THE BEEF INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19927, 21 April 1928, Page 13

THE BEEF INDUSTRY.

IMPROVEMENT OF MARKET. [DOMINION'S LIMITED SCOPE. IT A SUBSIDIARY ACTIVITY. IMPROVED QUALITY POSSIBLE. "Speaking generally of land production and not forgetting particular cases, beefraising in New Zealand is really a subsidiary industry of the great sheep industry, and while increased returns from beef are all to the good, it is hardlylikely that g-aziers will ever replace sheep by cattle." So said an authority conBui ted yesterday. "There is a general feeling that the beef market has become more stable," he continued. "Values, of course, will vary as they always have done, but there is some ground for assurance that beef prices will be better than during the past years. It must be remembered, however, that one of tho factors that have brought about present high values is the higli price of hides, and it would be misleading to assert that hides will remain on the present standard. Hides can vary the price of a bullock by as much as £l. Incidental to Allied Industries. •'Assuming, however, that reasonable itability has been reached in the beef market, I question whether attention will be paid to beef cattle at the expense of the sheep and dairying industries. Naturally there will always be a certain amount of beef production, but more as incidental to the allied industries than as a firstpurpose activity. Sheep land and dairying land will never give in beef the returns that can be derived from wool, lamb and mutton, butter and cheese. The beef will mainly come from cattle that are sometimes considered a 'necessary evil' —I mean the herds that arc run to maintain country. "To exploit the overseas beef market In the manner some people hope will be done, would mean tho production of •baby beef' which would require that the grazier would have to start fattening right from the calf stage. Those who could do this must necessarily possess the class of land that could be used for dairying and for intensive sheep-raising, and they could not or would not turn it to this purpose when dairy cattle or sheep Tvou]d give them a greater return. Deteriorated Herds. "At the same time it is a pity that beef cattle herds have run out to such an extent," he said. "This was allowed to come about because the market for years gave a man no encouragement. Many men must carry a certain amount of cattle to maintain their rough land. Without them it would often go back to fern and second growth, and it is a fact that there are plenty of places where the more cattle are carried the more sheep can be run. But here the cattle ha\ 8 been regarded more as an implement than as an asset. They are 'worked as a landmaintaining implement and at, say, four vears, are sold for what they will bring as stores. Obviously there is little profit, apart from their main purpose in four-year-oldl stores. Improving " Implement " Cattle. "Unfortunately there has been no incentive to improve the quality of these 'implement' cattle. To do so would have involved buying good bulls of at least the dual-purpose breeds. Graziers in the main have been content with almost anything to serve their main purpose of land-maintenance. Thus ihey are not able to-day to exploit the improved market. "I agree that tho rough country herds could be greatly improved in many suitable districts, notably in North Auckland. They would have the same 'implement' value and be woith more in the market. Practically all the good quality beasts one sees in the Auckland yards were bred in the Poverty Bay or the Bay of Plenty districts, and whatever the prospects in the beef market I consider it would pay northern graziers in particular to improve their stock. Tho importation of a few good bulls of the right type would quickly bring about an improvement. Scarcity of Suitable Breeds. "However, many factors are operating. For instance, the stations which formerly maintained quality herds of the beef type are gradually being subdivided, and it is more difficult and costly to secure the right strains. Another is that the growing veal industry is not only absorbing dairy farm calves, but also mother-fed calves from the rough country, and both operate against breeding up better herds. Nevertheless the north ought to be able io market better beef even under discouraging circumstances. With better prospects ahead, there is all the more reason for improving the quality. "At best, however," he concluded, "dairying land will never be turned to the purpose of 'baby beef,' and on sheep country the amount of cattle carried will be determined by sheep considerations. All that can be hoped for, speaking generally, is that the quality of such cattle will be improved, particularly in the north."