Corriedale’s future assured at World Congress

Corriedale’s future assured at World Congress

3 April 2007 Media release for Corriedale Council

New Zealand Corriedale studs and farmers can have every confidence in the breed’s future after last week’s World Corriedale Congress, says its chairman, Arthur Blakely.

About 200 people attended the Congress at Lincoln University, more than half of them from South America.

Arthur Blakely said the Congress heard some thought-provoking speakers and while there were still challenges ahead for Corriedale farmers, the breed’s ongoing development and dual-purpose production of meat and wool meant it was well placed as a sheep for the 21st century.

Food marketing expert, Prof. David Hughes of London’s Imperial College, told delegates that internationally, sheepmeat was a niche product like rabbit meat.

He said within 10 years, the market would be dominated by competition between industrially-produced fish and chicken. New Zealand sheepmeat had to be in the premium end of the market to survive.

A major Argentinian farmer, Alberto Paz, told delegates that for too long, wool marketing had almost exclusively been directed to fine wools. He said it was time for more investment in telling people the benefits of mid-micron wool.

Long-time North Canterbury Corriedale breeder, John Sidey, said faults among some “fashionable” newer breeds with claims of higher production were becoming more evident each season.

He said Corriedale lambing production had improved in part due to Sheep Improvement Ltd programmes but he said research and technology needed to be harnessed in tandem with traditional methods such as expert eye appraisal of sheep.

As if to emphasise his comments, Mr Sidey’s stud, Strathblane, won the supreme champion ram category at a show held last Saturday in Christchurch to mark the conclusion of the World Corriedale Congress. The supreme champion ewe was from Wattlebank stud in Central Otago.

Arthur Blakely said there is strong support within the world Corriedale community for ongoing research to develop the breed and more effort at marketing.

“We know that we have a proven animal which dominates the world for dual purpose sheep. The World Congress confirmed that we are all now very attuned to the need to promote the Corriedale as a sheep that is perfectly suited for commercial farming in New Zealand and overseas.”

ends

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