THE advertisements for New Zealand butter in English newspapers describe your country as a grazier's paradise and readers are encouraged to consume what can be regarded as bottled-up sunshine. I was naturally very anxious to come to a country where grass is so much valued and to appreciate at first hand the striking advances that have been made in grassland research and development. In Britain, we have experienced a changing attitude towards grass and the cereal crop, especially barley, is assuming increasing importance. Associated with this trend has been a greater demand for barley in order to produce early maturing beef animals. This system, however, which relies almost entirely on barley, is not without serious disadvantages and there are indications of a renewed interest in grass for intensive meat production.
