SHEEP INCREASE

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4813, 21 July 1939, Page 5

SHEEP INCREASE

WAITOMO COUNTY FIGURES DEVELOPMENT OF FARMS. HIGHER QUALITY STOCK. The number of sheep in the Waitomo County has increased from 318,798 to 447,046 in four years. No better indication than this could be found of the increasing productivity of the Te Kuiti district. Though figures are not available, it is safe to say that at least a proportionate increase has taken place in run cattle, and though dairy production has declined during the same period, an increase is expected in the future. The figures quoted are taken from the Annual Sheep Returns, presented to the Government, the latest copy of which we have just received from Mr. W. J. Broadfoot, M.P. The tendency for sheep to increase in Waitomo has been a steady one. The total number of sheep in the county in 1934 was given as 318,7'98; and it increased as follows: —1935, 359,009; 1936, 367,929; 1937, 398,550; and 1938, 447,046. This increase has been just about 40 per cent, in these years. In the same period the total number of sheep in the North Island rose from 15,264,558 to 17,705,999, and of the whole of the Dominion from 29,076,754 to 32,378,774. Thus it will be seen that the increase shown in the sheep carried in the Waitomo County has far outstripped the general tendency throughout the Domin-

Only the Raglan County can challenge the Waitomo County for the number of sheep carried in the Auckland Province, though with 420,522 sheep that county remains fairly well below the Waitomo figure, which is, however, easily eclipsed by the figures of some of the East Coast and also by a few of the Wairarapa and Manawatu areas.

The rise in the sheep population of this county can only to a limited degree be accounted for by the tendency in the past for farmers to swing over from dairying. Actually the increased area required now for cattle would more than compensate for any gains from that direction. The real reason for it is the increase in the use of topdressing throughout the distiict. The use of this means that the difficulty in preventing country in this area of high rainfall from reverting is largely overcome for with the increase in carrying capacity which follows the manure bag, noxious weeds and fern are far more easily controlled. Improved knowledge of farming methods have also played a large part. Not only is the land benefiting, but there has been an amazing increase in the quality of the sheep and cattle carried. Whereas a few years ago the quality of a good proportion of the sheep from this area left something to be desired, at the annual sheep fairs beasts of outstanding type and constitution are now brought forward by local breeders. Also, a few years ago mixed offerings of cattle, comprising numerous breeds and crosses, were penned, today at all centres the bulk of the offering are well-bred Polled Angus or Hereford sorts, as good as any in the Dominion.

Another great benefit is that the increase in sheep carried is paving the way for an increase in dairying. With the growth of knowledge of the means of controlling ragwort, particularly by sheep-grazing, and by the development of reverted sections and the gang system of ragwort control, much of the dread with which ragwort was regarded a few years ago is disappearing. Now the land, through the control of this and other weeds and the improvement of pastures by sheep, is being s'owly brought in many areas up to a dairying standard. In the event of prices favouring the dairyman, a largescale swing-over to dairying, or rather to mixed farming, appears indicated.

Even on the figures themselves, the position seems to justify the faith that is increasing in the potentialities of this district, and of the Northern King Country, for the figures for Otorohanga show a great increase, from 85,195 to 155,520. Of the 447,046 sheep in the Waitomo County, 269,511 were shown as breeding ewes, this being an increase of 15,677 on the figure of the previous year.