Suggested Restriction On Sheep Sales

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28347, 5 August 1957, Page 16

Suggested Restriction On Sheep Sales

If a restriction is placed on the sale of sheep with fleeces containing 1 nassella tussock seed it is not expected this will lead to any radical change in the type of farming carried on in the area of North Canterbury where the tusSock is widespread. The fields superintendent of the Department of Agriculture in Christchurch (Mr A. R. Dingwall) said yesterday that there might, however, have to be some adjustment in grazing management so that sheep to be offered for sale for further breeding or for fattening were grazed on areas free from heavy infestation at the time of the year—from December to February—when they were likely to pick up seed heads in their fleeces. Even on farms where there were heavy infestations of the tussock, Mr Dingwall said, there were generally areas which were free of the weed or where the infestation was light; though this might not prevent sheep gathering wind-borne seeds or those piled up against a fence on the edge of a free area by wind action.

At a meeting of the • North Canterbury Nassella Tussock Board on Thursday the Department ' of Agriculture suggested that it might be necessary to place some restriction, on the sale of contaminated sheep. Mr Dingwall said that at present no action had been taken, and the suggestion had been made with the idea of obtaining the board’s reaction, since a survey of stock offered for sale at North Canterbury ewe fairs last season had shown that some sheep were carrying seed. Mr Dingwall said that of 180 pens inspected at three fairs only three pens—all at one fair—had been found to have sheep carrying seed. Other pens from owners of the seed-infested sheep were free of seed, he said, indicating that if sheep, were not grazing on areas of heavy infestation at seeding time they did not pick up the seed heads. “Positive Risk” Mr Dingwall said the fact that only three pens but of 180 were infested with seed indicated that the risk from sheep carrying the weed to new areas was not very great, but it was a positive risk and had therefore to be regarded seriously. There were more serious means of transmitting seed, he said, when he was asked why a restriction on the sale of such sheep had not been proposed earlier. One of the chief means was by wind blow, and there was also contamination of small seeds sold outside the nassella district. Regulations already prohibited the sale of seed containing nassella seed impurities, which had first to be dressed out. Generally the nassella could be removed, but if it was not possible the seed had to be dumped. “Probably the next method /is transmission v by

stock,” he added. The seed could also be .carried on the undersides of motor-vehicles and in the cuffs of trousers and possibly by birds, Mr Dingwall said that one method of ensuring that sheep did not spread the weed was to sell them only oft the shears, but this would mean a delay in shearing and there would be a number of other drawbacks to the procedure. Nassella tussock has been reported in about nine or 10 areas south of the Waimakariri river. Several of these infestations were thought to be due to sheep-borne seed, he said, though there was no positive evidence of this. “No Great Hardship'* “I would not think that any restrictions imposed would be as bad as some people. think,” said Mr Dingwall. “I do not think that they would impose a great hardship.” Dr. A. E. Henderson, head of the wool department at Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, said the possibility of any straightforward means of removing the seed from the wool by mechanical or chemical means could be ruled out. The only possible method of dealing with the seed in the fleece might be by the application of a hormone type weedkiller to upset its germination. but it would be of doubtful value, and it was problematical whether it would be economic. Ho did not know of any work that had been done on this subject. There was no doubt a • risk of sheep carrying nassella seed to pew grass, said Mr R. E. Hiatt, vice-chairman of the meat and wool section of the North Canterbury district of Federated Farmers, but he did not think that there was any possibility of its becoming a menace in a new area in this fashion, as it would be quickly' identified and brought under control. - , j “It had been suggested that the sale of sheep from infested areas should be restricted," said. Mr A G. Lawrence, president of ths Hawarden-Waikari branch of Federated Farmers, commenting on the report of the Nassella Board meeting printed in “The Press” yesterday. “This may or may not be a sound plan, but a great deal of thought will have to go into its formiilJtion, and then it may not be workable. If sheep cannot be sold from these areas some ether means of disposal must bo found that will be just as profitable to the landowner. At the moment most, If not all owners, are co-operating with the board at great expense, but they do trust that legislation will not ba passed that will, virtually drive them off their land.” The provisional president of Federated Farmers (Mr J. F. G. Blakely) had no comment to make. "