ART OF BREEDING

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 19, 15 October 1937, Page 19 (Supplement)

ART OF BREEDING

Dominion Holds Proud Position in Stock World HIGH STANDARD IS SET When it is considered that stock importations into New Zealand were begun only 100 years ago, and that refrigeration did not commence until - 1882, the strides that the breeders of this Dominion have made in the art of stockraising are nothing short of astonishing. To-day this country holds a proud position which our fa,rmers are determined to hold, and, if the present r.atc of progress is maintained, we have little to fear for our prestige.

JT*HE year 1773 is historicallv the start x — of New Zealand's sheep industry as-in that year Captain Cook landed tiro sheep in the country. How long tHey survived is not - known to the writer, but judging by the fondness of tho Maoris for meat we may assume their life was short. In 1815 the Eng- ' lish missionary, Samuel Marsden, brought a further consignment of sheep "to oiir shores, and these. animals probably met a similar fate. In 1834 Mr Jolm Bell imported 100 Merino sheep and 12 head of cattle, this being the Start of our live stock industry. The following year saw a further impetus given 'to our stock population, Owing ' to 1835 being a serious drought year in Now South Wales, a number of these early Australian settlers decided to seek fresh fields and pastures new, so they embarked both their stock and themselves and came ■ to N ew Zealand. Next year, 1836, saw the importation of 9 lorses into the South Island. Heralding the Dominion 's prosperity, 1839 opened a new era in-our pastoral industry, as the year saw the first of our wool sold- by auction at Hobarfc, Tasmama. From old records this wool °TOM reaily fine quality wool and realjied good prices. The same year Mr W. Bhodes imported a Shorthorn herd. Kapid Progress From 1840 importations of stock prO* -gressed by leaps and bounds. In 1843 Mr John Dean imported cattle and stud sheep, while a Mr Bidlows imported a lin^ of 300 Romney sheep which were eventually sold to a Mr. Ludlamb. The year 1844 witnessed the establishment ,0f the first large station, which were to become such a factor in the Dominion 's prosperity. This station was started in the "Wairarapa by Mr Charles Clifford, the stud being eventuaUy transferred to "Flaxmere" Station, Marl- ' borbagh. A. further drought in Australia in 1S46 induced still further immigration of Australian stock and people. How tfea live stock population' had grown in the ' comparatively short space "o£,*12 years is shown f>y statistics compiled in 1848, a total of 36,000 sheep and 5600 cattle being in the Dominion. The direct shipment of wool to Great Britain "oommenced in 1860, previous to this the wool having been shipped to Tasmania and Australia, and thonce consigned to the Hdmeland. The years 1881 was an eventful year. Prices for produce slumped, Romney sheep were increasing in favour,,the first attempts at breeding the presentday Corriedale sheep had commenced, and breeders were becoming more interested finding which breed sujted the different types of country. By this year there was over-production in all th® eolonies, while there was a food scarcity in Great Britain. The situa- • tion was saved by the introduction of refrigeration. •The Dunedin was the first ship to leave these shores with refrigerated cargo on board, this shipment being successful and followed by a refrigeration Ixiom. This, of course, led to a change in breeding tactics— whereas formerly a wool-producing sheep was required, now the • Dominion had to produce a mutton. carcase as well. fcjinca ' then 'primary production has - - . gone ahead "steadily. Dairying has* come more to the iore, a greater interest is being takeil in' pigs, and with the chilled beef trade being built up the future appears bright.

Breeder' s Task >Yheji it is realised that our breeders bave to considef the climate and physicai nature of the couutry on which their stock will eventually be used, tho market which their stock has to produce for and the necessity for maintaining a high standard, it can be realised that the breeder 's task is no easy one. The statement has been made occasiopally ia the last few years that quality of our stud stock is deter-'

mrating. It is t'o be feared that, as far as this opinion applies to sheep and to dairy cattle, the authors have a very loose knowledge of the actual facts. One or two breeds of sheep, wellknown h few years ago, may have relapsed to some extent, for the simple reason that there has been no export demand for the products of these breeds, but in the stock to which we look for our revenue from abroad ther6 bas been a .steady improvement. The sheep clip has improved m weignt and quality, overseas demand has been mct in the class of mutton and lamb we export, and the production of our dairy cows is improving, as culling is proceeding. Any person who holds an ldea to the contrary should spend a few hours at the show next v\veok and he would be very much disillusioned.