§ Mr. Price-Whiteasked the Minister of Agriculture whether consideration has been given to the use of artificial insemination as a means of assisting the agricultural industry in connection with the heavy losses of stock caused by abnormal weather conditions; and what is the opinion of his advisers as to the efficacy of such a method of assistance for farmers concerned.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsWhile I have great hopes that artificial insemination will be a most valuable and growing factor in the improvement and maintenance of the 163W quality of our livestock, and particularly of our dairy stock, this system of breeding does not, unfortunately, offer the same advantages in the field of numerical increase, which is the main requirement to replace losses sustained last winter. A high percentage of such losses occurred among flocks of hill sheep for the breeding of which artificial insemination cannot readily be used.