Kiwi sheep flourish on Mexican pastures

Some 100 trucks took three days to unload one of the largest live sheep breeding exports in NZ’s history to quarantine and then on to help drought-stricken Mexican farmers re-stock their farms after one of the worst droughts on record in that country.

According to South Canterbury livestock agent and organiser of the shipment, Peter Walsh, the sheep on arrival were in such good condition they’d put on an average 4kg a head. 

“This meant the Mexican trucks supposed to take 350 sheep each load had to reduce that number to 305 because of their size,” Walsh told Rural News. “Both myself and the Mexican authorities were very pleased with the state and health of the stock when they arrived.”

Walsh says deaths on board the ship were very low – only 136 (0.3%) of sheep and just one cattle-beast lost, well under NZ normal farming attrition rates.

MPI reported 191 sheep and one cow died – 0.42% and 0.03%. Walsh says the difference was down to MPI’s count at the quarantine facility, while his was taken when the ship docked.

He says the MV Nada had the capacity to take 110,000 sheep or 20,000 cattle – more than double the numbers exported – meaning there was plenty of room for the animals to move around during the voyage.

Walsh says discussions about the possible shipment first started in September 2014, but not until mid-February this year did they get the all-clear to start buying livestock. Meanwhile, the go-ahead for the cattle part of the shipment came much later.

“We got the all-clear for the cattle at 11pm on Thursday April 9,” Walsh adds.” I remember it well because we started buying cattle for the shipment at the sale the very next day.”

The sheep were procured from 74 farms from around the South Island and then transported to the feedlot in Mid Canterbury. Here they were transitioned for two-three weeks and pre-conditioned on a mix of specially prepared baleage and pellet feed, similar to what they would be given on the ship, fed three times a day.

On arrival at the feedlot all the animals were scanned and blood tested for Johnes disease, then given a drench and pour-on lice treatment.

Walsh says any animals with Johnes were rejected, along with any others not up to standard. He says in total 48,000 sheep were bought for shipping, but only a little over 45,000 were shipped, with 8% culled.

“The decision on which animals would eventually be shipped or not was not made by us,” he explains. “It was decided by five vets appointed by the Mexican Government and the team from Asure Quality; we just had to stand back and watch.”

On June 10, 20 trucks loaded with 500 sheep each time headed from the feedlot to Timaru and back three times. The sheep were loaded onto the ship in 17 hours and the cattle in around eight hours.

When the ship left Timaru port it had perfect conditions – a temperature of 10-12^oC, which gradually rose to 30^oC it neared Mexican shores.

Walsh says NZ, Australian and Mexican “top” stockmen were aboard, with a Mexican vet, to ensure the livestock travelled well and they all reported the animals were in “excellent order” when they arrived.

Each day of the voyage Walsh received an update detailing what the animals were fed, how they were travelling, any sick animals in the ‘hospital pens’ and whether any had died.

Walsh says around $10.5 million was paid to the 74 farmers for the sheep bought for export; two thirds came from North Otago and northwards, the remainder from Otago and Southland. Another $4.5 million was spent on procuring the cattle.

“When you consider these [sheep] farmers were paid around $130 a head, compared with around $90 locally, it makes a big difference to their incomes,” he told Rural News. “That’s an extra $40 a head farmers can spend in their local towns and regions.”

Walsh adds that including the 52 staff working at the feedlot, stockmen on the ship, Asure Quality staff, transport companies and the farmers who benefited; the shipment was a big boost to the South Island economy during a difficult, dry season.

“We are delighted how this shipment went and, you don’t know, there may be opportunities in the future.”

However, he admits it could be some time because the previous shipment was in 2007 and it took eight years before another was commissioned.

Why keeping mum was a necessity

Peter Walsh knew it would be necessary to keep news of the live shipment as quiet as possible, due to the stir it would cause by animal activists and other “ill-informed” commentators.

“We were confident the animals would arrive safe and sound, but because we could not prove that until they arrived we decided it was best to keep our heads down,” Walsh told Rural News.

He admits it was frustrating to hear all the misinformation put across in the media and believes animal activist groups get far too much unquestioned media coverage.

“We respect the right of people to have a different view, but they need to be better informed and some media need to question this,” Walsh adds. “Some of the comments and claims made about the welfare of the animals and the end purpose of the sheep was pie-in-the-sky rubbish.” 

He wishes live export critics would be fairer in getting their points across.

“Claims that the sheep would be slaughtered on arrival were just silly,” he adds.  “By the time these sheep got to Mexico they were worth around US$360. That is a very expensive chop!”

Walsh says the sheep were bought by the Mexican Government to encourage farmers ravaged by drought in the past few years to continuing farming in the region rather than moving to already over-crowded cities in Mexico.

Walsh says the animals’ welfare and NZ’s reputation were well protected by staff of both MPI and Asure Quality. “The New Zealand public can be assured they are well represented by MPI and Asure Quality in protecting both our countries’ reputations,” he explains. “Both these government bodies had no commercial gain, but ensured all the animals were fit for travel, healthy and were well looked after.”