At The Furrow’s End

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 224, 10 December 1927, Page 27 (Supplement)

At The Furrow’s End

A Profitable Cow Fifteen hundred guineas for one cow. Yes, there is no mistake. That is the figure twice, at different times, offered to Alex Christie and Coy., of Tanekaha, North Auckland, for the little Jersey, Vivandiere. Vivandiere was the champion cow at the Auckland Metropolitan A. and P. Show this year. In all, she has been awarded 35 first prizes and eleven championships, including the North Island champion ribbon, which became hers this year. Vivandiere has greater claims to fame, however. She holds the world’s record for butter-fat production on twice a day milking. To do it she pro-

duced 17,2831 b. of milk, yielding 1,030.91 b. of butter-fat. This record for twice a day milking remains unbeaten to-day. Her owners have had several enticing offers for Vivandiere, but they have always turned them down. In any case, besides prize money and returns for butter-fat, she has been a payable proposition. Her progeny have been sold for a total of 1,240 guineas. One bull

calf went to South Africa at 140 gns. Vivandiere held court at the Auckland Show and throughout the two days her stand was surrounded by a close ring of admirers. She is indeed a fine type of Jersey milker. Trials of Meat Trade

Irrespective of who will pay in the end, it must be admitted that the producer is benefitting to a certain extent as a result of the fierce competition at present met with in the overseas meat trade. In their effort to catch trade buyers cut profits to a fine point and. irrespective of the fact that cables earlier in the season indicated that the “meat war” was ending, big losses were made by some of the large operators last season. What the smaller men lose is seldom heard of.

It is certain the exporters buying in the Dominion allow very little margin at times to cover possible future market weaknesses. Any losses are thus theirs, and not the producer. Of course, it is admitted that the trend is sometimes the other way. A recent article in the “Daily Mail,” dealing with the question, stated that the “meat war” was still in progress, and that the losses to the companies engaged are mounting up to an enormous sum.

A conservative estimate places the total loss in the neighbourhood of £20,000,000, but what the actual figure is will probably never be known to the public, although the shareholders in the companies may have unpleasant reminders. The “war” started about two years ago as the result of the failure of the companies—British and American—comprising the South American Conference, an organisation regulating the supply of South American chilled beef to England, to agree on the quotas each should have following the organisation of new companies outside the conference, but operating with plant purchased from members of the conference.

As a result of this dispute there was “war to the knife” between fHe companies and chilled beef was brought into England irrespective of demand and sold at a loss.

The drain became so heavy that a few months ago the companies were brought together and agreed on new percentages of the trade each should have.

But now another stumbling block has arisen. It has to deal with freight, and the percentages scheme agreed on cannot be put into operation because one company is claiming a share of the freightage to England. The other companies will not agree, and so the war continues.

"We are still talking,” said the representatives of one of the firms recently. “and I expect we shall go on doing so: meanwhile the heavy loss continues.”