ARGENTINE AND NEW ZEALAND

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 8, 5 October 1926, Page 3

ARGENTINE AND NEW ZEALAND

DOMINION STUD SHEEP IN DEMAND

TWO COUNTRIES COMPARED

Some interesting comparisons between New Zealand and the Argentine were made by Senor H. Bidone, Con-sul-General for the Argentine Government, in an address before the Economic Society at Victoria College. “New Zealand,” explained Senor Bidone, “has 3,503,74* cattle, 24,747,848 sheep and 326,830 horses, and Argentine 37,648,000 cattle, 36,209,000 sheep, and 9,000,000 horses. New Zealand has in wool-growing sheep a greater refinement than the Argentine, and I believe vour wool is superior to ours in quality. The Argentine is rapidly 'improving its flocks, and to-day it has the same breeds of sheep as New Zealand, lhe Romney-Marsh breed spreads itself rapidly. in the Argentine, with its profitable features of meat and wool. We have more Lincoln and Merino sheep than vou. The Argentine imported from 1895 to 1922, 41,519 stud stock. New Zealand has in the Argentine the best market for its sheep. Last year it exported more than 400 sheep. In the Argentine more than half the cattle are shorthorn, something like the Australian cattle. This breed has the advantages of both milk-giving and meat-producing. The first shorthorn imported into the Argentine was in 1848, and last rear the champion of this breed was sold for £13.275—a world record. I have seen at Mr. J. A. Johnston’s station, near Dunedin, a bull which cost ten thousand guineas. The British stud stock in the Argentine is 98.83 per cent, of cattle and 90.45 of sheep. Value of Lucerne.

“I have been surprised that in New Zealand lucerne or alfalfa is not planted in greater quantities in order to increase the capacity of fields from 3 to 25 acres, as in the Argentine. According to information, you have 10,000 acres tinder lucerue, and we have 23,000,000 acres. Tn 1925 the Argentine imported alfalfa seed potatoes and other kinds to the quantity of 6,242,000 kilos. Dairying Prospects. “In the last ten years,” proceeded the Consul-General, “New Zealand and the Argentine have made great progress. For six months ending June 30, 1926, the importation of butter into the United Kingdom was; New Zealand, 779,863 cwt.; and Argentine, 301,866 cwt. In 1925 New Zealand exported 74,145 tons of cheese, and Argentine 298 tons. In butter and cheese New Zealand enjoys a welldeserved world-wide reputation. It manufactures 94| and 96 per cent, of butter and cheese of first quality respectively. Argentine occupies the fourth place, but the capacity for production permits the hope that it will succeed in occupying one of the first ranks as exporter of dairy produce and sub-products in the civilised world. The dairy industry of the Argentine is much newer than that of New Zealand. The dairy industry in New Zealand is in admirable technical and hygienic condition, and that which prejudices.the dairymen are dear land, transport, fertilisers, and wages, lack of bank credit, and taxes, which in all countries ought to be reduced. Casein, which is manufactured from specific protein substances of skimmilk is the only Argentine manufacture in large quantities up to the present, but recent experience has shown the possibility of manufacturing it from the whey of butter. Casein will be one of the most lucrative products of the dairv industry. Mixed exploitation in the country is the most prudent.”