AR-News: (NZ) 20,000 NZ cows head to China

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

15.03.2004


Agents for China's burgeoning dairy industry are expected to buy more than 
20,000 New Zealand dairy cows this year. 
Two of three shipments, totalling close to 10,000 cows, have already left 
Timaru for China, and another shipment of about 4000 leaves this month. 
Dairy industry sources estimate more than 20,000 New Zealand cows will be 
shipped to China this year, markedly more than previous years. China has also 
bought from the Australian dairy herd. 
New Zealand farmers are being offered $900 for two-year-old in-calf heifers, 
$150 more than current domestic values, although the cows have to be of high 
quality. 
Several companies are involved in the trade, with Auckland-based AEL 
Bloodstock one of the larger players. 
Company representative Harold Cleland declined to comment, other than to say 
the company had exported animals throughout the world, including dairy cows to 
China, for more than 20 years. The issue is sensitive with few people wanting 
to be quoted. 
The Otago Daily Times reported the market had been helpful for New Zealand 
farmers given current low demand and prices for dairy cows. 
It meant farmers could sell their "second-best" cows for well above market 
rates, one source said. 
But some farmers said they had reservations they could be helping establish a 
future competing exporter. 




full story:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/businessstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3554664&th
esection=business&thesubsection=agriculture&thesecondsubsection=dairy 
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