CATTLE IN FIJI

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19366, 24 July 1925, Page 8

CATTLE IN FIJI

DAIRYING DE VELOPMENT Proprietors of cocoanut plantations in Eiji US a rule put stock among the ipalms when the trees have gained suit’jcient height to lift the crown of leaves [above the destructive reach of the 'cattle. 'Die animals play an importiant, piart in keeping down the underigi’owth on the plantations. This was ■lhi* beginning of the cattle raising in the Islands. Later, however, it began Jo develop and the grazing farm began 'to In' instituted. By J 922 the number of cattle in E'. l ' was estimated at. 60,000, mostly Shorthorn and Hereford beef strains, am' with comparatively lew dairy stock. Ei.ji has been classed as one of the 'cleanest (‘•■atth* countries in the world. [At the ports a strict veterinary inspection takes place of all imported stock. I I’or forty years and more, excellent ibutter has been produced in small Iquautitjie.s, but only recently has dairy ling on n commercial basis been attempted. Several creameries are now in existence, and as a result ol Ihe war and the necessary settlement of soldiers. ihe Tai Levu dairy scheme was established to provide homes for them, •b factory bring erected in the vicinity of tin' settlement. ! A comprehensive report on the question of dairying was made by a dairy instructor from New Zealand, whose opinion it was that from his observations he was convinced there wore large anils of god land on which dairying could be successfully carried on. that the butter already made is equal in quality to butter made under similar conditions in New Zealand, and tb.hit in some parts conditions arc ideal lor dairy farming. lliust ratio ns in a little booklet issued for the British Empire Exhibition show soldier settlers with imported' Jerseys and a herd of .Jersey cattle hit Navu.'i. AVriting of grasses. Major \A . A |<’happle. ALB., in his book. “Fiji—lts [Problems a.nd Resources.” says: —“lt [is not infrequent, to find fields in I* t’aihi ’ grass and sensitive plant, or ir. paspahun ami sensitive, carrying alt [the year round one cattle beast to the i acre. ‘Para’ is a Mauritius grass, [which grows with great luxuriance on triver flats, in swamps, ami in salt Iwater on the estuarii's." l Air Valentine, of New Zealand, in [his report says:—“Th(' statement that [ ‘ p;;ra ’ is all water and will fallen but wiil not produce butter fat, is nm j borne out by experiem-e. Analysis shows that tiie percentage of water does not exceed that in some of the best English gr.tsscs and clovers, and herds of cattle grazed exclusively on it show an averagd butler-fat content m their milk.''