On the 20th May 1773, Captain James Cook released a ram and a ewe at a place in New Zealand called Queen Charlotte Sound. These were the survivors of six sheep brought from Cape of Good Hope. The attempted introduction failed with the death of both sheep within a few days.
Sheep were not successfully introduced until 1834. The settlers who introduced and bred these sheep were not sheep farmers, but instead were simply introducing sheep, along with cattle, pigs, and poultry in order to meet a pressing need for supplies of fresh animal products with which they were familiar from their prior European life. Additionally, of course, the wool and skins provided clothing.
It was only with the arrival of farmers during the early 1840s that pastoral farming began in places such as Nelson, Wairarapa, Marlborough, Canterbury, and Otago. Sheep stocks were increased by bringing in stock from Australia and the New Zealand sheep industry was born.
As with all colonisiation, new lands were developed along European lines and in order to serve European markets. At this early stage sheep were raised to supply the wool markets but when refrigeration was developed (in the 1880s) the way opened up for the export of meat as well.
2006-10-20 23:14:00
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answer #1
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answered by johno 6
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probably for food, why don't u try newzealand .com/agriculture or something like that. i'll bet they can tell u everything u want to know.
2006-10-19 18:12:52
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answer #2
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answered by Nora G 7
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