FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 May 1921, Page 12

FARM AND DAIRY.

GENERAL NEWS. “That auctioneers be required to give both the vendor’s and purchaser’s name when selling stock at public auction,” was a remit to be considered at the provincial conference of the Farmers’ Union at Ma st er ton. Discussing the trend of prices of meat in the past twelve months, representatives of the butchery trade in Auckland stated last 1 week (says an xchange) that present charges were from 25 to 30 per cent, lower than those of a year ago. The butchers would have been able °to still further reduce the prices of meat had it been .possible to dispose of their by-products. As it was they could not get profitable rates for hides, skins, and tallow. Butchers’ small goods,' it was stated, had decreased very little in price during the past year. This was largely due to the increased, cost of labor. It was stated also that there is practically no auctioning of meat in Auckland, though one or two butchers had adopted that practice. There is a somewhat cheerier tone about the produce market, states the Lyttelton Times. This does not meai much, as the previous position was about as dull as it could be. However, the oat market is showing signs of recovering. A good deal of “rubbing” from the North Island has taken place, and a buyer has been down, evidently on behalf of a number of firms, but as far as can be ascertained, with little result. Old oats are cleaned up and no offers worth speaking of having come in from growers, local brokers are not disposed to quote. Tn view of the generally uncertain outlook for farm produce, a pressman made some enquiries at Sandon regarding the plans for the coming season. One farmer said it was impossdile to guess what would happen next season with oats, and he therefore intended to put in at least one field of wheat. The Government guaranteed minimum price (5s 6d) was a payable one and they might get a little more. The trouble about wheat, he added, was that it punished the ground too severely, but he met this difficulty by crop rotation. Another farmer said he would advise mixed farming as the best course to pursue. He was not in favor of growing wheat, as it was a crop which did not pay in this district. It should be left to the' South Island farmers. To grow grass either for seed or for pasturing would be a better proposition. He considered it would pay to grow oats, as the market appeared to be quite satisfactory. THE MEAT MARKET.

Discussing the position of the primary industries on Friday last, Mr. S. J. Ambury. chairman of directors of the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Company, said that at present the producers were in a most unfavorable position. Prices for all classes of foodstuffs and raw materials had slumped, but wages, freight rates, and other charges were still abnormally high. The slump in the meat market at Home, he said, was particularly hard .on the Auckland farmers. He explained that the price for the highest grade of ox beef was still fairly good, but the prices at Home for cow and heifer beef would not return sufficient to pay the high freight charges and other expenses entailed in placing it on the English market. The result was that the freezing companies were holding this beef in store. The only alternative, if prices did not shortly improve, was to boil down the meat for tallow ami manure. This would give at least some return to the producer. Mr. Ambury said that owing to the extension of the dairying industry in the Auckland district a ihrge proportion of the meat now produced in the province was cow beef. The dairy herds were annually culled and cows unsuitable for milking were fattened off for killing. Referring to the meat industry generally, Mr. Ambury said the reduction in prices was not confined to meat alone; the by-products, such as hides, tallow, had experienced a severe slump. Nobody could predict what the state of the Home markets would be in the near future. Large accumulations of commodities in the United Kingdom, under the system of Government control, had contributed to the drop in prices. Wages, freight rates, and the cost of coal and other materials used in the meat trade were still extremely high, and until an all-round reduction took place little improvement could be expected. An economic adjustment, based on the value of our primary products/ seemed inevitable. MILK FEVER TREATMENT

Every dairy farmer, who has a welldeveloped herd of high-producing cows, should own a milk fever outfit, is the opinion of an agricultural writer in a Canadian paper. Just in proportion as cows have been developed for high production will this disease be prevalent The number of cases of milk fever in every dairy district is steadily on the increase. Fortunately, effective treatment is easily given. It consists in the injection of air into the udder by means of a simple hand apparatus. In fact, the treatment has been given with a milk syphon and a bicycle pump, but it is not "wise to place too much dependence on such rough and ready apparatus. Milk fever attacks the heaviest producing cow soon after calving. Unless treatment is given the disease is usually fatal. The symptoms are easily recognisable. At the commencement of the attack the cow is excited and restless, treads with the hind feet, switches the tail, stares about anxiously or walks about uneasily. - These symptoms are followed within A few hours by paralysis indicated by a staggering gait, especially in the hind legs, and by weakening of the knees and fetlocks m front. The animal then goes down and becomes oblivious io all that may happen about it. While down she assumes a characteristic position. The head is turned to the side, usually to the le ; ft, and paralysis of the throat, rectum, and kidneys usually follows. Since the organs of the body are paralysed, it is not safe to give any medicine and fortunately none is needed. Treatment consists in pumping the quarters of the udder full of air and holding the air by tying with tape, the former being pre-, ferable. Many cases of milk fever can[ be attributed'to carelessness. For the first couple of days the udder should never be milked out dry, but smaller amounts removed at more frequent intervals. say three times daily. Instances occur of milk fever that could be attributed directly to milking a cow out dry immediately or shortly after freshening. If milk fever equipment is not on hand, the veterinarian should be 'called immediately the symptoms indicated are noticed. It is certainly poor economy to run the risk of losing a £25 cow .when remedial measures are so cheaply j>rovide&