LONDON PAPER LOOKS AT N.Z. SHEEP FARMS

Wanganui Chronicle, 21 December 1950, Page 5

LONDON PAPER LOOKS AT N.Z. SHEEP FARMS

Comparisons And Comment

In an article headed “Prosperity Through Sheep, Fortune Smiles on the New Zealand Farmer,” “The Times” agricultural correspondent remarks: “To the English farmer the heavy stocking of New Zealand pastures is amazing. It is not uncommon for a fam tc carry five breeding ewes to the acre. At Home we run sheep more sparsely, remembering the saying that ‘one sheep is another sheep’s wtfrst enemy.’

“Before the war many farms in the English grass counties became ‘sheep sick,’ and, in spite of dosing against stomach worms, lambs were unthrifty and would not fatten readily. Since then many of these pastures have been ploughed and dairy cows given precedence on the remaining grassland. Now we have comparatively few sheep in relation to cattle, except on hill farms.

“New Zealand has more sheep than ever before. They are thick on the ground. Yet lambs fatten readily A new specific against stomach worms, phenothiazine, is widely used, and, probably more important in keeping sheep healthy and pastures in good trim, fattening cattle graze in paddocks with ewes and lambs.” The correspondent goes on to say: “While most New Zealand farmers in developed areas manage their grass-

land well, and obtain high output in butterfat, lamb and beef, some land is getting poorer at the same time. Judged by modern standards, the Maoris are not progressive farmers. Much of the land they own is overrun with fern, gorse and scrub. EROSION “There .are some hillsides on improved land that now show scars of soil slip and erosion. The natural cover of timbers, trees and bush has gone, and there is nothing to retain the soil, particularly where sheep have been allowed constantly to nibble herbage down close to the roots. There are stirrings of public conscience about this soil erosion. District boards are being established to see that remedies are taken by replanting witli trees or by more careful methods of husbandry.” The correspondent refers tc the possibility of developing land for farming in the Nortn Island and dds: “Of New Zealand’s 66,000,000 acres one-third is considered reasonably good land, ope-third indifferent or marginal, and one-third hopelessly uneconomic for farming. “If New Zealand can get manpower, the world can count on a substantial addition to her supplies of dairy produce and meat. Whether New ZeaIcnd is using her present manpower to the full under the Monday to Friday 40-hour week rule, is another ques«* tion.”—Special N.Z.P.A. Correspondent.