FARM & DAIRY

Taranaki Daily News, 24 May 1919, Page 11

FARM & DAIRY

THE MEAT TRADE.

The annual review of tie 'Frozen Mea*i Trade, issued by Messrs W. Wedde'l .ana| Co., Ltd., is always an interesting pub- ! lication, particularly to New Zealanders, whose commercial interests are bound! up, to a greater extent perhaps than all of us are aware, in the export of frozen meat. The thirty-first annual review just to hand includes some tables of statistics which illustrate in a very striking manner the important part which this Dominion plays in the feed- | ing of the United Kingdom. In the last thirty-eight years, from 1880 to 1918 inclusive, covering the whole hisI tory of the frozen meat trade, the United Kingdom has imported 235.420,1000 tons of frozen mutton and lamb, nearly half of which, or to lie more precise 112,043,000 tons, came from New Zealand. The next largest exporter was South America, whose total was | 74,528,000 tons. In the supply of frozen I lamb during the last six years the pre- [ ponderance of New Zealand's quota is still more striking. Out of a total of 20,253,000 carcases New Zealand supplied to the United Kingdom 10,020,000 carcases, or 03.3 per cent of the total imports. Out of 30,444,000 carcases of mutton imported in the same period New Zealand contributed 12,821,000 carcases, or 42.1 per cent of the total. The handicap imposed on New Zealand by war-time shipping difficulties should be taken into account in considering the above figures, for while the normal exportable product of frozen mutton and lamb in. New Zealand in the last six years has been on the average about 0,000,000 carcases, the exports during 1917 and 1918 were under 3,000,000 carcases in each wise. A shortage of slaughtermen is causing the freezing companies some trouble at the present time. It would be felt more severely but for the fact that many of the companies are being compelled by the lack of-storage space to keep killim;, down to a minimum. The shortage of slaughtermen is due to several causes. Many men have left New Zealand during the war, while at the same time new works hare been opened. Australian slaughtermen have not come across to New Zealand in the usual numbers this year. The late season in the North Island, moreover, has delayed the release of men who, in the normal course of events, would have been available for work in the South Island. JERSEY CATTLE BREEDERS' ASSOCIATION, ANNUAL REPORT The annual report to be submitted at the seventeenth annual meeting of the -New Zealand Jersey Cattle Breeders' Association states that the balance-sheet shows the net profit for the year to be £4lO Is Stl. ■■ During the year 91 new members were elected, and only nine names were removed from the register, the total membership now being 542, a net increase 'of S2 for the year. Owing to the date of closing of applications for registration being altered to June 30 in each year, it is impossible, to show the number "of a'nimals whose pedigrees will appear in Vol. 16 of the Herd Book, although the figures at present are in excess of those received up to a similar date in any previous year. During the year transfers were recorded for 811 males and 1153 females, which in both instances is a very large increase over the figures of the previous year. This notwithstanding the grAit demand for the so-called dual pnrnose animals.

The council again offered subsidies to different A. and P. Associations offering prizes for semi-offieially tested cows, but owing to the very limited number of entries in several instances, no competition took place. This is not as it should be, considering the nmount of prize money to be won, which in every case is not less than £lO if tie full subsidy is claimed Gold medals Were offered to every A. and P. Association in the Dominion, for a class for cows in milk calved since July 1, 1916, five exhibits or no competition. In this instance also there must have been very meagre competition, as only ten medals were awarded. If members wish the council to continue to offer prizes to A. and P. Associations, then the ocuncil in turn expect members to assist in making the Jersey exhibit at shows the wrincinnl feature in the cattle section. Otherwise there is no educative value in shows from the Jerssy viewpoint, and the council must seriouslv consider the tinuance of their donations in that direction

.The semi-official test continues to demonstrate the undoubted merits nf the Jersev breed, and the council is pleased to advise that a very satisfactory showing -was made during the vpbt Certificates of record were awarded to 124 cows, -whicb ibrings mn tfhe total number of certificated cows -to Sfi7 whose average production of milk is 7337.01b. and of Iratterfat 404.85Tb in"34o dayp.. an average increase of 1.581b Inrtter-fat. although -no previous highest; word* were beaten during the year. Sixtv-seven cows earned the subsidies of £1 Is or over, granted by the council, for each 1001b of butter-fat produced shove the amount required to qualify for a certificate of record. In this connection it may be mentioned that the council nnreed to nav to the nominators of cows for semi-official test the sum of £1 Is for every 1001b of butter-fat produced aliove thff amount, necessary to qualify. The conditions governing the medal awards for semi-official records were revised as follow:—To win a gold medal a cow must produce not loss than 2001b bntter-fftt above the nmount required to qualify for a C.0.R.; to win a silver meflal she must produce not less than 1751b above her requirement; and to win a bronze medal she must produce not less than 1501b above the amount necessary to qualify. A premium of 25 guineas is offered to the nominator of any cow for semi-official test that produces Siifllb or over of butter-fat .during one testing period. In the hands of the officers nf Division of the New Zealand Department of Agriculture the management of the tests left nothing to be desired, and the Departmental staff is specially thanked for the assistance and oc-operation at all times given the .association.

In conclusion, the Teport says: "The indications are that the -primary industries of the Dominion are at the heginifinfr of a period of great activity, land is 'being cut -up in ail parts of the country, and is Tieing sold at pikes that «all for the utmost slciH in -management and the most scientific and ■economical methods of production if it is to be made profitable. One result that may T>e expected is the extension of the 'dairying industry, and the Jersey, us its most hiffhly perfected productive organisation, will participate in that development. The moment was never more opportune, 4hei«fw&, for the strengthening o! our

(association, sand jour council .appeals Ao imembers (tp -do the very iest they «an' Jfqr jtlie Sbreea foy advertising at by all [legitimate iineans, awl iby so doing make Sknowfn ifhe .superiority igf 4he Jersey if or liaarjing jpurposes;" j A iBAl) (SEASON. Palmerston :Norih, May 17. There as a shortage of if eed Su ±he .district ;around ■Ealincrstou North, tart; inquiries made ;go (to 'show .that «onditiom; are nothing .like jvb tserioua ,as ihej :axe in Eawke's Bay. The scarcity of Seed and water have, however, :sh.own •fljeir effects on the stock markets, -.which sire decidedly sluggish, .more especially where cattle itti'e 'concerned. .Although tIMs is certainly the worst (season .esjiacusncefl for many years, ,'sheqp .arc still iin lair condition, but owing ;to the inacKisrafcy at tho freeing w.orku auiisiiig from tfiiE shortage of shipping ispace many lines which were rfibt .for 'export are going lack in condition. The lighter lands at Marton, Bulls, Feilding, land jEozton taxe suffering mostly from Ithe 'drought, the grass having quite a burntt-avp ajjpfi&xance, and having but little sustenance, while water is very scarce. Betsneen Palmerston and the Poliangina ■district, more especially along the river flats, tlie shortage of feed is not so apparent, (but the supply of milk is falling off at ihe factories, and in the down lands -water is scarce. On the Fitzherbert side of the Manawatu river feed is very scarce, and water even more so. At the Kahutarewa Creek, near the -bridge, the traffic is so great, caused by the people carting water, that the locality resembles a. busy railway station. Further down, at Malceroa, the swamp, which at this time of the year generally has six or seven inches of water over it, is as dry as a board, and owing to the clay subsoil the ground is ? • hard as brick. The Kairanga district, although drier than it has been for years, does not show the plethora of feed which it promised to earlier in the year, and while the grass is very short there is apparently a good deal of nutriment in it, as the stock are net showing any appreciable loss in condition. Down the line towards Shannon the heavy swamp lands are retaining their moisture, and the grass is fairly abundant, and stock are looking well. The fanners in the Manawatu district have been so accustomed to look for sufficient moisture and an abundance of winter feed that, with few exceptions, they have been caught quite unprepared, and very little hay has been saved or root crops grown to provide for such an emergency as has happened in the present instance. In this connection it is interesting to note that in November last Mr C. N. Clausen, of Palmerston North, drew attention to the prolific flowering of the cabbage trees, which was so noticeable last spring, and strongly recommended farmers not to depend upon grass for fed, but to go in for growing feed which could be stored for the winter. As the spring was a very wet one, his suggestion was made light of in certain quar-J ters, and now unfortunately Mr Clau-] sen's prognostications have been more than fulfilled. Some very fine crops have been harvested in Canterbury this season. One large farmer in the Waimate district with 900 acres in wheat has already threshed 12,00 sacks, the paddocks so far varying from 59 bushels per acre to bushels per acre. Another farmer in purchasing a farm in South Canterbury'was required to pay for the standing crop and to get at the valuation j was assessed at 45 bushels per acre. On threshing his actual return was over 130 bushels per acre. Some people in England expect that Shorthorn bull .prices this year will !be dearer than ever. There is a big gap to' make up on the commercial side at Home, and it is almost as great in the Argentine. As Mr Duthie says, beef is, likely to be dear for years to come, whatever the powers that be may think or do. The best creamery cheque in the Waiuku district in a month of this season was over £SOO, issued by the Aka Aka Cheese Company to Messrs. Loudon Bros, who milk nearly 200 cows on two farms. i Another very fine return was a cheque for £33 17s to the owner of nine cows. As showing tow scarce 'winter feed for stock is in Otago the Otago Daily Times states that fifteen acres of turnips on Inch Clutha were recently sold at £2l per acre. As regards the future of the beef and mutton market, it is quite conceivable (says the Times) that prices will advance before September; in fact, it is not reasonable to expect them to do otherwise. One is safe in assuming that it will cost 10s per week to feed an average bullock through the winter. It is reported (says the Eketalrmia Ijspress) that as high as 3s 6d per week foT grown cattle and Is per week for lambs is ibeing paid for grazing in the Bush District Prices are not likely to exceed this, or even reach at, as an average, for holders of surplus stock consider it cheaper to accept present market abates and sell them, A man from Taranalci -was introduced to the Wyndham Farmer sanctum a few days ago. The North Island visitor proved to be Mr. John Paterson, fanner, cf Manaia. A «hat with Mr. Paterson proved interesting. He has been settled in the Big cow province during the past 15 years, and follows dairying as his daily grind. Prior to going north his home was at South Tairei. Top-choice dairying land, he says, is in ready demand in Taranaki at from £7O to £l3O an acre. The value has increased fully £2O an acre during the past 12 months, with a hunger still far from 'being satisfied. Our" informant quoted an Ideal 50acre holding that carries 40 dairy cows all the year round, and does them handsomely. Mr. Paterson himself has a farm of 170 acres, which carrieß 80 dairy cows, 300 sheep, and SO lead mixed cattle. There being no natural shelter, the African boxthorn is much in vogue to provide a shield for live stock in Touth -weather. The boxthorn is a rapid grower Taised from seed, and in two seasons after transplanting gives useful shelter. It is something like English hawthorn in appearance, with a denser growth, is evergreen and stockproof, goes to a great height if desired, and does not Tavage like gorse. Mr. Paterson is afraid African boxthorn could not resist Southland's frosts. Taranaki's lack of wood and coal for economical power is met by the magnificent water asset furnished by the numerous streams that trickle from the sides of Mount Egmont. Hydro-electricity is coming more and more into vogue, especially among the laTger dairy factories —Kaupolconui D.F. Co., for instance, works an electric lorry which runs 70 miles on one charge; and petrol-driven lorries are in general request for traction haulage. It is -worthy of note, too, that all the main Toads in and around Hawera and Manaia, and many of the by roads as wall, ara asphftltsd.