Expansion of Beef Production

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 87, Issue 2, 15 August 1953, Page 102

Expansion of Beef Production

THE desirability of an expansion A in beef production in this country was stressed by Mr. R. Herbert during his recent visit to New Zealand as leader of the delegation from the United Kingdom Ministry of Food. This is a field where there can be no fears of a fall in demand or of the competition of substitutes. British Home Production British farmers have made strenuous efforts over the last few years to increase their output of meat, and if present plans are fulfilled, they will, by 1956, be producing 250,000 tons a year above the present level of 600,000 tons of all types of meat. Among other things it is hoped that greater attention to pasture management and to hill-country improvement will be important factors in achieving the required level of production. Even, however, if the 1956 target is reached, there will still be a substantial gap in supplies which will have to be filled by imports. Argentine Supplies In the past Argentina was the largest supplier of beef to Britain; imports from there in 1938 were about 400,000 tons, but by 1952 they had dropped to around 100,000 tons. We cannot be sure what the future course of production in Argentina will be, but it is unlikely that meat will ever be available from there on anything like the pre-war scale. If the gap between British home production and total demand is to be filled, it will mainly be with meat from Australia and New Zealand. Encouraging Increase in Beef Cattle Numbers I am convinced that New Zealand farmers can and will face up to this responsibility. The most encouraging sign is the increase in beef cattle numbers, which have gone up from 2,077,998 in 1948 to 2,282,000 in 1952. ’ It must be remembered too that in the last few years there has been a marked increase in sheep and dairy cow numbers, so that the increase in beef cattle has not been at the expense of anything else. A high proportion of beef cattle to sheep is-in many ways an indication of efficient management. This is particularly true of the higher-rainfall districts,

where cattle play such an important part in the control of rank pasture growth. Lucrative Returns from Beef If farmers are paying more attention to cattle as an adjunct to careful pasture management, they are also keeping a watchful eye on trends in beef prices. The changes that have taken place in recent years are interesting. For the 1939-40 season the opening schedule price for first grade beef was 325. 6d. per 1001 b. dressed weight; for 1948-49 it was 515., and for the 1952-53 season it was 100 s., a threefold rise since the beginning of the war. The opening schedule price for prime down cross lamb in 1939-40 was Sl/jd. per lb. By 1948-49 it had increased to iT/gd. per lb. and in the past season it was 19 1 /2d. per lb.,' an increase on 1939-40 of 136 per cent. This shows that beef cannot be regarded as the scarcely profitable sideline it was in the past. The relative profitability of different lines of production is something very difficult to work out, but farmers today are finding beef cattle a very lucrative source of income. It would be wrong to .minimise the difficulties of beef production. Feed during the winter can be a serious problem and on the east coast and in Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa the possibility of a dry spell in late summer or in autumn makes farmers rather wary about building up their stock numbers beyond what they consider a prudent level. Better husbandry is the answer here. In all parts of the country many farmers are showing how great is the immediate potential of their land; their example will be and is being followed by their neighbours. More Domestic Consumers There is another point which we must bear in mind. At present with our population x of 2,000,000 people we are eating nearly 100,000 tons of beef a year or 1091 b. per person. If we are to provide more beef for Britain and at the same time ensure that the need of a growing population at home is met, production will have to be expanded still further. To sum up, the need for more beef is urgent and with the resumption of the chilled beef trade New Zealand beef will be able to further its reputation for quality in overseas markets. Besides brightening the prospects for the British consumer, an increase in beef cattle numbers will have two other valuable results; it will help to swell New Zealand’s export income and it will promote better farm management practices. .

K. J. HOLYOAKE,

Minister of Agriculture