Fewer Sheep But More Wool

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32394, 5 September 1970, Page 21

Fewer Sheep But More Wool

In spite of a reduction in sheep numbers in Canterbury, Mr W. Pease, wool manager of Dalgety New Zealand Loan Ltd, said this week that a 4 to 5 per cent increase in wool production was anticipated this season in the area of the Christchurch selling centre. In South Canterbury, production should increase by about 5 per cent.

As well as there being an improvement in the weight of wool clipped in the Christchurch area, Mr Pease —a forecast of wool-clip prospects issued by his company’s news service said that it should be better grown than last season, sounder, and considerably better in style. With the accent on meat production, he said, there had been a marked increase in the amount of crossbreeding in the area with Border Leicester and Perendales being used in both Corriedale and Romney flocks. This trend was disturbing from a wool point of view, and would do nothing to improve the quality of future wool production.

There was also an increasing reluctance by crossbred growers to have their wool classed. There was no doubt that, on present prices, there Were reasonable economic grounds for this policy. As to South Canterbury, Mr Pease said it appeared as though the sheep population at present would be down by 5 to 10 per cent in most areas, compared with the previous season. This particularly applied to areas severely affected by the drought Areas with a

higher rainfall, however, would have similar numbers to previous years or even a slight increase. However, as a result of the better feeding conditions, wool production should increase.

In this area, too, crossbreeding was increasing, Mr Pease said. More Corriedale and Border Leicester rams were being used than in previous seasons. The main reasons for this were that fanners were endeavouring to “fine up” Romney cross-

bred wools and at the same time produce better-styled wools; and they were also hoping to increase lambing percentages. The Perendale breed was

also increasing, and more of these wools would be coming, on the market in the future. Mr Pease said that New Zealand's over-ail wool production for the season had been estimated by the Wool Commission to rise by 1.6 per cent to a record 735 m lb—an increase of 12m lb on last year’s clip, and this in spite of a 2.9 per cent drop in the number of sheepowners this year, and a decrease last season in sheep numbers for the first time for several years.