Ideal for Sheep.

Waikato Times, Volume 120, Issue 10010, 7 October 1936, Page 13 (Supplement)

Ideal for Sheep.

MUTTON AND WOOIJ Suitability of Waikato Increasingly every day there is growing the realisation that the Waikato is eminently suited to sheep farming and this is amply borne out by the very substantial increases in the sheep population that have taken place over the last few years. The swing to sheep has been accelerated by the remunerative fat lamb trade and it is in the production of lambs for the Home trade that this district is chiefly interested. Fat lamb raising has been developed mainly as a side-line to dairying for the dairy farmer has found this a. very successful means of supplementing his dairying- income. Yearly the value of wool to the Waikato is increasing and at last season’s Auckland wool sales high values were realised for bales of crossbred wool from this district. The activity in connection with store sheep at the Morrinsville saleyards provides one indication of the interest in sheep and demonstrates how the lucrative nature of the fat lamb trade is encouraging farmers to take up sheep. Thousands of breeding ewes from the East Coast districts are being absorbed in the Waikato each year and at the Morrinsville centre during the height of last season as many as 17,000 were traded weekly. Last sea son record prices were paid for ewes, this indicating the anxiety of graziers and farmers to cater for the fat lamb trade. Fat Lamb Production. It has been proved beyond all shadow of doubt that the district is particularly favoured for the raising of fat lambs for the early spring ex-

perienced enables the lambs to be sent away fat earlier than in more southern districts. A large proportion of the district's lambs are usually ready to be shipped in time to catch the Christ» mas trade at Home and the maiority of farmers are able to benefit by the keen export values ruling at the be~ ginning of a season. ‘ It has not been sufficiently realist what a great part Wailtato agricultural shows have played in the building up of the [at lamb trade in the (listrirt, The first show executive to realise, what the fat lamb trade could mean to the \\'aikato was the executiVe of the Waikato Agricultural and Pastoral Association which many years ago included a class for fat lambs in its show schedule. From one class the fat lamb section has grown to be the outstanding feature of the show and it is authoritatively stated that the prominence given to fat lambs by the Summer Show executive has been the main reason for the rapid advance of the fat lamb trade in this district. to add classes for Herefords and Red Polls. Show classes can do much to create greater interest and when it is remembered what the fat lamb rlasses of the Waikato Summer Show have done. to increase fat lamb raisinn: in this district it will be realised that the agricultural shows can do much to improve the quality of the district’s fat cattle and thus increase returns to producers. ‘