Live sheep exports ‘good for farmers’

Press, 9 October 1987, Page 30

Live sheep exports ‘good for farmers’

Live sheep exports for breeding was a growing industry which could only mean good news to farmers, according to the secretary of the New Zealand Romney Sheep Breeders’ Association, Miss Christine Ramsay. The ability to send sheep overseas provided competition for the freezing works and should result in higher returns to farmers, she said. It would particularly help the North Island because works there were paying lower rates than South Island works. Good prices were being paid by other countries for New Zealand sheep. “If Waitaki and the others want to kill stock then they will have to come to the party and pay.” She believes the trade would also improve the quality of stock in New Zealand. “The numbers game will go out and it will be quality that will be paid for,” she said. The agreement by watersiders which allowed sheep to be loaded onto ships was a boost to the exporting industry. Some stock had previously been flown to other countries but ships could take far greater numbers at a lower cost. Although many developing countries wanted New Zeland sheep, livestock had also been sent to

Australia and the United States. ■ “We have got a product that the world wants and have got to go and sell it.” Romneys were ah expanding breed overseas and had been successfully exported to countries which had been considered too hot for them to thrive. Sheep exports posed no danger to New Zealand’s future, said Miss Ramsay. “We are just a wee drop compared to the rest of the world. We are not selling our lifeblood but keeping our best breeding stock and exporting the commercial grades,” she said. South America, Hungary, and China were the main destinations for the large numbers of Corriedales which had been exported in recent years, said the secretary of the' Corriedale Sheep Society, Mr David Lawrence. Another 2600 ewes and rams had recently been shipped to Algeria. More large export orders were anticipated. Although the trade appeared to be growing, such large shipments were decided year by year. Figures could fluctuate from one year to the next Corriedales were popular overseas because they were adaptable and were a particularly good animal for high country. The ' breed had long

been considered the second largest to Merinos but with large exports and breeding' 1 programmes continuing, Corriedales could soon become the largest international flock, said Mr Lawrence. Large numbers already existed in other countries. While Corriedales re- * malned in demand, the live export trade offered a clear alternative to New Zealand breeders, he said. Poll Dorsets, Hampshires, and Border Lelcesters from New Zealander have also been popular for breeding stock overseas. A total of 939 Hampshires were sent to Peru in the year ended August 31, including 59 stud rams and ewes. Peru also imported 616 Poll Dorsets, 272 Border Lelcesters, and 170 South Suffolk during the same period. Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, and Uruguay have also imported small numbers of New Zealand stud English Leicester, Border Leicester, Merino, Suffolk, Dorset Hom, Poll Dorset, Hampshire, South Hampshire, Borderdale, -and Drysdale sheep. Since August 31, approval has been sought from Customs to export 16Q2 Halfbred ewe hoggets, 124 Polworth-Half-bred ewe and ram hoggets and eight two-tooth rams to Ecuador. as breeding stock.