DOMINION SHEEP AND CATTLE FOR CHINA

Chronicle (Levin), 31 January 1947, Page 7

DOMINION SHEEP AND CATTLE FOR CHINA

WELLINGTON, Jan. 30. . 1 A thousand pedigree sheep and . 400 pedigree cattle will leave New Zealand in a few days for Ghina. They are tc be used for stud purposes in improving herds which were decimated by the Japanese. Eollowing Cabinet approval, Unrra purchased eattle through the New Zealand Herd linprovement Society and sheep through the ' Department of Agriculture. Unrra has arranged 'to ship the. "animals on the special cattle ship, Lindenwood Victory. The vessel is under eharter to TJnrra and will load the sheep at Lyttelton on . or aboutFebruary 12 and the cattle at- Auckland shortly after, Before Cabinet approval was given the Government arranged for Unrra to send Mr. R. B. Tennent, " assistanl Director General of Agriculture, tu Ghina. During his visit "of a month Mr. Tennent, cooperating with ' the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture, was able to determine the types of livestock best suited for the purpose and methoch of internal distribution. He also gained an assurance on behalf of the Government of New Zealand and Unrra, that the livestock would be used only for breeding purposes and the ultimate long-term improvemcnt of the industry in China. The sheep are Corriedales comprising .L00 rams and 900 ewes. The cattle arfc Jerseys, Friesians, Shorthorns and Ayrshires comprising 100' bulls and 300 cows. On the voyage-the livestock will be cared for by expert men under the control of two Unrra veterinarians and three officials of the Department of Agriculture. A Chinese student who has just graduated at Massey College, will travel in the ship and on arrival will probably take up a position with the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture. " The sheep will be taken to the cold north-west provinces, " said Mr. Tennent, ' 1 which are well grassed. The country is similar to New Zealand in that much of it i? tussock country interspersed with good feed." Chinese sheep produce only about 31b of wool per head. About half of this is hair. Increased production^ through crossing with Corriedales will be iruportant to the people in those cold paris of China where each little village has Its own woollen mill. "The eattle," continued Mr. Tennent, "will only be a drop in the bucket as f«Cr as China is concerned as there are between 15,000,000 and 20,000,000 native cattle in the country but these are of the buffalo variety and when erossed with western breeds, their laetation period is increased considerably. The Chinese do not uso milk much as a food; The Government is doing all it can to induce the Chinese to use it more. The cattle will not be allowed to fall into the hands of butchers and township dairy herds but will be used to.; improve pedigree stock over a period of years. "