CORRIEDALE SHEEP

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26117, 20 May 1950, Page 6

CORRIEDALE SHEEP

World Conference

Galled

CENTENNIAL FUNCTION IN CHRISTCHURCH

An international conference of Ccrriedale breeders has been called by tne Ccrneaaie Sheep society ana will oe held in chustcnurcn at the time cf tne Centennial Royal Snow early in iNovcm’oer. lhe comerence will be the cniy international gathering concerned with a pure.y farming subject to be held during the centennial year, and will be attended by breeders from several South American countries, the United States, Australia, and South Africa.

sheep evolved only 80 years ago, but they have become lhe world’s most important pure breed 01 sheep next to the Merino. Corriedale flocks now number upwards of 35,1)00,000, and are to be found in every important sheep-owning country of the world. lhe breed resulted from experiments made by Mr James Little in the late sixties cf last century on Dr. Webster’s Corriedale estate in North Ctago, but the original flock was dispersed. and since that time Canterbury breeders have been principally responsible for the rapid progress the Corriedale has made. The breed is in either first or second position among breeds in Uruguay and Argentina, and is increasing- its numbers in other South American countries, and in Australia, South Africa,: and the United States. It was de-, signed to combine the valuable wool of the Merino with the splendid mutton characteristics of the English longwool breeds. The modern Corriedale does net score as well as a Merino in the va’ue of its wool, or as some English breeds in the value of its carcase, but combines in large measure the goed characteristics of both. It j thrives in a w’de diversity of condi- ; ticns of soil and climate, and its dual- 1 purpose characteristics have forced this New Zealand breed into second i place among the world’s breeds of, sheen.

The rapid spread of the Corriedale throughout the world has brought certain problems, the most important of which is that of maintaining a standard type in the breed, and this will be the main theme of the conference. For the first time in the history of sheepbreeding, breeders will confer with the idea of establishing and maintaining an international standard.

It is expected that representatives of the seven major overseas Corriedale breed societies will attend the conference. which will be onened by a senior member of the Government, possible the Prime Minister (Mr Holland). ’Hie conference itself will be preceded by some days of informal discussions." inspections of the sheep gathered for the Ro' T al Show, and vis’ts to nrominent Corriedale studs and commercial flocks.