SHEEP BREEDING

Evening Star, Issue 23292, 14 June 1939, Page 12

SHEEP BREEDING

ARGENTINA MAKING PROGRESS LIKELY T« CORffflE WITH AUSTRALIA Pres* Association—By Telegraph—Copyright WASHINGTON, June 13. (Received June 14, at 1.5 p.m.) The Queensland Minister of Agriculture (Mr F. W. Bulcock), after an extensive touir of South Africa and Argentina, * told the Australian Associated Press that ? while he was convinced that South African sheep growers could_ not hope to become successful competitors of Australian growers if the merino embargo - were maintained, he felt otherwise concerning the Argentine. Mr Bulcock pointed out that African growers were apparently breeding by sight and not from the, book, and they were not making any special effort to supplement or maintain the necessary blood l lilies. They were rapidly finding • that their rams were showing undesirable recessive characteristics. On the other hand, Argentinian conditions were different._ Certain sheep growers’of Australian nationality, having drawn their stud from some of the finest breeders in Australia, and carefully maintaining their blood lines through constant. importation of Corriedales, were producing sheep, comparing favourably with Australia. These breeders were, having some difficulty in the lack of, calcium phosphates in the soil, but in certain respects gained advantage from this cause. yMr Bulcock considers that : Argentinian cattle-growing leads the world, although the. finest, Argentinian processing plants are not better - than the finest Australian. Argentinian cattle marketing is, excellent, hut-sheep marketing is wretched. He felt that Argentinian cattle-growing is at its peak, and henceforth will suffer from the economic law of diminishing returns.