NEW ZEALAND SHEEP.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19942, 31 May 1930, Page 10

NEW ZEALAND SHEEP.

AN EXPERT'S IMPRESSIONS. Dr. Nieliolls, of Leeds, who visited New Zealand last year, in. connexion w-;th a survey of conditions of wool production in the British Empire, has furnished an interim report to the British Research Association. " In his statement Dr. Nicholls devotes some space to the general types of stud sheep in the Dominion, as follows _ Merino stud sheep, numbered 29,971 in 1927, being confined-almost entirely to the South Island.. The stud flocks havo boen built up chiefly by the use of stock from Tasmania, New youth Wales, and South Australia. In more recent years tho demand for a bigger, hardier sheep has tended to discourage the use of Tasmanian stock and to encourage importations from South Australia. The type generally favoured is that with a good conformation and carriage, comparatively little ''development" or wrinkles, with face fairly free from wool to lessen the possibility of snow-blindness, and with ■ a dense uniform fleece with a plentiful output of yolk. Merino sheep other than studs numbered 1,005,807. ; _

The sheep of British extraction in New Zealand have generally been :de- ; veloped on rather different linos from their prototypes in Great Britain. cept in the case of tho Rom^oyi.Ttioy. are usually .bred for the purpose, t»| providing rams for crossbred lamb production. Particularly, in. recept years'they have been selected .in jtho direction of low-set bodies of good mutton conformation, arid always attention has been paid to fleece character? in order that good saleable .wool may be shorn from the breeding stock.. One reason for this has beeri that, even where crossbred flocks are concerned,, if it were , necessary. to • keep. lambs over for. a season the value of the- wool has been recognised as of distinct importance. Another- reason is that a definite woolbreeding tradition exists generally. ( It may be noted . here that this is one direction in which the fat : lamb industry has tended to lower the standard of quality in commercial * flocks; the most profitable lambs are those which mature most quickly,- the best lambs are sold off in the earlier drafts, and the stocks which are held over are usually of the << cull" class. It is, however, noticeable that in the case of those breeders who do not rely entirely upon "flying-flock" ewes, for their breeding stock (they are ; increasing in number) they are tending .to select for retention in their flocks the best of their ewe lambs. irrespective of their immediate, monetary value as fat lambs.

The Lincoln , sheep in ' New Zealand are more compact, shorter-legged sheep than those found' in Great Britain. Their fleece is dense, . and they have been kept in largo numbers in certain areas, particularly of the North Island, where clearing of bush, country .has been in progress, their strong wbol being found to resist tfie' wear and tear from bush and scrub pulling off... the fleece. It was found,, however, that great difficulty was experienced in rearing the hoggets, and . this breed . .has now been largely displaced by the Romney. There were, in 1927, 1p,520 stud Lincoln sheep arid 84,482 other. .. .' ,

Most Important Breed. Numerically the Bomneyis tho most important breed in tie Dominion, with 112,002 stud sheep in ~the North Island and 52,344 in the South Island,,; and with 2,881,358 "nqt-fntered'sheep ■ in the North Island ; aftd 429,611 of this class in, the South. - jtomney Marsh sheep were among ithe early importa-.' tions, and the most famous flocks are descended from one established in the Hutt Valley, near Wellington. With frequent ■ importations of Kentish stock the present flocks havo been built up, although the present''New Zealand types differ considerably from the English type. A low-set, active sheep, with a lighter bone, wide shoulders, and well-sprung ribs has been- developed, and a great deal of attention has been paid to the fleece, its density having been increased and careful selection practised in most stud flocks to reduce tho extent of the coarse-woolled areas on the britch and to eliminate kemp. In the North Island there is some controversy as to the merits of the east coast and west coast types, as developed in the Wairarapa and Feilding districts respectively. Generally Bpeaking, the Eomney in New Zealand is called to fill many parts, and to graze on a wide range of pastures with the result that different types are favoured in the different /localities. The districts of Hawlce's Bay and Poverty Bay may be mentioned, the latter district providing large numbers of draft ewes which are sent to Canterbury for use as the dams of crossbred fat lambs reared on the agricultural plains; and Southland, where the Eomney is depastured on the high, wet hills. The purebred Romney | lamb matures rapidly and is in good demand for the freezing works, while [ aged and cull Romney ewes mated to

r jit -. , Jgi ■ Southdown rams produce esteUont'ljl;lambs. J- '7| The variety of habitats the Komney has resulted breeders being forced to their flocks a number of conformation and of fleece. tiktatiaffi! the breeders* in the different : demanding distinctly different body and of fleece; while ii'" ramlts the rapid. increase in numbers * breed has been that drastic, hot taken place, so ■ that a ?wia»' of variatiou can be found.- -■ " The Leicester®, ' The Border , numerical strength -of 69,405 others, - the the South Island. Itaita'' tdemand, particularly-; for Romuey ewes, to ton animal maturing tjtifc j? tho Romney and Downtherefore meeting a 'late*, fleece has ' beeny jncrea^ed^ipX. deaimj and fineness, >and' partiealar paid to the* wool.- 'Jw The Eogtisfr-lejeeoter breed-, early, a£d tbidlrrtietau wii§|| the Merino- formod-the'famoris "Oilllg. jtcrbury mutton" eh<jepjof list eentittlif Its use has now dlnftftishpd/only 20,4®! , ntud and 55,410 othey sheep being corded, the , greatmajority L ,of fUrai; being found in tho "South' Island.' ~ . jSpff type favoured was again ; lower-set sheep- than the with a denser; fleece, -a a lighter face. In recent ytfuggw ' breaders have, with imporiMWij| ft ■ 'British stoek, tended to a Pfi#|f3ps" British type, and it is BuggaK|ik < this has to some extent decline in popularity. ■ The Shropshire has declined larity, the dark face and objected to -by breeders:' figures record only .. 4834 j . 17,555 other sheep. The Southdown is in numbers all over the PtomßMll there being, in 1927 36,630 79,836 other sheep in, the Nrirt&'Swllilll and 17,420 stud - and' 16.268 the South island. The is that popular in . England, there is a tendency to frame in certain districts,"'.'TbSfeffitiKßiM bution of flocks is would seem that som* entirely suited to pure* flocks, trouble being' the lambs and hoggets, . susceptibility towards ' The The. Gorriedale—the' of several derivations, Lincoln strain predopiitt»ttig®Mm®Mp| in 1927. .43,8418tiid' sheep■a»4ffiW»Pl ' not entered in the the total sheep popitfstion land. Comparatively few the North Island. This peculiar interest; in that-it of a great piece of ing, and that it serves as an finggMHJ| of many points'which 1 sidered in sheep husbandry. ease of the -Bomhey,, rapid' increase innumberS, wljtasfflM® ant low culling of ally, and at the same timfc the ; case that the important stud breeding are on lowla^d J improved country. .FlocJci being tried'- out * on conntty too high,: or too lightly ' . would appear that. the"formfttiv«iߧ^M|; of the breed has been obsf popularity. The' vide excellent material study of fleece > andr. when our methods of have been developed. •: * ■"; 1 The remaining breed, . ately in the 1927 figures isfthf which is of recent introducl M)% sg®J breeders of the stud, and other sheep are dovoting ; care to the selection- of dense fleeces free from staple showing a good crimp cross-fibres. Some "breeders, menting with Ryeland-Eomjiey r for breeding purposes.