Mid-Canterbury Man On Romney Council

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30769, 5 June 1965, Page 9

Mid-Canterbury Man On Romney Council

MID-CANTERBURY Romney breeder. Mr J. D. Marr, of Deanston stud. Methven. has just been elected to the council of the New Zealand Romney Marsh Sheep Breeders’ Association. Mr Marr farms a 1093-acre property, seven miles from Methven, which was originally taken up by his grandfather in 1878. He has been breeding Romneys since 1945. when he took over the stud from his father, the late Mr A. F. Marr, who founded the flock in 1929. This autumn 845 stud Romney ewes have gone to the ram. For the last 10 years Mr Marr has been an inspector and judge for the Romney association.

Mr Marr was foundation vice-chairman of a Romney stud breeders’ club which was formed in Ashburton about two years ago to hold field days, discussion evenings and lectures by leading breeders and scientists to help keep members fully informed on stud management

and breeding. It has about 44 members. One of these field days was ■ held recently at Mereoke. the property of the chairman, of the club, Mr Ronald W. Oakley. The theme of the day was considerations involved in the mating of stud Romney sires and ewes to gain the maximum improvement each generation. Mr Oakley yarded all of his flock and explained why ewes in each group woe mated to a particular sire. The day was completed with an inspection of his ram and ewe hoggets, which were the subject of very favourable comment. Mid-Canterbury is regarded as being of growing importance as a centre of Romney stud breeders and commercial Romney flocks, and there is considerable pride in the annual two-tooth ewe sale at Tinwald, which is believed to be the biggest one-day sale of young ewes, which are mainly Romneys, in the country