January 16, 2004

First Shipment of Australian Sheep Sets Off For Vietnam

Vietnam's first ever shipment of live Australian sheep is due to arrive later today.

Thirty White Suffolk and Dorper sheep will form part of a new program to help the Vietnamese establish their own breeding stock.

South Australian consultant, Gerald Martin, says more sheep may be needed in the future, depending on how they perform in their new environment.

"Sheep meat is very dear in Vietnam so they're trying to find ways of increasing their ability to supply the market," said Mr Martin.

"They use a lot of the native hill country and they also graze a lot of rice stubbles as well but nutritionally they don't have as much good feed as we would want them to have.

"So that's another aspect we are going to look at and maybe some lucernes and other things up there could improve their sheep productivity."