"ATMOSPHERE OF UNCERTAINTY"

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22661, 16 March 1939, Page 12

"ATMOSPHERE OF UNCERTAINTY"

SHEEP BREEDING IN DOMINION ANNUAL MEETING OF NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION “With mounting costs, the whole atmosphere of sheep breeding is one of uncertainty, but ajl we can do is to go ahead and hope for the best/’ said the chairman, Mr John Deans, at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Sheep Breeders’ Association last evening. Mr Deans mentioned that low prices provided an opportunity to go in for drastic culling in flocks with the object of maintaining the flocks at the highest possible standard. Success on the overseas markets could only be achieved by production of the best quality, he said. . Commenting on the annual report, Mr Deans said that 24 new flocks had been admitted during the year, and 14 were withdrawn, leaving a net increase of 10. The credit balance of £3O 19s 8d was slightly below that of last year, mainly because of fewer alterations to flocks. The excess of assets over liabilities was £Bll 5s 7d. Mr Deans was re-elected chairman, and Mr J. Reid vice-chairman, for the ensuing year. Blue Eared Sheep Discussing English Leicester sheep, Mr D. Sidey, of Canterbury Agricultural College, said that too much importance was attached by judges of the breed to whether or not these sheep possessed blue ears. When black lambs appeared in a flock it could almost invariably be said that some blue could be found inside the ears of the breeding rams. . Mr Reid said that the original Leicester sheep had white ears. It had been held, however, that the blue ear sheep were definitely superior, he said. The chairman said that he had found that the white eared sheep were more robust and produced a stronger wool. He thanked Mr Sidey for introducing the subject, and said that while the meeting could not take any definite steps, the discussion would do no harm. The opinion that more care should be taken in the publication of photographs of stock was expressed by the chairman, who said that most of the photographs that appeared in New Zealand publications qf sheep at shows were very inferior. He considered that the association might be able to educate photographers and breeders in getting the sheep to stand correctly. It was vejry harmful to have these photographs going overseas, he said. The secretary (Mr M. E. Lyons) said that the quality of the photograph was largely affected by the haste in which it was taken. Much better results could he obtained by having stock photographed on farms instead of on showgrounds. Flocks Admitted During Year The annual report showed that volume 34 of the Flock Book had been published, containing flocks of the following breeds: —Lincoln, 4; English Leicester, HI; Border Leicester, 122; Romney Marsh, 15; Shropshire, 23; merino, 53; Cheviot, 1; Suffolk, 1; Dorset Horn, 2; Kerry Hill. 1; Corriedale, 11; halfbredj 45; total, 389. Of the above flocks, the following is a list of those dispersed or withdrawn: —English Leicester, 4; Border Leicester, 3; Romney Marsh, 1; Shropshire, 2; merino, 2; halfbred, 2; total, 14. New flocks (also included in the above total) have been admitted during the year as follows:—English Leicester, 8; Border Leicester, 6; Romney Marsh, 1; merino, 2; Dorset Horn, 1;' Kerry Hill, 1; halfbred, 5; total. 24, ’ Twenty-six trophies were offered for the best two-shear ram and one-shear ewe in the various breeds, to be the property of breeders whose flocks are registered in the New Zealand Flock Book. -