On the Land

New Zealand Tablet, 10 August 1911, Page 1550

On the Land

The number of dairy factories in the Dominion at present is 415, besides which there are about 450 skimming stations. The average price paid out by the factories for butter-fat 10 years ago was a little over 8d per lb at the butter factories, whereas the average puce paid out for butter-fat last year would be about 10 £d and Is respectively. Probably never before at the Burnside weekly sales has there been such a small yarding of cattle, such a large proportion of animals of inferior, quality, and such extraordinarily high prices (says the Otago Daily Times, writing of last week’s sale). . The yarding comprised only 80 head, which may be accepted as an indication that the supplies of fat cattle in this pait of the country at the. present time are exceedingly limited. Prices of cattle ranged up to £ls 5s per head, and so poor was the quality that buyers were paying as high as 40s per 1001 b. There was a general advance over the previous week’s rates of equal to £3 10s per head, , and in some instances equal to £3 and over per head. In respect of both quality' and prices, tire conditions prevailing were probably unprecedented there was a good yarding of 3850 sheep, and while values opened weaker than was the case the previous weex, they firmed as the sale progressed. Wethers sold at prices ranging up to 25s 9d and 26s 9d per head, Bwes were about Is per head dearer. There was a reduced yarding of about 1100 lambs, but late rates were maintained.

Speaking at the Dunedin Winter Show last week, the Hon. T. Mackenzie said that were selection and improvement in herds carried out- we could without increasing the number of cows now in use, increase the output of our country by 33] per cent., or, in round figures, by £1,200,000, annually. We had been, with the means at our disposal, endeavoring' to improve the milking quality of our herds. Within the last two years the department had' established a herd of Holsteins at the Weraroa Experimental Farm. The re cord of their output was a justification for the step that had been taken in connection with the matter, and it had been found that some of our cows did as well as the finest in Denmark. One of them had already reached up to the standard of 16,0001 b weight of milk per annum. He was pleased to be able to say that this herd, which would enable him to supply sires of a high type to settlers, was in itself a source of considerable profit to the department. , . Addington last week there were moderate entnes of stock. Some extra prime lines of fat sheep and cattle offered and they, made exceptionally good prices. Beef generally sold at about the previous week’s prices. Hood young store ewes maintained their values,' but hoggets showed a Recline. The fat lambs offered were of inferior and ordinary quality, and made only moderate prices. There were 1 only a few. new season’s lambs penned, and they sold well. Fat sheep of all classes were in good demand. Store cattle were dull of sale and dairy cows were not selling as well as of late Fat pigs were in demand, and stores met with a dragging sale. There was a yarding of 327 head of fat cattle! The average quality of the yarding was the highest seen at the yard for several years. There was' a good all-round demand, and late values were fully maintained. Steers made £7 10s to £ll 10s, extra to 1 , £2O, heifers £6 to £lO extra to £l4. There were only a few hundred fat lambs penned, and they were mostly of medium quality. - Better sorts made 14s 6d to 18s 3d; extra, to 22s 6d. There was a moderate yarding of fat sheep, and the range of quality was very wide running from inferior wethers and ewes to specially prime show wethers he ran to of prices, was: Extra prime wethers to 335, prime 20s to ■ 265, extra primeewes to 29s 9d, prime 17s 6d to 23s 6d. All classes of pigs were in good demand. Choppers realised 75s to £6, large baconersi 52s 6d to 60s, lighter, 43s to 48s (equal to 4|d to 4fd per lb); large porkers 30s to 38s, smaller 23s to 275. (equal to 4|d to 5d per lb). - i