Anta Gertrudis For N. Guinea, Fiji

Is For Islands

[?]Le Industry

inquiry made recently by IM. as to what is being done ) establish the cattle industry the chief Pacific Islands, (ally by medium of the Santa udis breed developed in the Ranch in Texas, North ica, has brought some sting information, ee Santa Gertrudis bulls, it the Risdon Santa Gertrudis at Warwick, Queensland, purchased by Messrs. W. R. nter & Co. Ltd., of New ia, and are being crossed with born cows there, with a view veloping a cross resistant to and heat. They are reported doing “exceptionally well.” ee Santa Gertrudis bulls rly purchased by the Govern of Fiji, also are doing well i. manager of the Risdon Mr. H. D. Douglas, said he ieard that the Fiji Govern wished to import 12 Santa idis heifers direct from USA, he object of breeding a pure :rain for that Colonv. Mr.

Douglas said that the King Ranch (Aust.) Fty. Ltd. had introduced the strain directly into Australia, and it was not its policy to sell any of its heifers.

The Risdon herd now includes 165 imported cows and 150 Risdon bred females.

A grazier of Ingham, North Queensland, Mr. R. L. Atkinson, who has been experimenting in Australia with the Zebu cross, has acquired 23,000 acres at Gusap, in the Eastern Highlands of New Guinea. He now plans to send SOO Zebu-cross cattle (including some of the Santa Gertrudis strain) to this area—whether by plane or sea has not been decided.

The area lies at about 1,400 feet above sea-level. Mr. Atkinson says that the Administration soon will give his area access by road from Lae.

Mr. Atkinson says he recently toured the Goroka district by jeep and called on Mr. Steve Baxter at the Highlands experiment station to see his horses and Shorthorn herd. He will establish

a commercial herd at Gusap, initially of 1,000, and will seek markets at Lae and Goroka.