THE SELECTION OF RAMS.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9359, 7 March 1896, Page 5

THE SELECTION OF RAMS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THB PRKSS. SIR, —The time has again arrived when sheep-breeders have to decide the important point a. to what rams tuey will seleot to mate with their ewes. It is to be feared that now-a-daya every other consideration has to give way to the production of early-maturmg lamos, aud that this mu.t in the long run tell, not ouly upou the individual flock, but upon the general character of Cauterbury sheep, which at present stands so high. Having decided which breed of sheep thrives .est and will give the quickens return upou his land, the breeder must tben consider whether ho wiil breed solely for early maturiug lambs or with a view to establishing or Keeping up a profitable, allrouud flock from wbicu he wiil obtain some return all the year round. No doubt 12. is a very enticiDg price for the early maturing- lamb, but to produce him we must breed high class ew„, and while the ewe is attaiuing her maturity we require some wool to pay for her grass. Consequently wool becomes of perhaps as much imporcanue as meat,; There are two perfectly distinct types of sheep from whioh the siieep breeder makes his choice, the Down sheep, which for high quality of early maturing lamb and mutton i. pre-eminent, but which is deficient iv quality and weight of wool, aud the Longwools, which produce heavier fleeces but coaraer meat. The crosses between {these two types are more profitable than either, provided that the soil and climate are suitable, aud this is where judgment comes in, for experience has proved that where the Downs sheep would thrive the heavier Lincolns and Roinney Marsh sheep would not. So far, our North Island competitors have made no hoadway against our quality, nor are they likely to so long as we ex.ici.e proper judgment in the selection and feeding of our breeding sheep. The same remarks apply to Australia, which we were told only a year ago would swamp us both with quality and quantity. We have nothing to fear from either so long as we are careful as to how we breed and. teed our sheep, for our soil and climate are the beat in tho world for the production of prime mutton and high-class wool. We have the choice of highly bred rams of the different types of longwool and Down, sheep bred by our forefathers upon distinot lines for many generations until their characteristics are thoroughly established. The main factors in attaiuing this almost perfection of type wete judgment as to climate, soil, and feeding, perhaps especially the latter, for it is often said that half the breed goes in at the mouth. For the generality of our land I have no hesitation in choosing the English Leicester as the best sheep, the oldest and truest bred of the longwoola, early maturing, carcase not too heavy, bright lustrous fleece, with a good constitution; the Lincolns and Romney Marsh sheep are valnable on the heavier laud, and the Border Leicester on the more exposed uplands; but the progeny of the well-bred English Leicester are, with proper treatment, m >re even than those of the other breeds, and sheepbreeders know that this is an important point. In selecting rams it is all important to j obtain them from a flock that has been evenly bred and fed all the year round, for, at all events, some generations, such rams are far more likely to produce sound and even lambs than those which are specially fed up for show or stud .purposes. I know of. no flock which has been so bred and cared for as that of Mr Joseph Haydou, of Prebbleton, A walk through his flock shows at once that there is no mixture, for there i. a strong family likeness throughout—the small head, prominent brisket, level back and mutton quarters— which are so characteristic of this, the truest bred, with the exception of the Southdown, of English sheep. Even feeding from youth up is the main factor in establishing a sound constitution. The breeder that follows this practice a. Mr Haydon does will readily sell his surplus rams on the farm as he does.— Yours, &c, Reginald Foster. March 2nd, 1896.