HEAVY CHARGES.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10318, 29 January 1927, Page 3

HEAVY CHARGES.

SHIPPING LAMBS TO LONDON,

WHAT IT COSTS

As a good deal' of loose talk is sometimes indulged in concerning the cost of shipping meat to London, it is of interest to note the following partieulars of tho charges -that were made on a consignment of 152 lambs that Avere shipped last season. The charges are detailed in the account sales made out by the Auckland Co-operative Freezing Works, 0., and are as follows:

£7B 13 0 In this case the lambs realised in London £202 16s Bd, and to these receipts are added a credit of £3l 12s 4d allowed at the freezing works for skins and fat. s The total charges average 10s 4d per head and after these had been deducted the farmer received £1 0s 6d for each lamb sent to the works. CROSSBRED PIGS. PRACTICE IN AMERICA. Commercial crossbreeding is practised bv a few American pig-raisers, who claim very satisfactory results from this method of operation, states a Avriter in the “American Swineherd.’’ An American breeder in Argentina who operates what is probably i&e biggest single bog-raising establishment in the Avorld folloAvs the same method in producing his market hogs, while, of course, all his breeding soavs and boars are purebreds. The Danish soavs as sold in London furthermore, are based on the same principle, and most of the famous Danish hogs, which sell at a premium on the English market, are crossbreds. The Danish sows are- characterised by extreme fertility and exceptional mothering abilities ; but the intermingling of fat and lean in the meat does rot quite measure up to the exacting standards of the British market. Thus, in order to produce die highest quality pork at lowest cost, Yorkshire boars are used on Danisn soavs.

PUNISHING HORSES A QUESTION OF TEMPERAMENT. A writer in the ‘‘Live Stock Journal" states that probably almost everyone avlio has had much experience in handling horses will admit that severe punishment, even when it is understood, and therefore to some extent reasonable, is not the best means of inducing horses to submit their aa ill s to ours. Light penalties, and, if possible, coercion Avitliout the infliction of pain are Avell lcuoAvn io be more effecth-e. There are tAvo reasons for tliis: First, the fact that a horse’s physical strength is so much greater than a mail’s that if the spirit of opposition is fully aroused the horse is likely to that he has a decisive adA-nntage Grille contest. The second reason lies in the nervous character of the horse’s temperament, Avliich makes the best effort of a cowed horse inferior to th.it of which he Avould be capable if his Avill had been brought into harmony Avith that of his master by firm but gentle measures. We all knoAV that there is just one thing Avhieh punishment can never effect—it can never make a bad tempered horse do his best in a race. Most of us are also UAvare that Avlien a horse entcis into the spirit of racing ho possesses an advantage o juiwilent to a considerable reduction of Aveight. Such facts tend to show thar gender measures may be expected to give especially good results if applied to racehorses

WHALE MEAT FOR PICS. GOOD RESIUTS ULAIMED. Whale meat and Avhale meat flakes have been recently fed to p)gs m Great Britain for the production ol pork and bacon, and to breeding sows, in .proportions varying from 5.to 15 per cent, of the rations used. As judged by the live Aveight increase per pig per day, the Avhale meat meal Avas slightly inferior to Avhite fish meal; but the Avhale meat flakes Avere thoroughly superior to the fish meal, and to bean meal and desiccated ground - nut meal as used in rations containing approximately equivalent nutriments. The pigs fed on Avhale meat AA v cro ready for the butcher earlier than the others, and also showed a finer “bloom.” The resulting pork and bacon Avere subjected to teste for possible taint or flavor, but •in no case was an adverse report received. Extracted Avas compared with uonextracted Avhale meat, and Avhale oils were also fed to pigs. Evidence obtained at present indicates that the Avhalo-oil does not produce any taint in the carcases, and so far from softening the resulting pig fat it rather seems to have the reverse effect. Further experiments on this point are necessary. Soavs Avlien fed on a diet containing 10 per cent, of white meat flakes produced good litters. The same feeding Avas continued during the laotating period, with satisfactory results. Important developments are possible before long in regard to the commercialising of the sheep-brand eliminating fluid that has been patented bv Mr. R. D l . Coghill, of Dunedin. This fluid (states the “Star”) is iioav knoAvn to have successfully stood a. two years’ exposure test, the brand mark being removed easily after that duration. In NeAv Zealand and America there are nearly 118 million sheep, each of Avhieh must he branded at least once a year, so it is no surprise to learn that Mr. Ooghill is receiving numerous suggestions as to how he should proceed Avith the business side of his discovery.

Freezing charges 18 7 11 Droving 10 0 Freight 31 8 7 F.o.b - 4 9 9 Insurance 3 1 6 Exchange 2 12 6 Meat levy London Charges—» Fort rates, cartage, 12 6 cold storage, etc. 11 8 7 Commission, 2| p.c. 5 1 5 Interest 1 0 0