BULLETIN ON HALFBRED RAMS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21243, 15 August 1934, Page 8

BULLETIN ON HALFBRED RAMS

TO THE KD1T01! OF TUB I'HK.-iS. Sir,—l was astounded to read the Canterbury Agricultural College bulletin on half bred rams, published in "The Press'' of Wednesday last, and 1 think the statement, coming from such a source, calls for some comment from a practical point of view. Has Lincoln College had the opportunity of studying the first cross ram, Avith regard to its suitability for keeping up a general utility hill-country bheep? The practical sheep owner on this class of country could, after reading the statement, be excused if he beached the conclusion that the writer of the statement was quite unqualified to state an opinion. The first essential :in a hill flock are constitution, carcase, and ability to produce a good percentage of lambs, and there is no question that, the flock owners in North Canterbury who have -tuck to this first cross ram can show very satisfactory percentages. For all the country behind Ihe foot hills and low coastal country, there is not. a shadow of doubt that Ihe best, flocks to-day are those that have stuck lo either "tire first, cross by the Lincoln or English Leicester merino rem, or a .hidicious blending of both. Tf n college representative were to visit any or all of the northern ewo fair 3 and thoroughly examine the different lots, no other evidence should be necessary. I know of many men who have been tempted to experiment with other methods, and with few exceptions they have soon come to the conclusion that the best method is the first cross, botli for evenness and frame. The importance to-day of breeding a wether lamb that will readily fatten and thus form one of the surest means of keeping up the returns cannot be overlooked. I can give many instances of wether lambs, off their mothers from fairly high country, that for weight and shape of carcase have beaten the more heavily woolled inbred lambs from the heavier low run coastal country by pounds a head. The ■wether lamb to-day is one of the most important factors in the income account of any hill property. The difficulty at present is the supply of rams. There is a great need for many more competent flock masters to undertake the work of specialising in the production of suitable first cross rams. One has only to look through the halfbred pens at the ram fair to realise this. A much stricter supervision by the inspectors, both in halfbred and Corriedales, ■would be of advantage. Now that, the Southdown ram has cut so hard into the English Leicester market, a great opportunity presents itself to the breeder of the latter sheep to specialise, as several have already done, in producing rams to mate with merino ewes. These rams will find a ready market at payable prices and prove of immense benefit to all concerned. The general run of English Leicester breeders have not paid sufficient attention to better wool and density over the back, with the result it is a difficult matter to find suitable rams to breed to merinos. Finally, it is all very well for theorists to express their opinions on the subject of breeding: but, in my opinion, hard-earned experience in the old school of practical results is the best and only way of avoiding an unpleasant interview with the Official Assignee.—Yours, etc..

lIILL COUNTRY. August 1.?, 193-1.