Hill-country Cattle

Lake County Mail, Issue 38, 25 February 1948, Page 1

Hill-country Cattle

That it was only on the roughest parts of Scotland, where winters were specially severe, that Galloway cattle were not wintered outside, was a remark by Mr A. B, Duncan, chairman of the Galloway Cattle Society, in amplification of a recent public statement. It was true, said Mr Duncan, that under severe Scottish conditions the young stock did better if kept off the poorest of the hills in their first winter; but such protection would appear neither necessary nor desirable in the much milder conditions obtaining in the North Island of New Zealand. There the Polled Angus cattle were wintered on the hills as yearlings, and Galloways, being a tougher and more rugged breed, should do even better. The Galloway in Scotland had proved itself .able to withstand any conditions of rough country, feed and weather. Its rough-haired, doublecoated covering, ranging from black to’an occasional dun, caused the breed tp stand out as the only one which was not housed in the bitterest of winters, and as a beef breed providing an excellent carcass it had practically replaced all others in the west of Scotland, and was in strong demand for the hills of Wales and Devon. Galloway cattle were a distinctive black-coated breed with no markings whatever. They provided a very hardy cow which would breed on laud incapable of carrying any other breed of cattle. The steers thrived under those conditions, and a strong point in their favour was that even after a setback they did .not lose their shape. They took a little longer to fatten under the hard conditions in which they were run than did other breeds kept on lush feed, but when they reached the fattening stage as a three-year-old their carcass was unsurpassed, as was shown by the prizes won by the breed at Smithficld and the high reputation held with the butcher.

Rationing lifted on tyres just in time; the air was beginning to show through on ours. Women at forty can he as pretty as they were at twenty-five —but it takes longer.

Wedding Invitations, Return Thanks and Personal Printing neatly and promptly executed. Write to the Lake County Mail for Service.

Dried-up # Rivers Require Fish to be Transhipped Lack of rain has caused some rivers in Central Otago to dry up. Not onty does this prevent their use for irrigation purposes which is serious enough but it has, presented a problem which the Internal Affairs Department at Queenstown are endeavouring to overcome. Over 11,000 young trout have been transferred post haste from the dried up Lindis River to the Clutha and Lake Hawea, stated Mr B. Vercoe when interviewed by the Lake County Mail last week. Men of the department net the fish, place then in cans and transport them as fast as possible by truck. Mr Vercoe said that other rivers were getting low and it was necessary for the department to keep a keen watch on them. It appears likely that trans-shipping of trout may be necessary from other rivers if rain is not forthcoming soon, he said. Last year, about 6000 were trans-shipped.

I’ve been watching the necklines of bathing costumes and evening dresses slipping slowly downward every year. Eventually the law of gravity is bound to win! Insurance companies tell us that a great many accidents happen in the kitchen .... yes, and we’ve had to eat some of them.