STUD RAM FAIR

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28802, 24 January 1959, Page 8

STUD RAM FAIR

Entries Total 435

The entry of stud rams for the Canterbury Agricultural anc Pastoral Association’s annual stuc ram fair on February 5 is the largest since 1941 when the stuc and flock rams fairs were firs held separately, and probably the largest ever. When the entries closed on January 20 there wen 435 rams entered, compared with 353 last year. Numbers of rams entered for the different breeds, with last year’s numbers in parenthesis are:—Southdown, 177 <158:; Romney Marsh, 54 (37); Corriedale. 62 (51); Border Leicester. 75 (54): English Leicester, 25 (26); Ryeland, 10 (5); Suffolk, 7 (3): South Suffolk. 11 (7); and Lincoln, 14 (12). . In addition, there are 207 registered Southdown ewes, 60 Border Leicester ewes, 15 South Suffolk ewes, and six Ryeland ewes. The sale will begin at 9.15 a.m and both rings will again be used About 500 pens in the sheep pavilion will be needed to hold the total offering and the sale is likely to extend well into the afternoon. The "A” sale will begin with Southdown ewes and then rams Suffolk rams. South Suffolk rams and Ryeland rams in that order The ”B” sale will start off with the Border Leicester ewes, followed by the Ryeland and South Suffolk ewes, .and then the English Leicester rams, Lincoln rams, Romney Marsh rams and end with the Corriedale rams. The very largely increased entry is probably the result oi improved facilities and the widespread recognition of the fair. The offering will be drawn from breeders all over the South Island and buyers will come from all parts of New Zealand. The numbers are remarkable for a year which, to say the least, has not favoured the raising of stud sheep. Border Leicester entries, which show the largest increase, have been gaining in popularity at the fair since 1955 and although Australian imports have ceased because of the blue tongue disease embargo this has beeh offset by the increased demand from the North Island and other areas. The sheep population of the Dominion has greatly increased and improved over the last few years and this has been reflected in the larger demand for stud sheep and the increase in the number of stud flocks. From 1947 the Dominion breeding ewe flock has increased by about 10m. Entries for the annual flock ram fair, held by the association, will close on January 27 and the sale will extend over two days. On February 12 the mutton breeds will be sold and on the following day the wool breeds.