Page 20 Advertisements Column 1

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21734, 17 March 1936, Page 20

AUCTIONS. H, MATSON AKQ COCHOOSE THE RIGHT TYPE OF RAM. (WHOSE who go to ram sales to buy t*. inf© two categories—owners Kjt puig-brecding flocks, and owners ox «wes kept solely lor cross-breedmg. there has arisen in the last 10 ymn a tendency far combining purefcMMwlinyr and cross-breeding, i.e., a porllonoCtbe ewe flock Is mated to rams «K the same breed 'in order to raise Ced ewe lambs for future breedpoints that a buyer of rams has |s «yw<Sder can be summarised: l| How many are required? H .What breed or type shall be purR ’ chased? ff What price shall be paid? When the ewe flock has been made lip. most of us go by the standard of working one ram for every 50-60 ewes. SSI* standard is reliable enough, though shearling and two-shear rams in correct breeding conditions can deal •With a larger allocation (70-80 ewes), provided that the flock is not running over a very large range. It Is most important that those who Own a small number of ewes, requiring only cme ram. should arrange to borrow or exchange to get a second gam in the event of the first proving pterile. SECURING FLOCK TYPE. The question of breed and type is Of paramount importance. The owner of a purebred flock should always be thriving to improve his flock in type, md to get it as uniform as possible in character. This means that if there is some variation in type in the owes they should be sorted before mating, and each group put with rams of a type likely to sire progeny better charactered than the ewes. The building up of a large ewe flock of uniform type is a highly interesting and skilled occupation, and, naturally. Hie shepherd—who is by his experience of tending sheep of a certain breed an expert observer —is usually and deservedly consulted when purchases are made. To establish a flock of uniform type In a relatively short time there is no sounder method than to buy stock rams from as few flocks as possible. Yet some breeders prefer to bring home rams out of half a dozen different flocks every breeding Season, and then wonder why their ewe type continues to be so variable! The man who is going to crossbreed his ewes has first to decide what breed of ram to buy. He may go to the ram sales with an open mind, relying on the advice of the friends he meets there, or on the prices and' the selection on offer. It is high time that we began to get out ideas less confused on the matter of crossbreeding in sheep. We should go to a ram sale with a definite intention of buying rams of a certain breed. Consideration that should influence our choice are, briefly, as follows: — TYPE OF EWES KEPT.—A very small type of ewe should not be mated to a ram of a very large breed, for the Obvious reason that risks of loss at lambing time are increased. WHAT PRICE SHOULD BE PAID? -An individual ram should be the ire of 50-80 lambs annually. Astiming that we raise 60 lambs per ram forked, let us see how the price paid or a ram affects the cost of a lamb t birth. A cheap ram, costing £3,* Seans Is per lamb; a moderatelyiriced ram, costing £6, means 2s per •ad mi each lamb, a ram bought for !f means 3s per head on each lamb i birth. i.e., 2s more per head than he lambs sired by a cheap ram. But ;ow easily there can be a difference I Ss or even 10s per head difference r the value of those lambs when they re sold. We are anxious to suggest that we re too niggardly on the price we are irepared to pay for rams. The ram treeder has had rather a lean time Btely, but he must refrain from offeros for sale inferior rams, worth only t low price, and not fit for breeding; end, on the other side, buyers should how. by the nrices that they are preiared to pay, that they appreciate the teceasity for purchasing rams of good 1 H. MATSON and CO. ARE PRE- I PARED TO SELECT AND PUR- i CHASE BAMS ON BEHALF OF j BUYERS WHO ARE UNABLE I "TO MAKE A PERSONAL VISIT , TO THE FAIR. j I TELEGRAMS: j MATSONS. I CHRISTCHURCH. I IJILD UP YOUR EWES FOR A BETTER LAMBING. Low markings are often blamed on to the rams, but usually the trouble can be traced to the nutrition of the ewes. "Flushing”—that is, building up the ewe with rich feed, such as young clover, green oats, etc., prior to the mating —is a regular cart of sheep management with New Zealand flockSasters. The object is to stimulate the "condition” or ovulation of the ewe. which makes for more effective service. REMOVE THE CHECK ON LAMBING. An autumn like the present, when cur ewes need a well-balanced grass ration with a certain amount of dry feeding, makes it very hard for farmers to get their ewes Into proper condition. The heavy autumn growth and the wet weather has been responsible for a lot of scour, which can only be expected. “LIXIT” will go a long way to straightening up your flock with a view to the fact that the rams need to be put out any time from the 20th March onwards. "LIXIT* is the correct supplement, and is specially valuable in increasing wool production, improving lambs, and keening the flock generally healthy. "LIXIT* is very low in cost. Order .a consignment, and you will prove to ‘yourself that over the lambing alone XJXIT repays the cost of a year’s supply over and over again. ? OBTAINABLE EVERYWHERE. i.H. MATSON and C STUD SHEEP SALESMEN, CHRISTCHURCH. 0.,