BRITISH BREEDS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 80, 16 January 1936, Page 8

BRITISH BREEDS.

AN UNPRECEDENTED DEMAND. EXPANDING EXPORT TRADE. Studmasters who specialise'in'the British breeds of sheep report an unprecedented demand, and the majority have sold out, and are booking orders for next season's lambing. The reason for the "boom" is not far to seek. The export trade in fat lambs has expanded wonderfully during recent years, and the prospects of still further expansion are particularly bright. Lamb raisers \ throughout Australia realise the importance of producing the type that finds favour with discriminating buyl- - in overseas markets/ The conditions are favourable (perhaps more so than anywhere else in the world) for the production of lambs of the primest quality, and it has been demonstrated that the best Australian lambs compare favourably with those that reach Smithfield from any other country. In lamb breeding a pure-bred ram of the most approved type and conformation and constitutionally sound and vigorous is the first essential (states the "Australasian.") If rams that <Jo not measure up to this description are used the progeny is invariably inferior. The wider .recognition of this fundamental in lamb raising is responsible for the remarkable demand owners of registered flock's of British breeds are experiencing at tbe present time. Registered breeders in Victoria have, for many years been developing their studs and improving the sheep by importations of the best blood obtainable in Great Britain. This has enabled ]them to supply high-class foundation stock, on which breeders in other States have established studs. They have also distributed large numbers of flock rams, which have raised the standard of fat lambs throughout the Commonwealth. Up to the present the supply has equalled the demand, but now there is a shortage.