SHEEP INDUSTRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22540, 3 October 1936, Page 18

SHEEP INDUSTRY

POSSIBILITIES IN KENYA DOMINION BREEDER'S VIEWS EXPORT OF STUD STOCK []lY TELEGRAPH —OWN COHUKSPONDENT] BLENHEIM, Friday The wonderful possibilities of the country in Kenya from the pastoral- | ist's point of view wore commented upon by Mr. C. 0. T. Rutherford, n prominent New Zealand sheep breeder, who has just returned from a five months' visi' io South Africa. The country was first-class for the sheep industry, he said, and with enterprising owner-* and healthy flocks tho 'future seemed bright indeed. Discussing the embargo against tho importation of Australian sheep at present in force in South Africa, Mr. Rutherford said he had pointed out that it was not generally known that the embargo did not apply to New Zealand, and if, therefore, South African breeders ever desired to import iresh blood for their stocks the obvious place for them to go was New Zealand, where animals of the same blood as those found in Australia could be obtained. New Zealand could not, of course, reexport animals that were imported from Australia, but the restriction did not apply to their progeny. Problem oi Game Mr. Rutherford added that he had succeeded to some extent in setting the ball rolling for the importation to some parts of the Union of stud sheep ■ from New Zealand, but from his obI servations it seemed that the main part ! of the country where they would be re- ! quired was in Kenya. One of the great problems to be ovcr- ; come there, Mr. Rutherford considered, j was that game would have to be coni fined to proper v escrves, otherwise the sheep and stock industry would not prosper as it should do. I'he risk from tick-borne diseases and the cost ol lighting them was tremendous when game had a free run in stock and sheep areas, but if game were confined to f properly-defined areas the settlers would | have a chance to make tho necessary | improvements in grazing and other matters. It was impossible to run a sheep and stock industry and a game paradise for tourists side by side. Need for State Encouragement It had seemed to him, too, Mr. Rutherford said, that the Government would be well advised to give some assistance to sheep breeders in Kenya in the same way as the South African Government had assisted sheep breeders in the Union. There, a substantial rebate of 50 per cent, he believed, was allowed on the importation of Merino and other purebred rams. During the period when the industry was expanding a good deal of splendid stock, due to this concession, was imported from Australia and had helped immensely in improving the Union's wool production. He understood that the authorities were considering the inauguration of a similar scheme in Kenya. Assistance of this kind would not only help the sheep farmer, but would react to the benefit of the entire colony. Kenya was handicapped to a greater extent than any other colony or Dominion that he had visited, and he was sure that a little help from the Government would be amply repaid.