HEAVIER LAMBS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21247, 20 August 1934, Page 13

HEAVIER LAMBS

MATING HALFBRED EWES USE OF SUFFOLK-SOUTIIDOWN HAMS An inset in the review just issued by Pyne, Gould, Guinness, Ltd., comprises an article by Mr George Gould advocating the use of Suffolk-South-cown cross rams in place of Southdown rams for mating halfbred ewes, An 1 ? t? P r 9duce a heavier lamb. An illustration is included in the inset wh,Vh" ,° UP °lu Sufrolk ewe over nii W i ere h 0 su Preme champions il 11 , breeds at Smithrield m 1933, '?' K \ 0l L hr f e Southdown-Suffolk ewe t nb L w , hlch secured the first prize f-.r noTn w crossbred lambs at Smithiieia last year. "♦hi" my °P ini on," says Mr. Gould, mere is room in Canterbury [or a Ced P OWn ram lai 'f ;er ebot thdown to mate with halfbred ewes ™, , to t produce a heavier lamb, or a marketable lamb at an earlier date no a a P can be bled b y crossing me Southdown ram with the SulTolk ewe or v.ce versa, the result being a low-set, lengthy ram possessing the same dualities as the Southdown but Wf ".a.r.g :,b-ut 50 per en . more. • ■•*■'■ v : , ■: Sou lulovvo. :.o t'ht c\.. ~.m'aclvocai' mg is only the matin;, of breeds already closely akin. I tried it 20 years ago with marked t iiecess, hut the war came when quality of both wool and meat was at a discount, and I did not pursue it. 'fo-dav quality and early maturity are all-important and though the Southdown rain cannot be excelled for large-framed owes, a larger ram of similar character is sometimes wanted for light-trumrd ewes. 1 started again three vcm-s ;ig> crossing Southdown and Suitolk both ways, and have nuw some verv attractive two-loolh ewes and ewe ho-'v-from which I shall continue to ori'vi inbred halfbrods. With several blendof the same cross to work on, 1 should have no difficulty in obtaining an even line of ewes to produce rams to moot my purpose, and I look forward to doing so as an interesting hobby. "The reader may ask, 'What arc your ideals?' to which I would reply as follows:—I want a ram with a dark brown face, a lean head, strong neck, shoulders level but not over-wide, fully developed hindquarters, plump leg of mutton, and not too deep a brisket; fleece dense, combing SG-5!5, a little longer than Southdown. I see no value in an over-broad and deep chest. The back end of a beast, sheep, or pig is worth pence per lb more than the fore end. A light forehand in a large ram is a good point at lambing time. A dairy cow loses neither constitution nor digestive power with her light forequarter.-:. "There is more in the clear face than meets the eye. A wool-blind sheep is usually a bad thriven Lean meat and early maturity go with short wool and bare points. A wise English writer says: 'Heavy fleeces grow out of big beds of fat, and fatbacked sheep produce mutton that does not rank as first-class.' I hope Southdown breeders will not go further with woolly faces. They are doing so in England. It is a show ring point, but there is no money in it. At the Smithfiekl Id; stock show in 193:1 pore Suffolk's won the champion carcase competitions for both sheep and iambs and'were delnred supreme champions over all breeds. Southdown-Suffolk lambs have won the championship for short-woolled crossbred lambs at Smith--1: -!d in the years 1927. 1023, 1932. and 10.13. These facts spe.-.k U.;- themselves. Smi'.hfield Sh"W i« * lie- Ahum* Everest amongst the fat stork shows of the world." WHEAT TRADING CHICAGO FLTCKKS NEW YORK, August ].">. Chicago futures are:—Cents a bushel. Aug. 11. Aug. 18. September .. 104 10"December .. 107 J OF: Mav ..110 10(1,1 New York (casln 109-1 100 PRICE OF GOLD LONDON, August 16. Gold Ca fine ounce) is quoted:— £ s. d. August 18 .. .. C 18 4 August 17 .. .- 6 18 3i August 15 .. •• 6 18 14 August 11 .. ..6 18 2.. August 13 .. -• 0 18 3 August 11 .. .. u 18 11 PRICE OF SILVER * LONDON, August 17. Silver (pence an ounce) is quoted:— Aug.l6. Aug. 17. Snot .. .. 218 219-16 Forward 4 .. 219-16 211 LONDON MARKETS (Received August 19, G.."io p.m.) LONDON, August 18. Friday's closing prices:— Cotton-Spot, 7.1 Id; September, 6.86 d Rubber—Para s:;d, plantation smoked 7 >cl. L j u te—New crop, August and September, £ls 3s 0d ~<;„„ Hemp—Neglected; August and Sep-teCobpra-August and September, South Sea £7 15s; smoked. £6 12s 6d; plantation, Rabaul, £8 15s. Linseed Oil—£22. Turpentine— A2s Cd.