Aberdeen Angus Council In South Island

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31339, 8 April 1967, Page 8

Aberdeen Angus Council In South Island

Members of the council of the New Zealand Aberdeen Angus Cattle Breeders’ Association have been in the South Island this week.

It is their policy to meet once each year in a different district away from their headquarters in Hawke’s Bay and at the same time see as many cattle and to meet as many of their members as possible in that district. The council members at the same time seek to examine the potential of the district they are visiting for commercial cattle production.

This year’s council tour was mainly to Otago but it began last Sunday in South Canterbury. According to a spokesman for the visitors, a bigger increase in cattle production is expected in South Canterbury and North Otago in the next few years than in Otago or Southland.

At present, he said, there were 107,656 beef cattle in South Canterbury and North Otago and the Agricultural Production Council forecast that by 1972 these numbers would have virtually doubled to 215,000. At the same time beef cattle numbers in Otago were expected to have increased from 161,336 to 213,000 and in Southland from 159,000 to 204,000.

It had been planned that the council party should fly from Christchurch to Mount Cook to begin their visit to the South Island, but a strong north-westerly wind Inland caused a change of plans and the party was able to fly only to Timaru and then had to motor to the Hermitage.

The group, which also included some members of the association who are not councillors, then made a brief visit to two properties in South Canterbury before proceeding to Central Otago and then travelling downland in Otago.

Ten of the 14 council members are from the North

Island and for some of these the visit was an introduction to the relatively arid and extensive hinterland of the South Island in the Mackenzie Country and Central Otago. They were surprised that cattle in such relatively good condition could be grown on such seemingly difficult country.

From runholders they heard a little of the potential of this country and also of the difficulties of managing stock in the harsh winters.

Council members in the party came from Okaihau, 70 miles north of Whangarei, to Waianiwa, 14 miles west of Invercargill.

The most northerly member of the group was Mr A. B. Graham, of Okaihau, who has a 500-acre sheep and cattle property where his stock include 100 breeding cows. From South The most southern member of the council is Mr J. S. Marshall, who farms 1000 acres of heavy country with a high proportion of peat at Waianiwa with a brother, Mr D. B. Marshall Their holding includes 600 acres acquired three years ago which is being developed from its virgin manuka scrub-covered condition. They have a Romney stud of 400 ewes and an Aberdeen Angus stud 30 cows and also 3000 Romney cross ewes and 100 head of commercial cattle. They cultivate about 150 acres annually mainly for root crops for winter feed, but they also grow a small area of grain.

Mr Marshall is known to many Canterbury people as a

former president of the New Zealand Ploughing Association and is at present junior vice-president of the association. He was manager to Mr H. A. Magson, of Rokeby, when he ploughed in the world ploughing contest in France in 1961.

One of the members of the party with most cattle was Mr K. B. Clayton, of Norsewood, in Hawke’s Bay. He has a property of about 4000 acres in the mainly 1600 ft to 2000 ft range but reaching up to 2600 ft in the Ruahine range. It is cleared bush country and here he is running some 2000 head of cattle, including 1000 cows, and some 7000 sheep, including 3000 to 3500 Romney ewes. He has a small stud of only 14 cows established about three years ago, including two imported Scottish heifers. Good Growth His herd Is all Aberdeen Angus and he says that these cattle seem to grow well when the grass grows on this country in January and February after a late spring.

Mr Clayton says that the property reaches to about 10 miles from Dannevirke and is comparatively close to fattening country so that it is his plan to go in increasingly for breeding. He expects that breeding cow numbers may increase to about 1500. He favours running cattle to sheep but does not expect he will be able to reduce sheep numbers much under 6000 as they are needed to control ragwort

Next year the association will celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of its establishment and the president of the association, Mr C. E. Nairn, of Waipawa, who was leading the party, said that the council would invite members of the council of the Aberdeen Angus society in Australia and their secretary, and the presidents of all Aberdeen Angus societies in the world, or a member of their councils, to come to New Zealand to be the guests of Hawke’s Bay members at the time of the celebrations. It is also hoped to organise a tour of New Zealand at this time.