GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1125, 12 May 1911, Page 8

GENERAL FARMING NEWS.

Eight weighty Shire stallions, three and four years old, recently left England for the district Tavnboy Government, ..on the frontiers of Siberia. An English farmer writes of a sow that has had eight litters, and has bred up seven lots of twelves and one of thirteen. In Yorkshire a farm labourer who had been engaged for the harvest • ot the usual enhanced scale of wages for that period, met with an accident which incapacitated him. He claimed 'compensation at the rate of IGs.- per week, half the amount of his total computed earnings at the time of the accident. The insurance company resisted this claim, but offered 10s. per week, contendng that compensation should bo based on what would be the average wage during the year. His Honour reserved judgment. As a reply to a letter from Bathurst, New South Wales, inquiring whether or not a white hoot should disqualify a Eomney Marsh sheep from being awarded a prize, the English Eomney Marsh Association directed its secretary to write and state that such a mark would not disqualify an otherwise good sheep. 'A noted Shorthorn cow of the 1859-69 period was Grand Duchess Bth, dam of many high-priced specimens, which sold at 1900gns., 550gns., SOOgns., and 420gn.s. She died in February, 18G!), after lingering a year. It; was remarked, of her that "her chance of breeding was quite hopeless, but her appetite must have been extraordinary, for eight long'nails, one buckle, one livery button, a glove stud, two pieces of wire, a piece of lead, three pieces of iron, ten small stones, and a quantity of shot were found in her stomach at her death."—"Live Stock Journal." How much weight do fat cattle lose in marketing? .(asks the "ll'armer.and Stockbreeder"). It continues.:.-Ripe beasts, through hunger and other causes, will slip from Jcwt. to lewt. of their homo weights. A recent, investigation at the lowa Experiment Station gave some results as lo the influence of age upon the prolificness of sows, the weight of their offspring, and the growth of the young pigs. Sows of eight to nine months of ago bred an average of 7 2-3 pigs to a litter, while the.average for sows twenty-four months old'was!) 3-5, and that -of aged sows 10 3-5. . The average weights nf tho young pigs in the same order'were 2.391b. each, 2.G3, and 'J.GI. After reaching the ago o! six weeks the pigs from the youngest sows made a daily gain in live weight of 0.321b., while those of the two-year-old sows'made, one of CUOlb.

LIVE STOCK SALES. Messrs. Da'se'y and Co.. Ltd., report:—At our Palmcr-iton sale yesterday a. fair entry of sheep asd cattle came forward. Quotations:—Forward lambs, to 9s. 2d.: weancrs, 155., 205., 265., to 295. 6d.; forward cows, £3 (s. M. to £3 15s. 6d.; dairy heifer.-. £<t IBs. 6d. to £5: dairy cows. £5 to £5 55.: rising 3-ycar steers, to £5 6s. Jfessr.;-. Abraham and 1 Williams, Ltd. (Palnterstoii branch) report:—At our weekly sale, held ov. Thursday, we had a fair yardinK of both sheep and cattle. Sheep were in Rood demand, and practically all were sold at price- sMerlitly in advance of last week. Cattle sold at late rated. \Vo nuote:—Two-tooth owes in lamb, 4 and 6-tooth ewes, in lamb, IS;.: asctl owes in lamb, 6d. to 95.; Ir.mbs. 4s. 2d. to 7s. 5d.; forward wether--, !2s. Sd.: blackface. 2-toothr.. lCs. 4d.: 2-to»'h cmiity ewes, 9c. ICd. to Ws. Cattle: Three-year steer-.?, £5 lis.; forward bullocks, £7 12s. 6d.; fat cowi;. £4 55., £4 Its., £5 is. to £5 14s. 6d.; ycarlina heifers. £2 18s. 6d., 255.. lEs. 6d.; yearling steers, 21s. 6d.; bulls, £4 3s, 6d. to £5 4s. The New Zealand Loar. and Mercantile Agency Company. Ltd.. report ac follows :— On Thursday wc had a moderate entry of sheep and cattle, which met with a fair demand, and a eood clearance was effected. Wo nuote :-Shcep: Cull owes 2s. lid.: store lambs, 6s. 2d.; forward lambs, 7s. 9d. Oattlo: Cull weanT.s, 11a 6d. to 12s. 6d.; wean era, 2£s. to jOs. 6dlstore cows, £3 lo £3 lis.: forward and hciiora. £4; cows in calf, £4; forward bullocks, £6 10s.