NOTES FOR GRAZIER AND DEALER.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9735, 25 May 1897, Page 6

NOTES FOR GRAZIER AND DEALER.

« Weekly Prese and Referee."

Br Stbaoozjeb.

Mr J. B. Mackenzie, of Pomahaka, writes: —■" Mr Brady, at a meeting of the Wellington A. and P. Association, is reported to have given it as his opinion * That the Bomney sheep now being bred and shown in the colonies Were not true Bomney sheep, and it would be difficult to find a true Bomney sheep in the whole country now.' I agree with Mr Brady that sheep are shown and bred by many breeders that are not entitled to rank as Bomneys, many showing a distinct Lincoln type which cannot be got otherwise than by the introduction of foreign blood. Such sheep have certainly no right to rank as Bomneys, and if judges knew their work they would not place sheep not shewing the true Bomney type, which is as follows:— 'Head wide, level between ears, with good thick fdretop, no horns, nor dark hair on the poll, which should bo well covered with wool, eyes large and high and prominent. Face in ewes full, and in rams broad and masouline in. appearance. Nose in all oases must be coal black. Neck should be well set in shoulders, and strong and thick, and not too long. Shoulders wide, well put in, and level with back. Chest wide and deep. Back straight with wide and flat loin, rump wide, long, and well turned. Tail set in almost level to the chine. Thighs well set down and developed. The flesoe should be of an even texture, and of a good decided staple from foretop to end of taiL Every effort should be made to reduce the quantity of breech wool. The stiashoold be of a clear pink colour; the face and legs while with few black spots. . The above is as published by the Bomney Marsh Sheop Breeders' Association, Kent, England, and may be taken as about correct, i " Mr Brady, in his assertion that it would be * hard to find a true Bomney sheop in the whole country now, , speaks with a want of knowledge, as there are several flocks in the south to the writers' knowledge, that are pure and true to type, and have not been shown for the simple fact that at leading shows judges more often than not go past sheep bred true to type, and give prizes to the supposed improved Bomney, and in so doing encourage the breeding of a class of sheep that has not the characteristics of a true Bomney, for which the Bsmney has become sneh a favourite sheep. The qualities are many, the principal bai»g that they thrive under almost any variation of feed an J climate. Their thriftiness and quick fattening finalities, combined with great constitutional harness are. a proof of their value. To improve on ths Bomney by the introduction of foreign blood, is to do away with the characteristic points, and so with the value of sheep, for, as I have already stated, it is those very characleristio qualities thai make the true Roinney Marsh sheep of so much value in meet :.v;U'c£ this colony. " I admit that climate aad soil will make a slight difference in the appearance of pure bred sheep, but these will never loee the true character and general points of the breed. I can show Mr Brady both colonial bred sheep and Home bred direct from the breeder in Kent, and I am sure other breeders can do the c —">, and I defy Mr Brady or any other man to say they are not true to type. I am forced to the conclusion that Mr Brady is either a breeder of improved Bomneys, or that, like many more, who do not know or are otherwise interested, wishes to cry down the true Bomney. If the former I pity him ; if the latter he may as well give it up, as the Bomney as an all round and profitable sheep mast come to the top, and if more extensively used we would not hear so much about the heavy death rate of hoggets in the North Island as we do. The Lincoln may shear more wool than a Bomney, bat he wfll take an immense amount more food to enable him to do so, and then will be behind in carcase. "To! conclude, I mayhe permitted to say that it would be more to the point to try and put down so called improved Bomneys, and educate the people as to what is a typical sheep. I take it that thai would be more to the point than encouraging a breed of sheep which have no special characteristics to recommend them. Mr Brady's complaint that judges have often to pass over a good sheep because it does not show enough of the Bomney is uttex rot, as the sheep has no more right in the Bomney pens if it does not chow the character and true Bomney type *him a, Bomney would have in the Lincoln or leiotster pens. II jtriges who know Bomnty

sheep cannot be got, then I cay certainly strike out the class and substitute anything, each as Bomney-Linsoln or Romney-Leicester or Lincoln-Leicester, If we are to have Lincoln or Leicester, let as have them, and if Bomney, then Bomney. It is a gross libel on the breed to talk o! improved Bomneys, and any man who knows | his business mast understand that what I j state is correct; and as we have classes at j most of oar shows for crossbreds, let Mr Brady get a class pot in for hie fancy cross, and' leave the pore breeds intact. I hope members of the Conference to be held will not do anything that mil help to destroy and not encourage the breeding of pore stock." Values for fat lambs seem likely to drop very shortly, as some of the export buyers have now finished operations for the year, and butchers are finding the consumption of lamb becoming less each. week. Sheep still continue to come in from the Marlborough province and I believe no less than 4,000 are—or rather were —on the market this week. Darfield sale last Friday was not either largely attended or heavily supplied with sheep. Fat stock sold fully up to late rates. Messrs Raggio, Carneiro, and Company continue their shipments of Lincoln sheep to the River Plate, their last consignments comprising about 100 ram hoggs shipped from Liverpool per steamers Bellagio and Queensland. The sheep have been carefully chosen as suitable for the South American trade, from the well-known flocks of Mr Thomas Herd, Mr Wm. Bayles, Mr Jos. BSwallow and Mr H. J. Milliagton. The Live Stock Journal states that in the majority of cases the lambing season in England has been favourable, the lambs dropped being strongand healthy. There are, however, exceptions in which heavy losses have been experienced. On the whole, the crop of lambs appears to be under the average. It should not be overlooked, too, when general conclusions are being drawn, that the reports refer chiefly to the pick of the registered flocks of the country, in which the sheep receive the greatest care and attention. From remarks incidentally made, it would appear that losses have been greater in ordinary flocks. The prospects of keep were rapidly improving before the latest return of cold and uuseasonable weather, which will check growth, while it will also be very trying to the ewes and the young lambs.