Flock sheep used in scheme

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32565, 26 March 1971, Page 15

Flock sheep used in scheme

A group breeding scheme using Corriedale sheep has been set up in Canterbury with

the assistance of the Department of Agriculture’s senior sheep and wool instructor at Christchurch (Mr L. Galloway). The scheme is based on those which are operating successfully with Romneys in the North Island. Speaking at a field day at French Farm last week. Mr Galloway said he had been very impressed with the results achieved in the North Island. One of the most interesting features of these schemes is that the breeders-concerned are using ordinary selected flock ewes. Mr Galloway, in explaining the reasons for using flock ewes, said he had found that stud breeders attached considerable value to stud ewes, and were reluctant to discard low producers. He had found instances of ewes, which had produced only two lambs in four years, still being retained in stud flocks. By using flock ewes in the group schemes less was involved when a ewe was discarded. At the same time it was still possible to achieve the same objectives. The group scheme involves a parent or nucleus flock, with several contributing flocks. Rams from

the parent flock are supplied to the contributing flocks. In turn, these flocks supply five ewes annually to the parent flock. On these, they have an option on the ram progeny bred. The scheme begins with the selection of two-tooths, and these are screened for performance, the aim being to build up a flock with a high twinning background. The specific points are: Twins as both two and four-tooths reared to a good weaning weight. Fleeces of above average weight, and of good, even quality. High weights at both weaning and as hoggets. No assistance required at lambing. Structural soundness. Mr Galloway said he knew of a flock in the North Island which had raised its lambing by 20 per cent in six to seven years. This sort of scheme involved recording and he predicted that any stud breeders who did not record their flocks within the next 10 years, would-go out of business. Turning to the situation on the Peninsula, Mr Galloway said although flock selection had been carried out for a number of years, farmers had not achieved the results hoped for. Too much emphasis had been placed on face l yver, and too much emphasis on

body type, when other factors mattered more. Mr Galloway, said he thought there were three important factors to consider with wool—harshness, mushy backs, which reduced quality and fleece weights, and general plainness of fleece. Wool sale prices indicated that average wool sold as well as betterquality wool. In a Christchurch store last year six lines of wool, which had not been skirted, were graded. Ignoring the skirtings, an estimated price of 24c a lb was fixed. In due course, the wool realised 24c a lb or better. “I think we have got to find out just how important is style grading, within reason,” Mr Galloway said. Of density, Mr Galloway said this was hard to judge. “You will get the tops out, and the bottoms, but that middle group you will never get,” he said. The two factors which Mr Galloway considers will be of most importance in future 'flock selection are fertility and fleece weights. If breeders tried to select for too many points; they would make little progress on those that really mattered, ,he said. He believed that wool weights had deteriorated genetically in recent years, and that the only factor which had maintained original fleece weights in flocks was management.