GRAZING IN NORTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20472, 25 January 1930, Page 8

GRAZING IN NORTH.

MORE CATTLE REQUIRED,

BETTER BEEF TYPES,

BUILDING-UP OF HERDS. A leading stock authority is in general agreement with the views of the Hon. E* A. Ransom, Minister of Public Works, in regard to farming practice in the North. The effect of the Minister's statement on the subject was that more dry stock, both sheep and cattle, was required to bring holdings into full production.

" I know Mr. Hansom to be a thor. oughly sound farmer," said this authority, "and in making such an assertion he is well able to make due allowance for the phenomenal growth of feed this year. It is not, therefore, a case of a man judging upon an extreme season. " There is not the slightest doubt thati the North requires cattle, and a lot of cattle, if only for the benefit of the pastures. The more cattle it can make use of the greater will be the sheep-carrying capacity of the land-—that, of course, combined with top-dressing on land where that is possible. I speak in a general way. There are numbers of well-managed grazing holdings, some of them of size, in the North, and old-established farmers who have won a reputation in their business. Natural Cattle Country. " On the average there is room for considerable improvement in farm practice and management in the North as elsowhere, but the particular need, of that territory, which assuredly has a very great future, is a better utilisation of country generally acknowledged to be natural cattle country.

" Considering its natural advantages from the point of view of cattle raising* the North is __ not producing the quality, beast that one might expect. The standardcould be much higher. The real need is better sires of beef breeds. The North should breed far more of its own stock from suitable sires—Herefords, Polls or Devons —and be independent to a iar greater degree of the store market.

" The tendency is for the graziers ta sell what would be their best producers as young beasts and vealers, which should be the basis of breeding herds. .Attrao tive market prices for such sorts is too strong a lure for the average man and breeding herds are not established and maintained as they are in other grazing districts with which I am familiar.

Tendency to Change. " The present situation is a natural consequence, I suppose, of the recent years when beef raising was unprofitable. But) in the North, possibly more than anywhere else, there is a tendency' for men to 'chop and change* about, to- set their sails to every little breeze. After all the best policy is to employ the country in pursuits for which it is most suited, and generally to take a longer view of things than has of late been the case. " The beef market has been subject (Q rapid fluctuations, but to-day the export market, to say nothing of the local market, shows a profitable margin, and world-wide influences which are of common knowledge indicate that the prospects of beef are distinctly encouraging. There is all the more reason, therefore, why the North should build up its beef herds by the use of the class of sires suitable for the country and aim at maintaining these herds.

Concentration on Numbers. "It »is obvious that eveu where cattla are carried mainly for pasture maintcn* ance by sheep men, it is better to have the most profitable breeds. My belief is that the North would profit most by concentrating upon numbers, selling the surplus for fattening in the wonderful fattening districts in closer proximity to th» markets.

" The same applies to sheep. But both hevds and flocks should be maintained by local breeding. Instead of the Northern graziers going afield for their needs they should be receiving visits from men on similar quests. But as things are now run generally, the best producing animals, of both cattle and sheep, are sold every year. It is short-sighted policy in country possessing the peculiar advantages of the North.

" Financial considerations may often stand in the way of a rapid change in this direction, but possibly _ a change in attitude of mind is also a difficulty. the initial step as far as beef cattle are concerned, is to introduce the right class of sires. When that is generally done, and part of the heifer progeny is retained, the North will be in a position to make fuller use of its grazing areas. .Apart altogether from dairying it. can carry verv much more cattle, and this in turn would bring about expansion of the flocks."