Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-06-02


bred sheep which makes the best food,
and the great bulk Of the sheep In the
dominion are cross breds. SouthdOwn
and Shropshire breeds are to be found
everywhere, but in the South Island the
English and Border Leicesters are IA
vored, while in the North Island, which
is more rugged and exposed country, the
Romney Marsh and Lincoln breeds are
most liked. There is a tendency, how
ever, now to specialize everywhere on the
Romney, which seems to give the best
results. Importation Of high grade rams
and ewes is constant, and of sheep the
same thing is true that happens TO most
animals or birds or fish or trees that
are transplanted to New Zealand from
other countries-they grow better and
larger than they do in their native homes.
This being true, New Zealand has estab-
lished an export trade in sheep for breed
ing purposes with Australia and parts
of South America
Sheep farming begins on the big hold
ings Of land. The wether lambs are sold
to the small landholder, who fattens them
in conjunction with his agricultural
farming. The young ewes are kept on
the home ranch for breeding, the sur
plus being sold to others for the same
purpose. As the ewes get older they are
sold to the small farmer. who~ gets one
or two crops Of lambs from them and
then fattens them for the butcher.
Fat sheep and lambs usually are dis
posed Of to exporters, although many big
sheep raisers export the meat them
selves to the London market. The forty
odd freezing companies will undertake to
handle the sheep for owners from the
time they are received at the freezing
plants until the meat is sold in London,
and charge a fair rate for their services.
Private agents will do the same thing,
paying the freezing companies for killing
and freezing and the steamship company
for carrying the meat
KILLING DONE UNDER
GOVERNMENT INSPECTORS.
All killing is done under the inspec-
ton OF government men, who also grade
the carcases according to weight and
quality. Other government men follow
the meat through until it is finally dis
posed Of to the retailer in England. This
is the protection which the Dominion
government gives its sheep farmers so
that the quality of New Zealand mutton
may. always be upheld. So well is this
known and so closely is tho grading done
that It is not unusual for large orders
being given by cable, sometimes, for ship
ments extending over a period Of months.
The average slaughter Of lambs in the
Dominion in a year for export Is around
100000 (three million) head, average
weight, thirty-slx pounds, while more
than 1900, 900 carcases OF sheep, aver
aging sixty pounds, are exported an
nualIy. In the last ten years 100000
sheep and an equal number of lambs
lave been slaughtered in the Dominion
for food purposes. For their own food
the farmers kill an average Of GoO,00O
sheep and 0o,OOO lambs year. Govern
ment figures indicate that 120 pounds of
n, tton and lamb are consumed a year by
each person in New Zealand.
with these figures it is easy to see
why as small a country as New Zealand
ranks ninth among the sheep raising ma
tons Of the world.
Wool, naturally, Is the most important
product of New Zealand and the value of
the wool exported Is more than third
Of the total exports from the Dominion.
Dominion mills also take a large guam
tity OF wool, half bred fleece being pre-
ferred.
Raising of cattle for beef purposes Is
done on a much smaller scale and hog
raising Is mainly done for local consump-
ton. There are still in existence some
fine herds of the Shorthorn, Aberdeen
Angus and Hereford breeds, but mainly
cattle raising is for dairy purposes, Jer-
seys. Holstein, Ayrshire and the milking
Shorthorns being the favored breeds.
DAIRY FARMING
ONE OF BIG FACTORS.
Dairy produce is, Of course, one Of the
big factors in New Zealand commerce and
every aid and encouragement is given by
the government. Advances are made by
the State to dairy companies for the pur-
pose of buying land, erecting buildings
and buying machinery. Five per cent in
terest is charged and the debts must be
liquidated within fifteen years by half
yearly payments.
Cooperative butter and cheese factories
are numerous They are operated by the
farmers themselves, who bring their milk
to these factories and haul away the
skinned milk, after the cream and whey
has been extracted. The milk producers
are paid for their milk according to the
butterfat which 1t contains and, after the
expenses Of the factory have been paid,
the net profits are divided among those
who own the factory. Butter and cheese
are either sold for the season at a fixed
price or consigned to foreign markets,
principally London, the person to whom
it is consigned usually guaranteeing a
minimum price.
Government grading of dairy produce
is done free and so carefully is this done
that the Dominion inspectors o. X is
accepted wherever sold the certificates
being taken as final SO far as quality and
weight are concerned
Many Of the factories run the year
round, some closfs down for three months
each yeaS, while others make either but