EXOTIC HEIFERS FOR N.Z. HERDS

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33446, 30 January 1974, Page 14

EXOTIC HEIFERS FOR N.Z. HERDS

Thirty-four heifers now undergoing disease testing in a quarantine station at Le Havre will make up the first shipment of French female cattle to be imported into New Zealand. They are due in April.

The cattle, selected by rep-1 resentatives of private! breeders to improve some; cattle breeds in New Zealand, I will be quarantined on I Soames Island in Wellington! Harbour when they get here.] The shipment will be made! up of 12 Charolais, 12 Sim-j mental and 10 Limousin. [ They will spend five months;; on Soames Island and none; of them, or the female calves; from their first two pregnan-j’ cies, will be allowed to be!i exported. i

N.Z. ATTENDANTS

Mr D. J. Collyns, the Ministry of Agriculture’s superintendent of quarantine services, has just completed onfarm disease testing of all the animals, and according to his report very few were rejected compared with the previous selection of French: cattle, in 1972.

At present the animals are being subjected to more disease testing in quarantine at Le Havre by a Ministry of Agriculture veterinarian, Mr W. Wilson, of Masterton, and by Mr F. P. Doogan, senior livestock instructor on Soames Island. The two men will stay with the heifers throughout the 50-day quarantine and the voyage to New Zealand. Shipping arrangements for the heifers have not been completed though because of the difficulty of finding a

■ i suitable ship and the world ; oil shortage. Fewer conventional ships are available now with the change to coni| tainer vessels. i The selection of the 34 hei- . fers in France was made by {five representatives of private breeders in New Zealand. Mr J. Sutherland, of Waimate, land Mr J. Middleton, of jPokeno, selected the Charojlais from the Dijon district. The Simmental, from the : upper Marne area, were selected by Mr R. Macdonald, of Kaiapoi, and the Limousin, from Limoges, by Mr R. James, of Springfield, and Mr IF. Allan, of Ashburton.