At The Furrow’s End

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 110, 30 July 1927, Page 26

At The Furrow’s End

Our Beef Industry Much has been heard lately of New Zealand’s declining beef industry. Members of the Meat Control Board have toured the country pointing to the deteriorated lands and attributing it to depleted cattle herds. In an address to a recent executive meeting of the Auckland Provincial Executive of the New' Zealand Farmers’ Union a Meat Board member drew' a pitiful picture and, according to him, our cattle herds are becoming depleted so rapidly that within the course of a year or so our beef cattle will be almost a thing of the past. He brought figures to show that export figures had declined well over 50 per cent, during the last four years, and used that as an argument that graziers were not breeding cattle now. Such statements are contradicted by the Meat Board’s own figures. A table set out in this year’s annual report of the board shows that during 1926 there were over half a million more beef cattle in the country than in 1916. In 1922 the figures certainly show a big advance, and continued to rise until the peak year of 1924. when they were approximately 120,000 ahead of the figures for 1926. Since then they have come back, and the table shows the number of beef cattle in the Dominion at the 1926 census as 2,089,777. It must be admitted that there are less cattle in the country to-day than was the case four years ago. __ Even so, there is no cause for alarm* Several factors have to be taken into consideration. The season before last in certain parts of the Dominion saw one of the most protracted droughts experienced during recent years. Hundreds of cattle perished in the paddocks. Thousands, again, especially in the Wa.irarapa and Hawkes Bay. and. in fact, right up that part of the coast, were sacrificed as potters. Seasons must elapse before these losses will be totally wiped out. Again, to a certain extent, breeding of fat cattle has been checked, and other sources of income have taken its place. # On present land values it does not pay to breed beef on small areas. Dairying and its attendant side-lines offer greater chance of profit, and the farmer is rightly availing himself of them. From now on the New Zealander must reconcile himself to the fact that he can never expect great returns from beef. This country is gradually evolving into a land of small areas necessitating intensive farming. Beef will never work in with such a need. A four-year-old bullock that has to be well done to bring £ls on only the most favourable markets is not to be compared with a good dairy cow of the same age that.has probably shown a clear profit of well over that and is available for increasing profits for several years to come.

Beef breeding is for countries such as the Argentine and the Northern Territory of Australia, where large areas of cheap land are available. Certainly cattle are essential on fljcountry for controlling the pasture and to a great extent herds for tin; purpose of being maintained. Apa: from this few logical arguments caibe adduced to show that a decline even if it can be proved that there is a serious decline, is to be regretted We must move with the times. A Common Lambing Ailment To a greater or less degree, according to the season and other initffactors, most farmers at this time <• the year have to contend with noolosses due to ewes suffering from wn*is commonly known as having “bearings out.” In polite parlance i is known as a prolapse of the vagtiu. or a protrusion of the womb. . The principal causes are a nu winter with an abundance of - which the ewe approaching lambing comes excessively fat and exercL little. Ewes bearing twin lambs & the principal sufferers. Young ew are practically immune. Prevention can be . lars brought about by exercising flock. Ewes on good pastures approaching lambing should be mao to move about two or three times a day. They shoulc eve t be" l *” to run a little. In every mstanc where this advice has been car out the trouble has been red to a minimum. On the bigger stations this, of cou would be impracticable, but it S show that the complaint is aue*** to good pastures and lack oi On the big stations the -jjc have two courses of treatmen-slieath-knife or, in cases where truded membrane has not becotn , lacerated and filthy, a curative The bearing is simply pushed Dae* place with the hand. After this locks of wool from each side vulva are tied tightly together to it in place. ]argeU In smaller flocks, such as «t met with nearer Auckland an Bt - s Xorth, a more scientific trea • • ;e j recommended, hirst wash th part with a mild and slightl antiseptic. Cleanliness is {gK . Then smear the right hand and arm with carbonised or similar gently push the va St”® in f , e pand keeping it in position ’*' lt 'V , a ticm >* till it becomes warm and ctreu. restored. old b°- s Lincoln College Re un,on ,\"r of Lincoln College hold their w reunion on Wednesday, _j] o!ii invittaion has been extended boys to attend the colloge afternoon. A dinner will Old at the college in the evenl L^ n t #re students who intend to be P • invited to communicate witn retary, Mr. G. 11. Holford, Christchurch.