§ 4. Mr. de Freitasasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has considered the Lincoln Red Cattle Society's pioneer recording scheme for beef cattle, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Lincoln; and what steps he is taking to encourage similar schemes designed to assess the commercial value of different breeds and of different systems of livestock management.
§ Mr. SoamesI was glad to hear of the Lincoln Red Society's initiative in starting a recording scheme. The National Agricultural Advisory Service has been demonstrating, in various parts of the country, the value of weighing cattle and will, with the support of the Agricultural Improvement Council, continue to encourage this most promising development in livestock management.
§ Mr. de FreitasWould the Minister go as far as saying that there is the possibility that a scheme like this, if nationally administered and centrally regulated, might have as much benefit for beef production in the future as the milk recording scheme had for milk production in the past?
§ Mr. SoamesI think that there is tremendous scope here. This is beginning in a small way with one breed society. I regard it as a self-help scheme and something which the agricultural industry will be doing very much in its own interests. Any encouragement that we can give I will gladly see is given.