FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 August 1921, Page 12

FARM AND DAIRY.

A GREAT INCREASE. The Government Statistician reports that there were 993,473 cows in inilk in the Dominion at January 31 last (the latest figures). This is an increase o-t practically 100,000 dairy cows over last year. More milk production should, of course, result, but the Manawatu special writer of the Farmers’ Union Advocate throws an interesting light on the subject of cows and their milkproducing capacity. He writes: K I was an onlooker at a sale in a town which shall be nameless. There wore great numbers of both sheep nd cattle in the yards, and I wandered about and overhead the pens just to see the class of stock for sale. I must say I got a shock. The cattle were ill-bred and illfed, and a mongrel lot generally The cows and heifers were equally unattractive, and one could not help thinking that it was no wonder that the average per cow in New Zealand was only 1601 b of butter-fat when one saw them. Of course, there is an enormous demand for cows just now, for many who find their income from wool is a disappearing quantity that even a few cows are a great help to bring in a little cash. Judging by those offered for sale in the yard, the returns from the cows will not even yield the small average already noted.’’

Writing of his tour in Queensland, Air. A. D. McLeod, M.P., of the Wairarapa, says:—‘While at Longreach we visited several pastoral stations, including Air E. J. Watt’s Daar River Downs, where we saw in a line of 18,000 Marchshorn two tooths, being delivered to. a New South Wales' buyer at 7/9 per head. At longreach we were fortunate in meeting Air. Clarke, known as the Pearl King, who owns several large stations in the Central and Gulf districts of Queensland. By his kind invitation we Called upon him at his Northampton Downs station, where this year, including Inniskillen, over 200,000 sheep are being shorn; the combined properties covering an area exceeding a million acres.”

“I am looking forward to the time when the services of the Agricultural Department to the farmers will be far mere in the direction of instruction than of inspecion,” said the director of i agriculture, Dr. C. J. Rcakes, at the conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ j Union in AA T cllington. “In order to bring that about, it is essential that we should have all the farmers working with us in dealing with the matters in which we have to use inspectors at the present time. I must say that to a very great extent there is most cordial co-operation between the farmers and the deparmental officers, but we want even more of it, and the greater the extent -to which the fanners themselves deal with their own rabbits and their own noxious weeds, anef keep a careful

watch and preventive measures against disease in their stock, the greater the extent to which the officers will be able to devote themselves to instruction in s>lace of inspection.”

That the Jersey herd at Ruakura farm was “not. quite up to the mark,”

was asserted by Captain Colbeck (Auckland) at the Now Zealand Farmers’ Union Conference. Captain Colbeck said the butterfat jjroductftjn at Ruakura was lower than that on many private farms. The best cow produced 4401 b, the next 4051 b, and the next 387 lb. He moved the following remit, which was defeated by ten votes to <?ight: —“That in view of the great importance of improving dairy cattle, and raising the standard of butterfat, the Government be urged to procure the best sires possible, by purchasing abroad if - necessary, such sires to be mated with selected cows at the Government farms; and young bulls distributed to farmers.” “My reason for i voting against the remit,” said Mr, A. S. Craig (Gtago), “is that there is nothing in it to express appreciation of what the Government has done to improve- the herds.” Farmers in the Hamilton district recently formed a company named the Central Saleyards Company, and they opened the .most up-to-date yards in the colony on the 6th inst. The yards can accommodate 3000 cattle, 5000 sheep and 500 pigs. The following is a full description of them. They have a wide road frontage and abut, on the railway, which is a great facility where stock has to be railed. There are 22 large drafting yards for cattle, 72 spacious pens for store stock, and 33 pens for fat cattle. Recognising the constant and steady growth of x the Ing market during the’last tew years, the directors have had 58 pig pens built, with v.atersprayiag devices for keeping ..n< pigs cool in summer, while space ms

been provided for increasing the pens by J fl.') per cent. In all 100 sheep pens have been provided, as well as drafting races foi stores and fats. These will effect a great saving in time for botii owners and drafters. There are 14 roomy holding yards for sheep and the directors, have even provided a dehorning race for cattle. it is intended, later on, to add an auctioneers’ rotunda, and every arrangement for handling stock expeditiously and with advantage to both buyer and seller will he considered. Practically every yard is concreted, and in the cattle pens the floors have been scored to prevent slipping. Although the yards are at present commodious, there is yet room to increase their size by almost 50 per cent. Convenient offices are erected for the auctioneers or others to transact their •business. The new yards are owned and controlled by the farmers, which w a very important matter from their standpoint. The Railway Department has promised to construct a siding to the ? The directors of the Wellington Aleat Export Company report that the result of the year’s operations has been ad.versely affected by “the serious slump in the value cf the company’s products. Large quantities of meat and wool still remain unsold, and it has been considered advisable to value these at a good deal lower than cost price, and at. a figure which may be considered on the safe side, rather’than to anticipate any profit on them in this year's balancesheet.” An interim dividend at the rate of 4 per cent, for the half-year io December 31 last was paid, and £12,137 4s 4d' has s been written off lor depreciation. Directors now recommend that a dividend of 4 per cent, for the second half of the year be paid by transference of £lO.OOO from the dividend equalisation account.