BEEF CATTLE IN SOUTH ISLAND

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28158, 22 December 1956, Page 9

BEEF CATTLE IN SOUTH ISLAND

NOT ENOUGH RAISED VIEWS OF MEAT TRADE SPOKESMAN The sharp contrast in the attitude towards beef cattle found in the North and South Islands was recently commented upon to the writer by Mr H. A. Seifert, of Palmerston North, a spokesman for the meat export freezing industry. Mr Seifert had completed one of his many tours of the South Island made over recent years, from which, he said, has been gained an understanding of its various districts as seen at different seasons of the year.

On this occasion he felt concerned at the air of pessimism prevailing among southern cattle men. as gauged by various statements in the press. Opinions had been given that beef cattle were “a hopeless proposition.” There was no such idea in the North Island where the decline in beef values had been taken philosophically. There was no talk of going out of beef cattle and certainly no suggestion of reducing breeding standards. Evidence of this is the fact that, in spite of the decline in export beef values, run bulls made from 10 gns to 30 gns above their prices at 1955 sales. Breeders of replacement stock were prepared to pay from 125 gns to 175 gns for good average two-year-old run bulls. Yet it was learnt that beef bull breeders had experienced a disappointing market in the south this spring. Traditionally Cattle-Minded North Island sheep farmers were traditionally cattle-minded. In contrast. it seems that in the south an understanding and appreciation of beef cattle have developed widely only through recent years. This was during a period exceptionally favourable from rising values ultimately reaching a veritable boom level two years ago. Perhaps that factor accounts for the reaction of disappointment now observed.

Mr Seifert recalled a judgment expressed by a prominent North Island high-country Aberdeen Angus breeder about eight years ago: “The South Island could run another 1,000.000 head of beef cattle.” Mr Seifert felt he could endorse that remark.

“For all that beef values have eased by about 25 per cent, for the last 15 months, cattle still offer a good return to both fattener and breeder. Then, who knows, apart from direct returns your farmers might well find substantial indirect gains from the running of cattle in numbers. This is the case in the North Island where in almost every district the most notable sheep farmers are almost invariably those who run a much higher ratio of cattle per 100 acres, than is usual in the district,’’ said Mr Seifert.

Finally there was a touch of apology. It would be most improper, he said, for a “mere North Islander” to tell a “Mainlander” how to farm. However, Mr Seifert said he would deeply regret to think that any spirit of pessimism might put a check to the heartening expansion of southern beef herds recorded in the stock returns of recent years.