COMMERCIAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4710, 11 June 1924, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

N.Z. MEAT PRODUCERS’ BOARD. SOUTH AMERICAN REPORT. The New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board has just received the usual monthly letter from its South American representative in which he gives some very interesting information regarding the general conditions applying to live-stock in the Argentine. He writes as follows"There is a large offering of fat cattle. but the very best quality are scarce!, and some of the works have difficulty to get best quality chillers. The large stinging flies and other insect pests at this season of the year cause much annoyance to live-stock, and mobs of cattle can frequently be seen ail crowded together n a circle with their heads down. Feeding or fat cattle lose condition under such persecution, which, fortunately, last for only about a month. Small native locusts have caused much damage this year by eating the small leaves off the alfalfa and leaving only the stalks for the cattle to eat. These have no feeding value, and for that reason large numbers ofi rattle are lacking finish. A drought has also been experienced over a considerable part of the alfalfa zone near Villegas and farther to the west, where rain is badly wanted on these light sandy soils that grow alfalfa well, though the tosca. or soft stone prevents the roots from reaching permanent wate*' —lienee much rain is needed to nourish the plants. “The sheep grazing grounds, principally to the south of the province of Buenos Aires, are very good, as I could see the other day. “Prices of store and breeding cattle are cheaper to the west, though maintained in the south. “Prices of sheep have fluctuated somewhat during the month since I last wrote, according to entries at the local sheep market, though best quality hoggets are selling well. Considerable entries of sheep are still coming to hand. The three Argentine plants on the south coast killed 227,169 head of sheep to the end of February. Several boats have already gone there to load. “Swift’s prices are as follows in works : Chillers 3.576 d, continental 2.823 d, chiller cow’s 2.259 d, canners 1.882 d to 2.070 d, calves 2.823 d, bulls 1.694<1. Sheep: Wethers 6.588 d to 6.964(1, ewes 4.706 d to 4.894 d, lambs (hoggets) 8.282 d to 8.847 d. "The pound sterling is worth today 12.75 pesos.”