Farming in New Zealand

There are two million dairy cows in the country, one for every New Zealander.

– Narrator Bruce Weir

... with electricity laid on to nearly all farmhouses, mothers don’t mind baking.

– Narrator Bruce Weir

Of all the labour-saving devices used by our farmers, the sheep dog is the most effective. Nobody's ever worked out how many man hours he saves, but without him these farms could never be made to pay.

– Narrator Bruce Weir, early in this film

Down the centre of the South Island, and lying under the Southern Alps, is a long mountain plateau known as High Country. From this cold, dry area comes the country's fine wool.

– Narrator Bruce Weir

Farming success also depends on farmers' wives. Their contribution is the smooth running of their well-kept homes, and for this they're renowned. Their meetings, along with the radio and the telephone, have done much to make country life less lonely.

– Narrator Bruce Weir, early in this film

The farmer is a young veteran of World War Two who has doubled milk production since he bought this 123 acre farm seven years ago.

– Narrator Bruce Weir describes a Waikato farmer, in the second clip

In a 250 day milking season, some of these cows give very high yields. Millie, a five-year-old, gave 450 pounds of butterfat last year. Betty, a two-year-old, 360 pounds. And Fancy, an eight-year-old, 470 pounds.

– Narrator Bruce Weir talks butterfat on a Waikato farm, in clip two