Japanese Impressed With South Island Sheep Country

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19024, 26 May 1936, Page 12

Japanese Impressed With South Island Sheep Country

A I'TEI; being for a week in the South Island, two Japanese sheepmen Dr. K. Sakamaki, sheep-farm expert 1.1 the Korean Government, and Air. Y. Xakano, who is spending two years at Massey Agricultural College, re turned to 'Wellington very much im pressed with the sheep country they

end seen in the south. They left for the north, where Dr. .Sakamaki hopes to get an insight into sheep-farming conditions in the lower portion of the island.

The visitors had a particularly lull vook visiting most of the leading Curiedale studs in North and .South

Canterbury, and the high country aerino runs in tiie McKenzie Country nd North Otago. They were especially interested in the (high country conditions, as they particularly resembled the country in which sheep are bred in Korea.

The country in Korea ranges from biotin, to .‘‘.(101 If|. above sea level, hat visited in New Zealand being rain 21100 ft. to 1000 ft. There is a marked difference in the extremes of temperature in the winter, however, the thermometer dropping to between C> and -10 degrees below zero for bout three months in the year in Korea, whereas in .Yew Zealand in the ■ .inter there is only from 111 fu .10 degrees of frost. This intense cold tti Korea necessitates till sheep being housed for three months, and fed on concentrates during that time. Commenting on the valuo of New' Zealand’s three tussock grasses, the due, silver and snow tussocks," the visitors said they had been very interested in their feeding value. The blue tussock was especially interesting in this respect as sheep quite readily fattened on this variety. The native grasses in Korea had very little food value tit all.

J)r. Sakamaki expressed himself as icing well pleased with the New Zetland Corriedale breed in contrast to lie Australian ('orriedales. While, c said, ii had L> lie admitted that, the '. ustralinn Corriedale had much better void, the New Zealand-bred Corriedale ■vas a much, more compact, lower set, 'Otter on reused sheep, which, while not arrying wool of such Jinc quality, .trrioil a llcccc of great weight and loomed 1.0 be able to stand up better o hard conditions.