SHEEP IN WAIKATO

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 April 1939, Page 3

SHEEP IN WAIKATO

FARMERS SHOW CONFIDENCE. TRADE UNDETERRED BY ECZEMA. The opinion expressed last year that the facial eczema' epidemic had permanently crippled the development of sheep farming in the Waikato has not been fulfilled this season. It was even asserted in some quarters that the Waikato had been proved entirely unsuitable for sheep, and that its fat lamb trade was as good as finished. It was consequently prophesied that this season there would be practically no demand for breeding ewes from Waikatol. producers. These pessimistic predictions have been upset by the big number of breeding ewes which have come into the district since January. At the principal distributing centre, Morrinsville, approximately 120,000 ewes have been traded in the saleyards, while other Waikato centres have accounted for at least another 100,000. Several thousand sheep have also been bought privately, so the total figure would be something like 250,000 sheep. These figures convincingly indicate that the 'sheep industry in the Waikato has not received the setback that was alleged last year. The surprisingly strong tone of the ewe market right through the season demonstrates that, in spite of the threat of facial dezema, Waikato producers are confident and are going ahead with their usual programme. Market values for ewes have been substantially down on last year, but this has been due, to a large extent, to low export prices and uncertainty in regard to wool prices.