FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 December 1922, Page 12

FARM AND DAIRY.

THE BUTTER POSITION. GREATLY INCREASED OUTPUT. SHARP DECLINE IN MARKET. Very large shipm< .its of butter continue to be made fre.m the Dominion to Britain. A circular letter issued by the National Dairy Association states that toe first consignment of new season’s butter by the Port Napier, Corinthic, and Paparoa, totalling 237,861 boxes, arrived in London between November 23 and December 5. The letter also states that during the period between December 19 and January 6 further shipments totalling 3b7,500 boxes will be made. These consignments should reach the market during January and February. Meanwhile, however, there are shipments of butter afloat totalling about 360,00 v boxes, the majority of which should reach the market this month. This provides a grand total of about 985,361 boxes that will reach the British market from the Dominion up to about, the middle of February. This total represents about 24,634 tons, compared with 43,184 tons sent to Britain from the Dominion during the year ended June 30, 1922. It will thus be seen that the total exports- from New Zealand this season will show a very subexported last season. Increases are also expecteu from other countries from which Britain draws her butter supplies. The following table supplied by the National Dairy Association shows the butter imports into Britain during the nine months ended September 30 for the last three years:— From. 1920. 1921. 1922. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Denmark 633,202 929,649 1,050,546 Argentine 76,388 358,592 262,417 Australia 163,919 754,475 772,623 New Zealand ... 259,249 613,708 838,560 Canada 25,474 39,645 114,804 Other countries . 164,139 132,009 242,892 Total ... 1,322,371 2,828,078 3,281,842 These figures indicate a • remarkable expansion in butter production during the period mentioned, New Zealand showing the most notable increase during 1922. The Canadian dairy farmers are evidently devoting more attention to butter manufacture, mut this increase in butter supply is coincident with a corresponding reduction in cheese output. The New Zealand incerase in dairy production, including both butter find eheeee, on a butterfat basis Is 30 per cant, to date this season, compared with the corresponding period of last season. From the figures quoted it is obvious that the British market this season will be much more heavily supplier than it was last season, and unless some method of regulating the supplies to extend the period of disposal is adopt’d there is every likelihood of a mar.ced decline in prices. The latest information regarding the London market states that there are eager sellers of January arrivals, but the market is demoralised. New Zealand butter i? quoted at 170 s per cwt., equal to about is 4d per lb f.o.b. The High Commissioner’s cablegram, stated that New Zealand butter on December 2 was quoted at 188 s to 190 s per cwt. The decline within a week, therefore, has been approximately 20s per cwt. BUTTER-FAT PRODUCTION. “Dairy Farmer” (Rahotu) write*: Referring to Mr. F. W. alter s tine averages quoted in Saturday’s News, kindly publish a cutting giving Mr. Walter’s view’s on pedigrees, and also on Taranaki cattle and which, like him, I consider unequalled. Here also are the figures for a Rahotu-bred Holstein herd (103) in the Waikato:—

Tdtal 27512.8 averaging 267 lb butter-fat. ’Severe drought. A discussion on the “scrub” bull question took place at a meeting of the Thames Valley sub-provincial executive of the New’ Zealand Farmers’ Union at Morrinsville recently. The subject was introduced by Mr. L. H. McAlpine, who said that it was essential to the dairy industry that the “scrub bull menace should be eliminated. He went on to speak of the necessity of increasing production by using bulls m dairy herds that had minimum butter-fat productions. Mr. F. W. Walters joined issue with those who were in favor ot cutting out the “scrub” bulls, which he said were the only animals that could he depended on to get the cows in calf. The pedigree bulls lacked the constitution. His experience had been that he could not depend on pedigree bulls. When he wanted to increase or improve his herd he went to Taranaki, where the finest. crossbred cows in the world were to be found. The dairy strains had been so crossed and recrossed that there was nothing to compare that with them in any part of the world. Mr. Walters said he regarded all his purebred Shorthorn bulls as “scrub” bulls. Mr. F. Colheck said that the dairy industry was a comparatively new one. and there was no doubt the question of improving stock would receive attention.

.. 735.5 1025.73 .. 1919.1 2394.1 .. 2605.0 3564.5 .. 3278.9 4148.1 .. 3408.0* and now .. 3404.7* averag- .. 3041.7* ing 40 lb February . 2504.2 per day March .. 2375.0 .. 2132.4 per cow. May .. 1501.9 June ... 605.5