No 14. Sheep Performance Recording in New Zealand. History. People involved.

 

 By Dr Clive Dalton

 

The old badge of office of staff from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. It featured the 'a' for agriculture and the fish was hidden inside the 'a'.  It was well recognised in the field and  was developed at very little cost within house.

MAF staff involved over last 50 years

Sheep improvement in New Zealand has involved a lot of people, and a lot of resources, over the last half century. And in thinking about Sheeplan and all the MAF staff involved directly, you can’t ignore the work of scores of others in the organisation whose 'indirect' contribution was more in general sheep husbandry through improving ‘environmental’ issues like nutrition, growth and health, rather than straight genetics.  But without all their work, genetic progress could not have been turned into hard cash for farmers.

When you look at the list below, which may not be complete, it’s staggering to see how many dedicated folk made a contribution to New Zealand sheep farming. Please let me know if I have missed anyone out.

I don’t dare ask myself – who took their place?  And where is the research pouring out to help sheep farmers in their time of need, not just to increase production but the keep the entire sheep industry viable?  Is there anybody out there who cares?  Is the Minister of Agriculture at home? Maybe there are no problems left to solve and all the work has been done.  I know that a lot was never written up.

For a list of past sheep research, Google my blog and then search for ‘sheep research 1932-1976 in New Zealand’.

MAF Research Scientists

Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre

Lindsay (Lin) Wallace

John Hutton

Graham Everitt

Ian Inkster

Gordon Edgar

Archie Campbell

Alan Carter

Neil Clarke

Leyden Baker

Howard Meyer

John Smith

Robin Tervit

Bob Welch

Ron Kilgour

Alan Pearson

Peter Rattray

Pat Joyce

Alan Kirton

John Bass

Barry Butler-Hogg

Neil Towers

Bob Fairclough

Peter Mortimer

Margaret di Mena

Merv Aitken

Frances Cockram

Karl Jagusch

John Wolff

Whatawhata Hill Country Research Station

Doug Lang

Graeme Hight

Monika Wodzicka-Tomaszewska

Clive Dalton

Roland Sumner

Ken Elliott

Murray Bigham

Terry Knight

Rob Moore

Des Wyman

Mike Blockey

Bill McMillan

Invermay Agricultural Research Centre

Jock Allison

George Davis

Rob Kelly

Roger Lewer

Geoff Hinch,

Ken Drew

Peter Fennessy

Tom Barry

Hugh Hawker

Andy Bray

Wallaceville Animal Research Centre

Ken McNatty

Dave Thurley

John Tenquist

FAO (Animal Husbandry)

Alastair South – Wellington (Chief FAO An.Hus.)

Clare Callow (nee Green) - Hamilton

Malcolm Smith – Hamilton

Bruce Binnie - Timaru

Keith Milligan – Hasting

Kerry Giles - Rotorua

Colin Horton – Whangarei

Peter Packard – Auckland

Ken Geenty – Christchurch

Keith Thompson - Christchurch
Tony Rhodes - Christchurch

Sheep and Beef Officers

 

SBO John Dobbie helping Perendale breeder David Welch select Perendale hoggets

Colin Gardener – Wellington Head Office

George Wickendun – Wellington Head Office
Lance Wiggins – Wanganui
Ian Palmer - Whangarei 

John Dobbie – Hamilton

Alan Marshall – Gore/Rotorua

Dave Richardson - Hastings

Colin Southey - Pukekohe

Bob Thompson - Whangarei

Lindsay Galloway- Christchurch

Clive Bibby – Hamilton

Ross Moorhouse – Rangiora

Mark Collins – Ashburton

John Coveney – Invercargill

Ashley McCaw – South Otago

Graham Pringle – Gore

Ian Miller - Christchurch

Robin Renish – Timaru

Stuart Ford – Timaru

John McLeod  – Timaru

Ian Blair – Taumarunui/Blenheim

Jim Lusk - Wellington

Hugh Dyson –??

Peter Marshall – Wanganui
Ron Montgomerie - Napier/Hastings

Mick Ball – Timaru

Gerard Hall – Invercargill

Alan McInstry – Alexandra

Bill Hansen – Dunedin

Brian Bradley - Invercargill

Clive Bibby

 Further reading

Clarke, J.N. and  Rae, A. L. (1977). Technical aspects of the present national sheep recording scheme (Sheeplan).  Proceedings of the NZ Society of Animal Production 37: 183-197.

Dalton, D.C. and  Callow, C.F. (1976). Why Sheeplan is necessary. Proceedings of the Ruakura Farmers Conference, 13-17..

Davis, G.H.  Lab coats to gumboots, Page 157.  National Flock Recording by Tony Parker.   NZ Society of Animal Production. Occasional Publication No.13. Edited by George Davis. 

Uljee, B and  Rennie, N. (1990). Livestock Recording for Beef Cattle and Sheep.

Published by Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries. Wellington, New Zealand.

Welch, R.A.S. and  Kilgour, R. (1970).  Mis-mothering among Romneys.  NZ Journal of Agriculture, 121 (4): 26-27.

Acknowledgements

Writing these notes has been an interesting exercise, particularly to renew contact with so many former (and aging) colleagues who so willingly shared their memories and triggered more of mine.  It has been sad but rewarding to remember the contribution of the increasing numbers of MAF colleagues who have now passed on.

Of all the MAF staff involved in Sheeplan, the Sheep & Beef officers need the most recognition as it was ‘their time’ to make a massive contribution to increasing New Zealand sheep productivity and exports.

It’s impossible to thank all the pioneering sheep breeders who drove and supported flock recording in the early days, and there needs to be a monument to their memory right outside parliament for their outstanding contribution to the wealth of New Zealand.