EXPOSITION ON WOOL

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31835, 13 November 1968, Page 29

EXPOSITION ON WOOL

A national golden fleece contest is to be staged at the Dunedin wool exposition in May next year. It Will include 11 classes for which the first and second place-getters in corresponding classes at this year’s Canterbury A. and P. Show will be eligible to compete.

Up until last year, the “golden fleece” contests were run by Massey College, but when it appeared they were to be dispensed with, the Royal Agricultural Society decided to take over

the running of the contest. The national golden fleece exhibition at Dunedin will be part of activities

scheduled for woo! week in that city. There will be gatherings of farmers at which scientists will present papers of interest to wool growers. Dunedin will also be the venue of the final of the pastoral queen contest. The prize will be an air trip to Canada and the United Kingdom through Canadian Pacific Air Lines, Ltd. Pastoral queen contests are also being staged at provincial shows throughout New Zealand. From the regional contests, finalists are being selected for the New Zealand contest at Dunedin next year.

“The figures strongly suggest that more weak lambs are born in the North, and it is only reasonable to connect this with better nutrition of the pregnant ewe.

“As regards deaths, it is not a case of a heavy loss during any one phase, but the sum total of several minor differences in percentage death rates. Take the case of single lambs born dead as an example.

“Again, in the case of ewes lambing twins, the figures for one dead and both dead are slightly higher in the North. “This difference in lambing percentages between the North and South Islands has existed for years. Omitting the effect of environment generally on the fertility of the ewe, there is a very strong suggestion that more thorough management in the North might lessen the gap between the two percentages.”