THE WEEK

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24905, 19 June 1946, Page 9

THE WEEK

EXPORT MEAT KILLINGS Very large inci*eases in killings of all classes of stock for export, - with the exception of cattle, are recorded in the latest returns supplied by the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board. Up to May 18, the latest date for which figures are available, the increase on last year’s substantial x kill was 16,569 tens, and there was a possibility that the 1940-41 season’s record would be surpassed. The board considers it likely that in any case an additional 10,000 tons above the quantity for last season will be available for export./ The heaviest increases have naturally been in the North Island, where the drought had the effect of forcing more stock than.usual into the works. An additional factor has undoubtedly been the • lower grades of meat that have been acceptable for export at this time, when the world welcomes meat of any kind. This also accounts for the lower average weights. The figures supplied by the board, from October 1, 1945, to May 18, 1946, are as follows, with last year’s figures in parentheses:— North Island.—Lambs (carcases), 6,208,896 (5.399,157): wethers (carcases), 636,900 (612,809); ewes (carcases), 1,654.819 (1.179,088); beef (quarters), 428,090 (527,227). South Island.—Lambs, 4.535,764 (3,984,591); wethers, 69,018 (53,327); ewes, 625,992 (565,099); beef, 30,274 (19 350) Dominion. Lambs, 10,744,660 (9,383,748); wethers, 705,918 (666,136); ewes, 2.280.811 (1.744,187); beef (quarters), 458,364 (546,577).

Average killing weights to May 18, with comparative figures for last season in. parentheses, are:— North Island.—Lambs. 31.46 (34.34): wethers, 54.58 (59.87); ewes, 52.85 *67.43).

South Island.—Lambs, 34.86 (35.47); wethers, 49.72 (51.59); ewes, 53.42 (63.97). Dominion.—Lambs. 32.89 (34.82); wethers, 54.11 (59.20); ewes, 53.00 (56.31).

HIGH-COUNTRY DOG TRIALS

designed to encourage musterers and their dogs, a novel form of dog trials Was organised by runholders in the Ashburton Gorge last week, and it drew an excellent response from musterers of the district. In the trials an

attempt was made to reproduce the ordinary conditions of mustering and encourage better handling of sheep. Some standard trial events are tob far removed from the everyday run *of shepherding. A ccrurse. was chosen on a steep and rocky face of Hakatere station. In turn the competitors took up their position on the hill, each with a team of three ddgs—one heading dog and two huntaways. They then had to take their sheep over the course as though they had been assigned that beat on a muster. The course was made up of four sections, the first being a head and pull, with the sheep out of sight until within a few chains of the man. The sheep were then “taken in hand” and driven round the face to the top of a rocky bluff. From there the competitors were required to hunt the sheep through some rocky gullies with their first huntaway dog and complete the course by a downhill slew with the second huntaway. The judge. Mr G. J. Forman, who has had much experience of back-country work, allocated points for each section Of the course, and also for the work and command of the team as a whole. A handy event open to allcomers was also run, attracting a good response, and it was judged by Mr J. Radcliffe. ■ EARLY LAMBS On a farm in the Kirwee district there is a thriving flock of lambs, now about seven weeks old. They are probably the earliest lambs in Canterbury this year. The actual lambing was attended by a good deal of anxiety for the owner, but, having got them this far in excellent condition, he feels that he has every chance of carrying them through the rest of the winter without trouble and producing them fat he hopes, at a high price, later in the year. AS may well be imagined, this was not an attempt to produce large lambs for the August and November markets, but was due mostly to the high cost of fencing and the Characteristic enterprise of a Southdown 1 ram.

AERIAL CONTROL OF PESTS

The locust pest has caused some damage to wheat crops in northern Victoria, and growers have induced the Government to take control measures, which are reported to have been effective. A spraying material with 5 per cent. Gammexane in solvents of benzol and lubricating oil sprayed at four gallons an acre from an aeroplane gave a 98 per cent. kill, tn the first spraying 25 acres were treated where the locusts were doing considerable damage. The actual spraying time was 25 seconds. Further methods of control are to be investigated. but it is thought that the aerial spraying will take some beating.