Sheep for Waikato

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 39, 16 February 1937, Page 10

Sheep for Waikato

ROADSIDE FEED SHORT GISBORNE, Feb. 13. Feed is becoming short on the roads between Poverty Bay and the railway head at Taneatua and dust is causing a problem through the travelling of many thousands of sheep. For some time feed presented no difficulty at all for the copious rains brought away a flush of growth. The numbers of sheep travelling through both Waioeka and Motu routes have been so large, however, that everything available Is eaten practically bare along the road and also in night paddocks. The result is that large numbers are now being transported by double-decker lorries and one contractor is reported to have undertaken to carry 5000 head between Gisborne and Taneatua. Motu is stated to be in a worse condition for feed than Waioeka, but there is still a fair amount of feed on the roadside when the Opotiki Flats are reached. Bheep are not now in such good condi tion as earlier drafts. Pastures on the roadside aro suffering from thee louds of dust raised by the | mobs and road surface is suffering. The motor trucks are providing quick traus port to the Waikato and King Country A draft of 800 store sheep, tho balance of a lot of 1500, left Puha at 5.15 a.iu. yesterday in ten trucks, connected with the 1 p.m. train for Taneatua, and were in their paddocks in the King Country by this morning, the total time from farm to farm being 24 hours. The draf« comprised five-year and two-tooth ewe** and also some wethers and according to reports they arrived in fresh condition, in fact the report received by the vendor later in the day stated that they seemed to have been moved merely from an adjacent paddock.