Thursday, April 6, 1967

since September the 27th. These sales are well conducted and are proving very satisfactory. More and more farmers are reported to be participating in these sales and the result of the weekly sales we are in a position to establish an Island market and we publish in our local press and broadcast over the local radio station. Our second last auction sale was started in February at the Central Lot 16 Grasslands Co-operative. This will provide a service for the farmers in the Western end of the province if they so desire to dispose of their livestock by this means. The volume of cattle has decreased approximately 7,000 head. The reason we attribute to this is due to the brisk prices offered for cattle this fall and winter. We are encouraging the farmers to buy and keep as many young cattle as possible as the future for our livestock is very healthy. You will notice, too, Mr. Speaker, that more calves have been retained this season than the previous year — the total actually is 800 — so this is a step in the direction that should help to build up our herds to the former level or probably beyond that level at a later date. 1966 was a year when there were definite improvements made in the livestock industry of this province despite a relatively dry year. The moisture seemed to be wall spread for most productions and

although pastures suffered somewhat, supplies of most home grown feeds are ade- quate for the winter.

Significant increases were made by our farmers in hog marketing during 1966, with an approximate 17% increase. Many new swine barns are being built and others renovated so that there has been a definite improvement in the cars and manage- ment of swine in this province. As our markets increase the percentages of car- casses in the Grade A category declined from 57.2% in 1965, to 55.7% in 1966. The lack of a planned breeding program when two or three breeds are involved seems to have an adverse effect on Grade A percentage.

Marketing of livestock from P.E.I. through inspected packing plants in the last three years. I have figures relating to this here. Cattle marketed 1966. 16.869. 1965 there were 17,621; in 1964, 15,167. Calves marketed 1964, 1,372; in 1965, 1,824;

in 1966, 1,382. This is the figure that I have revealed before and this shows that there was more retention of calves last season.

Hogs in 1964, 90,171; in 1965, 96,081; in 1966, 113,351. This is quite an in- crease. I guess that is enough on hogs.

The hull bonus policy was changed in May, 1966, to apply only to commercial and registered beef herds. Fifty bulls were bonused in 1966, many of which were carry-overs from the former policy. There were 230 boars bonused under the boar bonus policy. This was also changed in 1966 to be up to date to the new R.0.P. testing program for swine. A shortage of available breeding boars developed near the end of the year des ite the fact that many sows made high scores in R.O.P. For some reason our tered swine breeders seem to have lost interest in raising young boars for sale, but the readily available market in the Atlantic provinces for livestock roducts would seem to be a reasonable goal to double our swine and cattle p action within five and ten year periods respectively.

Many meetings in the province dealing with exhibitions, breed associations, and 4-H work were attended. Meetings of the swine industry were attended in Am- herst, Ottawa, and Toronto during the year. The livestock breeders in this province made fine showings at the Atlantic Winter Fair. Halifax, last fall. The new prize- list, formerly adopted by Class “A” and “B” Fairs in recent years, seems to be working out quite well in many cases. Only one carload of cattle from here were exhibited at The Royal Winter Fair, Toronto, and these made comparable showing in extremely tough compettion.

A few words about the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto. I was up there last fall

and I would just have to be there myself to realize the competition that our cattle roducers had to contend with up there. I have never seen such quality and fine

rocking animals; they were just simply wonderful to behold. And as far as animals and humans were concerned, they were the most beautiful picture anyone could ever wish to see. Fourteen hundred of those Aberdeen Angus’ pending around that

big Arena, and every boy and every girl there dressed with the same 4-H Banner on them; it was really well worth seeing.

.435.