Bad Winter; Few Losses

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31802, 5 October 1968, Page 9

Bad Winter; Few Losses

Although a runholder at Lake Pukaki had described the last winter in the Mackenzie Country as the worst since about 1911-12, Mr D. G. Reynolds, farm advisory officer of the Department of Agriculture at Fairlie, said this week that there had been no significant stock losses and the most important effects had been a slight loss in condition of stock and a slight decline in wool production and quality.

The absence of serious losses was attributable to better feeding and management and the control of rabbits. It was a demonstration that well-fed stock could stand almost anything and underlined the very great importance of well-grown hoggets, which were about the most important thing that a station could have. In contrast to the light winter losses, Mr Reynolds said that the losses last November

in the out-of-season snow storm could be put down to sheer stress at a time when stock could not stand such a phenomenon. It was about lambing time. A side effect of the tough winter, Mr Reynolds said, was that a great many rabbits had been killed, according to some reports. But as yet, Mr Reynolds said, there had been little growth In the Mackenzie.