation is due to the unequal time that elapses between tile periods. If a herd is milked at, say, 6 a.ra., and again at 3.30 p.m., the milk secreted in the latter time will be more than 1 per cent, richer than the morning’s milk, but if the second period is extended to 6 p.m., the morning’s milk will be richer in fat than the evening’s by about 0.2 per cent. We are fully aware of the fact that a six o’clock milking is quite impracticable as far as a. town dairyman is concerned. As a rule the afternoon milking is commenced at 3.30 p.m., or earlier, so that in order to make the intervals between milking more uniform the morning’s milk must be drawn as early as possible. There is a great variation between the fat percentages of the first and last drawn milk. The first drawn milk is usually very much poorer in fat than that drawn last, and in milking it is always advised that the ‘Tore” milk, or first few drawings, be allowed to fall into a separate pail. Apart from being of very poor quality, it invariably contains a great number of undesirable bacteria. In some instances variations as wide as 1 to 10 per cent, of fat in the first and last drawn milk have been noticed. The milk that is drawn first has been in the udder for a. considerable length of time, and according to some authorities undergoes peculiar changes during this period, certain organs of the udder exercising a reabsorb•tive action on the milk, which also tends to make it poorer in fat. Moreover, the larger globules of fat are of nearly the same size as the smaller milk ducts, for which reason they do not pass along these vessels very easily, and are only drawn out with the last milk.