H.B. LIVE STOCK REVIEW

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 148, 10 July 1937, Page 17

H.B. LIVE STOCK REVIEW

Feed Conditions Having Effect

THIS WEEK'S SAIES

Evidence of the effect of the shortage of feed was not hard to find in either of the yardings at Waipukurau or Stortford Lodge this week. The effect was most noticeable with the breeding ewes which, except for a few entries, were in light to poor order. High-country sheep again showed up prominently to bo the best lines in the yards. On Wednesday the prinoipal entries were on account of Rukumoana Stution and Mr Hugh Croase, of Patoka ; Statiqn. A feature yith these sheep was their splendid constitution. The Patoka sheep especially were in splendid order. The older sheep had splendid ckisel mouths being in contrast to niany lines often seen qf younger sheep from other districts. Mr Croase's tvvotooths, which were medium i'ramed, were well-bred showing an unusual iineness in the wool. These young ewes should develop into a fine breeding flock and the buyer has reason to congratulate himself on his purchase, Having to dispose of portion of his property accounted for Mr Oosse's entries which showed quality throughout in common with most of the sheep offered from the jPatoka district this season. One of his entries at least was purchased for Puketitiri, A Uine for a Turnover. On Wednesday the Une ofiering the biggest turnover on the day was a loli of old ewes big framed and in lamb to ciouthdQFu rams which made only 11/6. Although they were right down Jn tb« rnouth and probably had been for a long time, at the price they could carrited on with a few bales of hay for the next six weeks. They wer6 well covered with wool of the liard and heavy type which, however, fills the bales and which of late has been in keea demand. Now that the critical rearing period l'or hoggets is passed there is an increasing demand for these lines which are improving in values, The 22/- mark was reacked for three or four pens oi t'airly grown woolly Romney wether hoggets in very forward order and containing a good percentage ready to hang up. A shorn line in poor order and tueked-up made very dear buying at 15/- being 3/- more than they were worth as they. are likely to develop into very stunted two-tooths. h'armers generally were complaining about their paddo.cks being baie and the next month promises to be a most anxious period for many. In February last many farmers were complaining that, as the result of the wet summer, they had so much feed that they did not Imow what to do with it. It was tlien pointed out in these columns tliat the end of the winter was a long way off and the surplus might not prove to be a waste. To-day hay is being fed out extensively and old stocks of meadow hay are proving to be a valuabie standby.

Will Ewes Have EnougH Milk.? With the ewes so low in condition it is doubtful if they will have sufficient milk to rear their progeny. 'The weather has certainly been steAling to the favour of most farmers, otherwiso the number of deaths would have been considerable. To add to the anxieties through the shortage of feed paralysis has made its appearance and one farmer at least has suffered quite heavy losses among his good ewes, In th© fat pens the condition oi ewes especially is failing to hold up like it did last season. Pens of heavy ewes are rare and this week the best have been only medium weigkt with many of these unfinisbed. Their values are being kept up only through remunerative price for wool. On some of the big framed sorts early shorn the skin is certainly the best part. Mr JD. J. Holden s two-tooth wethers fattened on his Mangateretere property represented the best quality mutton in the yard and this was realised by at least one butcher who took a line of 80. Several pens of small-framed light wethers were offered which were hard to trade. "They are wethers not ewes," remarked an auctioneer when he failed to exceed the 26/- mark. "And they are dear enough at that," replied a buyer after putting his hand on several of them. The hoggets were all very sniall grown being chiefly late iamhs and not particularly well finished. Several were not up to the quality of some of the good lines iu the stone pens

Fall Away in Quality. The fat cattle pens saw a fall away in both numhers and quality on Wednesday. Prime ox beef was not penned and the fema'le pens would have been a plain lot had it not been for the splendid Mokopeka draft of extra prime A berdeCn-A ngus cows and heifers. Butchers' quality was chiefly cohfiued to these pens whieh resulted in the rise in values. JLn dontrast to these pens mauy oi the others wero rakish and light reqUiring two or threo months in a good fattening paddock. Butchers are likely to have some difficulty in maintaining sufficient supplies of prime sorts as holding, fat cattle just now is a major problenl. This is illustrated by numbers pf chilters having gone back to store condition. In Alay chillers were held up owing to the shortage of shipping space and now that tlie space is available only a sniall percentage are killable having gone back, The store pens this weelc have been confined to weaners tlie prtneipal draft being 250 heifers and stoers on account Of Mr R. Matthews of Whakarara. 'J'his \omig stock «cre niccl.v grown and in very healthy condition. A striking feature was their splendid coats showing good breeding. The heifers should devi-iop into good breeding sorts, being the type that is re- ■ quired provided good feed is availabl©.