Southdown sheep no longer economical and smaller flocks averaged only 135 ewes apiece. The use of artificial fertilizers had gained ground, and the combine-drill, which sowed grain seeds and fertilizer together, rendered close-folding by sheep unnecessary. Gradually surrendering to basic arable farming changes, the Southdown became largely a grassland breed. During the interwar years, the United Kingdom was known for farm animal breeding, and pedigreed Southdowns were still being exported to most parts of the world, especially New Zealand. In 1937, the number of exported Southdowns reached 459 head. During the Great Depression, a severe and prolonged fall in the prices of
Avondale–Southdown Line Avondale–Southdown Line The Avondale–Southdown Line is a proposed railway line between Avondale and Southdown in Auckland, New Zealand. One of its main functions would be to remove north–south freight trains from the section of the Auckland rail system that has the most passenger traffic. The Auckland Regional Transport Authority's "Rail Development Plan 2006" included the line in its long-term vision for Auckland's rail network, however, there has been little development work on the project, and it may not be completed until 2030. It is currently envisaged that the line is most likely to be built between 2031–2040. The line would