FARMING AND COMMERCIAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 250, 20 September 1929, Page 5

FARMING AND COMMERCIAL

PASTURE—OUR GREATEST ASSET. WHAT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH HAS REVEALED. (Contributed.) Pasture may be described as tlio natural naw material of all the important animal products such as milk, meat, wool, hides and tallow, and the greater part of the world supply of these primary necessities is obtained from animals whose food consists entirely of' 1 pasture. In other words the pastures of the great agricultural and pastoral countries such as Australia and New Zealand represent to a great extent their national wealth. Pastures being the raw material of many of the primary necessities of life then, their improvement and their better exploitation is one of the surest methods of securing the stable prosperity of the Empire. The above facts form the foundation of and are the real basis of the recently published work on “Minerals in Pastures” by that eminent scientist and great Imperialist. Dr. J. B. Orr, of tho Rowett Institute of Aberdeen, who quite recently made a world tour which included Australia, Africa, New Zealand and Canada. This publication, which marks a great step forward in tho knowledge of a great economic problem i 6 a work more fascinating than most novels. To the scientist it should prove a stimulus to greater research which will no doubt solve many problems affecting our future prosperity. The accumulated knowledge of research into the problem of nutrition shows that the ideal ration should consist of protein, carbohydrates, minerals and accessory factors. In other words flesh forming animals in the form of protein, energy and fat producing substances in the form of carbohydrates, minerals in the form of calcium, phosphorus and a multiplicity of other elements to form the skeleton and assist in the efficient metabolism of the body and certain accessory factors in the form of vitamins which according to our present knowledge are necessary for efficient growth. MINERALS—ONE OF THE ESSENTIALS. The fundamental importance of the presence of minerals in pastures had not been sufficiently realised until the intensive research was carried out at the Rowett Institute and elsewhere. These researches have shown indeed that some pastures aro so poor in one or other of the necessary minerals that the deficiency manifests itself as a disease in grazing animals. Such deficiency diseases have been discovered by Theiler in South Africa where a lack of phosphorus causes liamsiekto (lame sickness) and in New Zealand where the important work of Aston has shown that bush sickness is due to a deficiency of iron. The general importance of this question of minerals in pastures resulted in the setting up of a powerful committee in London to consider from an Empire point of view the means to be adopted to investigate the problem systematically. As a result of its labours a recommendation was made to the Empire Marketing Board for a grant to defray the cost of the work. Work supplemented by grants is now in progress in Britain, Australia, New Zealand and East Africa.It iias been estimated that one quarter of the total exports into the United Kingdom is represented by grassland products. On the other hand such products form a large proportion of the total exports of tho overseas dominions. This can be expressed in percentages as follow: Irish Free State )5.5, Australia 60, and New Zealand 94 per cent. Thus tho ; future application of the knowledge : already obtained on this subject by the farmer through the medium of competent authorities is of fundamental importance to pastoral countries and New Zealand in particular. STOCK MALNUTRITION DUE TO MINERAL DEFICIENCY. Stress has been laid so far on the widespread presence of diseases which are definitely due to deficiency of one or more minerals, because it is obviously the prime duty of the investigator to cure disease. Actual manifestation of disease however is happily not predominant amongst our herds and flocks. But although the elimination of disease due to deficient nutrition will be of incalculable benefit it must be remembered that there may be deficiencies which are not so marked as to cause disease but yet limit the rate of growth and the rate and amount of productivity. The importance of this newer knowledge of nutrition has only comparatively recently been realised. The information is waiting to be applied to our great Empire. Indeed a start has already been made, and New Zealand, whose future prosperity depends more on grassland produce than any other country, in the world, is tack-

ling the problem of bringing borne tins > information to the actual farmer with energy. It is to be hoped that the small beginnings will soon be extended and intensified. It requires but little imagination to realise that our ability to compete successfully in the intensive world competition of the future will depend largely on increasing the productivity of our herds and flocks, by the application of present knowledge, and that which will result from the intensive investigations now being conducted in many parts of the Empire. ‘‘FISHY” PORK. ; COMPLAINTS FROM LONDON. EXPORT TRADE~ENDANGERED. ‘‘Fishy” flavour in New Zealand pork threatens to ruin the export trade, stated the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board in a letter read at a meeting of the Auckland branch of the Farmers’ Union A similar letter was dealt with by the Dairy Farmers’ Union in Palmerston North yesterday. The serious tone of tho board’s letter was commented on by Mr A. E. Robinson, the secretary. He had made what inquiries he could, and it seemed that the trouble was due to the pigs being fed on whale oil. Several members confirmed this view. Many breeders, it was stated, added a percentage of whale oil to skimmed milk in order to restore tho percentage of fat that was lost when the cream was taken. This food, especially if fed to the pigs shortly before being killed, would no doubt taint the meat. The meeting decided to write to tho Agricultural Department asking that investigations should be made, and the results published as soon as possible to warn pig breeders. The export of pork J was becoming a valuable trade, which j should be carefully guarded. j

STOCK MARKET

1 Abr.aham an<l Williams, Ltd. report on tiro Ashhurst sale held on September 18th as under: —A fair entry of cattle and a good yarding of pigs came forward. Good prices were realised for all classes of stock and the bulk of our yarding changed hands under the hammer. Our quotations are: —Empty forward heifers, £6; fat cows light. £5 5s to £G; forward bullocks, £9 10s- weaner Jersey heifers, £5, £6 12s 6d; springing heifers, £8 2s 6d, £9 10s, to £lO 15s_; springing heifers (small), £5 10s, £5 17s 6d to £7; springing dairy cows, £lO 12s 6d; porkers, 37s 6d to 465; good weaner pigs, 21s; small weaner pigs 5s 6d, 7s, 9<l; empty sow, 28s.

LONDON WOOL SALES

Dalgety and Coy., Ltd., report under date London, September 17, 1929: —Wool sales opened with a large attendance of buyers. Good average selection, mostly speculators and scourers. Competition irregular and bidding restricted. Home trade more active than Continent; withdrawals heavy. As compared with closing rates of last series: Greasy Merino, 7i per cent to 10 per cent lower; scoured Merino. 10 per cent lower; greasy erossbrecl fine, not represented ; greasy crossbred med. and coarse, 2J per cent, to 5 per cent lower; combing slipes, 10 per cent lower; other slipes, 5 per cent lower; scoured crossbred, 10 per cent lower. The Department o£ Agriculture has received the following cablegram, dated 18th instant, from the High Commissioner for New Zealand, London: —Wood: Sales opened yesterday with large attendance of home and Continental buyers. Good competition at lower prices. Compared with July closing rates, greasy Merino 10 per cent to 12g per cent, lower; crossbred in small supply, and fine crossbred not represented; medium and course crossbred 5 per cent. down. Slipe: Fine 10 per cent., others 5 per cent, lower. 166,000 bales available of which Australian 78,000, New Zealand 61,000, and South American 24,000. SHIPMENTS OF MEAT FROM SOUTH AMERICA. Tho Now Zealand Moat Producers’ Board has received a cable from its representative at Buenos Aires, South America, advising tho following shipments to the United Kingdom for tho fortnight ended 12tli September, 1929, from Argentine and Uruguay (tiro figures do not include exports from Patagonia, Chile or Brazil) : —191,280 quarters chilled beef, 2450 quarters frozen beef, 55,125 carcases frozen mutton, 79,902 carcases frozen lamb. The quantity shipped to tho Continent of Europe during the same period was as follows: —28,093 quarters frozen beef, 2450 carcases frozen mutton, 28 carcases frozen lamb.

It is the intention of the Wanganui Agricultural Association to make an effort to provide suitable cover for the cattle pens at the forthcoming spring show. The stewards were deputed, at the last meeting, to seek suitable tarpaulins for the purpose.

WELLINGTON STOCK EXCHANGE. YESTERDAY’S BUSINESS AND PRICES. ‘ The following’ sales were reported on the Wellington Stock Exchange yesterday :

Electrolytic Zinc (ordinary) 1 17 0 Movements based on yesterday’s buying prices, compared with previous bids, were as under: i RISE.

FALL.

Bank shares were steady, but Commercial Bank, National Bank of New Zealand, Bank of New South Wales, Union Bank and Bank of Now Zealand havo dropped out of the buying list. There was a good demand for financial shares, but the building and mortgage shares wero not quoted, and buyers, will be obliged to raise their bids presently as it gets nearer to the close of the year. Gas shares were steady with practically no change in prices. Insurances wero quiet. The balance-sheet of the South British Insurance for the period to August 31 should soon bo out. Gear Meat and Canterbury Frozen Meat were in good demand and unchanged. Woollen and timber shares were neglected. There is a contraction in tiie business offering in the miscellaneous section, partly due to tho political crisis in Australia, and few Commonwealth shares are quoted. i Yesterday’s buying and selling quotations were as under: 1

SALES IN OTHER CENTRES. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Sept. 19. Sales. —Mount Albert Borough debentures, 1963, £5 14s per cent., £lO3 15s; Bank New Zealand mortgage, 28s 9d; Now Zealand Broweries debentures, 30s 9d; National Bank of New Zealand, £6 17s; Grey Valley Coal, 29s 4d (2); Pukcmiro Collieries, 7s 6d (2); Renown prof, new issue 2s 6d, fully paid 2s 9d; Westport Coal, 34s 3d (2); Staples, 64s 6d; Farmers’ Trading, 9s 4d; Robinson Ice Cream, 24s 6d; Wilson’s Cement, 445; Ohinemuri Gold and Silver (pref.), late sale Wednesday, 10s; Mount Lyell 45s (2). CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 19. Sales.—Commercial Bank of Australia, 30s; New Zealand Refrigerating (10s paid), 6s 9d; Westport Coal, 34s 3d; Grev Valloy, 29s 6d (2), 29s 3d; New Zealand Breweries, 90s 6d; Staples Brewery, 54s 6d; Queensland Brewery, 33s 9d; British Tobacco (cum_ cliv.), 49s 6d (2); Winding Creek (Is paid), 2s (2); Dalgety, £ls.

Sales Reported.—Australian Bank of Commerce, 34s 9d; Christchurch Gas (lato sale 18th), 26s 6d; Queensland Brewery, 345; Swan Brewery, 975; British Tobacco (cum. div.) 49s 8d; Dunlop Rubber, 28s 9d; Australian Bank of Commerce, 34s 9d; Staples Brewery, 55s 3d; Farmers’ Cooperative B prof., 70s. DUNEDIN, Sept. 19. Sales. —New Zealand Breweries debentures/31s (two).

MELBOURNE HIDES SALES. MELBOURNE, Sept. 19. At the hides sales the market was irregular. Values generally afe £d to id per lb. lower all round.

AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE MARKETS. SYDNEY, Sept. 19. "Wheat, at country stations. 5s per bushel; ex trucks, Sydney, 5s 7d. Flour, £l3 per ton. Bran and pollard, £7 10s. Potatoes, £2l to £25. Onions, Japanese, £24; Victorian, £22. Oats, Algerian White, 4s 8d per bushel. Maize, 5s 9d. ADELAIDE, Sept. 19. Wheat, 4s lid. Flour, £l2 2.s Gd. Bran, £6 10s. Pollard, £7. Oats, Algerian, 3s 4d.

DAIRY PRODUCE. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Coy., Ltd., have received tho following cable from their London oflico undeto September 18th. Dairy produce: Butter, N.Z. choicest salted, 181 s to 182 s per cwt; market firm. Cheese: White, 93s per cwt; coloured, 94s per cwt; market steady.

A freak calf was born last week on the property of Mr C. Scott, Turua, Hauraki Plains, but the animal did not live. Tho animal had four lnnd legs perfectly formed, whilst there were two bodies, joined at the rump and at tire shoulders, there being , a division of the bodies between the rump and shoulders. The fore part of the calf was quite normal there being two front legs and one head.

“WESTFIELD MARKET. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND. Sent. IS. At Westfield ox beef was offered in larger numbers than last' week. The quality was good and, competition being steady, last week’s values again ruled. Extra heavy prime bullocks made £lB 15s to £l9 7s 6d, medium £ls 17s 6d to £l6 15s, lig’nt £l3 5s to £l4 7s 6d. Cow and heifer beef also came forward in larger numbers, and the market showed a slight easing in values. Prime heavy cows and young heifers made £l4 to £ls 17s 6d, medium £lO to £l2 2s 6d, light £7 to £8 12s Gd. Extra choice ox beef sold to 44s per 1001 b, choice and prime 41s to 435, ordinary and plain 38s to 40s, prime young cow and heifer beef 39s to 41s, just killable 36s to 38s.

A very heavy yarding of fat sheep came forward, and in consequence the market was easier than last week. Prime heavy wethers made 40s 6d to 425, medium 37s to 395, light 34s 6d to 35s 6d; short wethers realised 25s to 275, heavy prime ewes 30s, lighter 275, other owes 24s 6d.

Spring lamb came forward in fair numbers and sold at late rates. Heavy prime lamb made 325, medium 275, light 245. Calves sold readily at fully late quotations. Runners made to £7 Bs, heavy vealers £4 15s to £5 10s, medium £3 5s to £4 ss, light £2 2s to £3 3s, small £1 to £1 18s, fresh dropped Os to 16s. Pigs, which were yarded in smaller numbers, realised improved values for porkers, baconers being very firm. Heavy and medium baconers made £3 10s to £4 7s, light baconers £3 to £3 Bs, heavy porkers £2 12s to £2 18s, medium porkers £2 5s to £2 10s, light porkers £2 to £2 4s.

SALE AT BURNSIDE. Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, Sept. 18. There ■were easiei conditions and generally slightly reduced values for most classes of stock at tho Burnside sales today. Fat cattle were cheaper by about from 10s to 20s per head, and there was a very erratic sale for fat sheep. Store cattle remained fairly firm and pigs maintained late levels. There were over 3000 fat sheep entered, the larger entry bringing tho price down somewhat. The penning included a big percentage of prime ewes and wethers and a lot of lighter sorts. Butchers’ sheep were easier by about Is or 2s per head, but there was an unreliable demand for freezers. In fact, throughout the sale there were some very remarkable fluctuations. Extra prime heavy wethers made as much as 51s 3d, two or three special pens bringing 55s 3d; primes made from 39s to 465, according to weight, and light prime from 35s to 38s; the best ewes were worth 46s and good primes from 32s to 40s. There was an entry of three spring lambs which brought from 36s to 37s per head. They were not in the best of order

—certainly not as well forward as last year’s first penning. The fat cattle yarding numbered 244 head, among which were a good many very well finished bullocks and heifers. There was a fairly heavy percentage of lighter sorts. The sale opened with values from 103 to 20s below those of last week, and remained firm at that price level. Store cattle to the number of 130 were forward. The market being bare of younger stulf, cows and three-year steers sold well at late rates, heifers showing any quality being in good demand. The pig entry consisted of 102 fate and 107 stores. There was a good sale at last week’s rates for fats and there was a brisk demand for stores.

NOTES. A property at Brunswick has changed hands recently, the price being between £32 and £35 an acre, states the Wanganui Chronicle. A Westmere property, which fronts on to the Rapanui Road was disposed of at £IOO air acre. Up to the present the dairy season has shown a backward tendency com; pared with last, states the Wanganui Chronicle. Heavy rain and cold winds have hindered matters, but it is pre- « dieted that if fine weather such as prevailed over the week-end, materialises as it should from now on, lost ground will be made up. Factories in the Wanganui district are rapidly increasing tne output daily, tending toward the “flush” period. “The Dominion’s fat lamb trade has increased very rapidly during recent years,” a Waitotara farmer stated the other day. It was a trade which had to be fostered, and that could not be done if every farm were reduced to twenty or thirty acres. He considered that a too intense prosecution of a closer settlement policy would mean danger to the fat lamb trade. He agreed with closer settlement in the main, but insisted that prices had to be reasonable, and. ,above all, settlers had to be of the right calibre. Even . under the best of conditions, Inexperienced farmers would never survive for long. The lesson the country was taught from the discharged soldiers’ settlement scheme should be heeded to-day.

£ s. d. 5i p.c. Government Stock (1938) 102 0 0 Bank of New Zealand 3 3 3 N.Z. Guarantee Corporation ... 0 9 8 N.Z. Breweries 4 10 6 British Tobacco *2 9 8

N.Z. Brewerios, stocks and bonds ... s. 0 d. 1 Bank 'of Australasia 0 6 National Bank of Australasia (£5 pd) 0 6 Auckland Gas 0 1 Waipa Coal 0 I Staples and Co 0 3

Australian Bank of Commerce 0 1 English, Scottish and Australian Bank 0 6 Goldsbrough Mort N.Z. Guarantee Corporation (ord.) 0 6 0 i Gisborne Gas 0 i

Buyers. Sellers. N.Z. GOVT LOANS— £ s. d. £ s. d. 54 p.c. Ins. Stk., 1936 101 15 0 — 44 p.c. ditto, 1939 and 1938 100 0 0 44 p.c. Bonds, 1941, • 1939 100 0 0 — 44 p.c. ditto, 1938 100 0 0 100 10 0 44 p.c. ditto, 1930 — 99 15 0 5£ p.c. ditto, 196b 101 15 0 — DEBENTURES— N.Z. Breweries (inscr. stock) 1 10 8 1 10 11 Ditto (bonds) 1 10 9 1 11 0 BANKS— Australasia *14 11 0 — Australian Bank of Commerce 1 14 6 1 15 0 Commercial of Aust. (ord.) — 1 10 3 English, Scottish and Australian 8 7 6 8 9 0 National of N.Z — 6 18 0 National of Australasia (£5) 9 11 6 9 13 6 New South Wales — 52 0 0 New Zealand — 3 3 6 Ditto (long term) 1 8 9 15 1 6 Union of Australia ... — FINANCIAL— Goldsbrough Mort ... 2 5 0 2 6 0 National Mortgage .... 4 6 0 — N.Z. Guarantee Corp. (ord.) 0 9 6 0 9 9 Ditto (pref.) 1 1 6 — N.Z. Loan and Mercantile (ord.) 124 0 0 — Ditto (prof.) 83 0 0 — Wellington Deposit and Mortgage 0 10 10 _ GASAuckland (paid) 1 4 7 — Christchurch (contr.) . 0 13 3 — Gisborne 0 13 3 — Wellington (ord.) 1 13 6 — INSURANCE— National — 0 16 10 New Zealand — 2 8 6 South British — 3 7 0 MEAT PRESERVING— Gear 2 3 6 Canterbury Frozen Meat (ord.) 8 5 0 N.Z. Refrigerat. (£1) — 0 14 6 Ditto (103) 0 6 6 0 6 10 TRANSPORT— Huddart-Parker (ord.) — t2 5 3 P. and 0. def. stock .. 2 17 0 — WOOLLEN— Kaiapoi (ord.) — 0 14 0 Ditto (oontrib.) — 0 5 0 Wellington (ord.) — 6 17 6 Ditto (pref.) — 7 0 0 COAL— Westport. — 1 15 0 Waipa 0 13 4 — BREWERIES— Crown 0 7 0 _ New Zealand 4 10 0 4 11 3 Staples and Co 2 14 0 — Ward and Co 1 10 0 — MISCELLANEOUS— Burns, Philp and Co. — 2 9 0 British Tobacco (Auat.) (ord.) 2 9 7 *2 10 0 Dental and Medical ... U 7 1 0 10 8 D.I.C. (ord., prem.) . 0 13 6 — Electro. Zinc (ord.) .. 1 16 9 1 17 6 Ditto (pref.) 1 16 6 — Howard Smith (ord.) — +14 9 Taranaki Oil — 0 5 9 Wairarapa Farmers’ (ord.) — 0 6 8 Wellington Cordage .. — Wilson’s Cement — 0 14 0 2 4 3 MINING— ■Mount Lyell — 2 5 3 Ohinemuri — 0 10 9 *Cum. dividend. +Ex dividend.