SURPLUS STUDS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7449, 25 May 1911, Page 2

SURPLUS STUDS

the argentine as a stud MARKET. , There does not seem to be any reason ..why-Australasia should-'not havem good, market for stock in the Argentine and! in other parts of South America, says a. writer in the “Sydney Mail. The Jiebp men there have already been to these States to buy stud -sheep, especially ■merinos. The Now Zealanders got a hue advertisement a few months ago by tna success of Ml' Short’s! Romney rams when pitted against the world a best. These Argentine men are buyers ot good stock nt fancy price?. On several occasions they have topped the sales in Great Britain when anything good attracted their attention, whether cattle, sheep, or horses. Rut, so far, there hr® been no systematic attempt to exploit the possibilities there with drafts from these parts. A drawback is the lack ot direct shipping communication. Resides that, there are very stringent quarantine regulations in existence there, unnecessarily restrictive as far as Australasia is concerned, as we have ho serious stock diseases. On the other hand, the Argentine has. the germs of raos, ot the dreaded diseases, which now and again make their presence known. ( Ao doubt, if some representations wore made to the Government of the Republic the Federal Government .might secure modifications which would reduce the expense <>f ]>Ut-> ting animals i>n the market. As to thq absence of any direct steamer communication, this might be secured by a subsidy to one or other of the lines to run, steamers now and again to ‘ suit the breeders of Australia and New Zealand. The time must come, if it is not witlu us already, when we shall be obliged to find an outlet for our stud stock. There is a glut of English breeds and sheep in Now Zealand now, and for the past few years wo Ijave had more than enough supplies at the merino ram sales here. A RESIDENT’S OPINION. According to Mr A. 11. Saunders, a Victorian who bns come back after ten years’ residence in the Argentine, there is a good chance to get rid of some stud stock to great advantage It seems that’ the British breeders find that country a tlendid field. Agents regularly travel rough the pastoral districts hooking orders. Not long ago one firm' secured an order for ,£150,000 worth. In one respect the Argeutiiiuo breeders show its an example. They are most energetic in the establishment and maintenance of stud books. ll© says that some of the collections of stock at the leading shows are a revelation. In one direction they are much behind us. and that is in regard to, the handling and the preparation of their wool clip. The system of baling and classing is of a very rough and ready character, even on Um> large runs. Wool is packed in enormous bales and sheets, and sent to the warehouses to be classed, sold, and exported. Business at the stock markets is conducted largely on a private system. One firm only now sells by auction, and ns a result it is doing a large .business, Mr Saunders thinks that a fair'number of dairy studs could be regularly got .rid ■ <jf if they were sent over. He suggests that .trial shipments should be made by. the. Government. It. is very 1 -doubtful, however, if this suggestion is likely to be adopted. All that could reasonably be expected fioro the Government would bo some aid in regard to the steamer’s expenses. It would be too much to expect them to take the risks with a shipment of cattle as well. A much better arrangement would be. for the breeders to form n cooperative association, and thus shire in the profits or losses. In order to make such n scheme practicable it would bo necessary that the trials should extend over a considerable period. It would be foolish to expoet one or two shipments to decide the prospects for a regular enterprise.