Merino men for Marlborough

Press, 11 May 1979, Page 9

Merino men for Marlborough

Next Wednesday and Thursday Marlborough will host the national Merino tour. This meeting every few years of the top Merino breeders, gives ;hem not only time to reject upon their traditions, out also to set the guidelines needed to meet a rapidly changing meat and wool industry.

Marlborough, separated com the mainstream of the Jerino industry, is fortunate to be able to host this important tour. While only stud flocks will be inspected, the Canterbury and Otago breeders will have the opportunity to gauge the diversity of breed-type that has' been developed to handle Marlborough’s varying enviroaental conditions. In the mid nineteenth entury the Merino was the dominant sheep of the

province. With continual pasture improvement and the requirement for a faster maturing, squatter lamb carcase, the Merino fell into disrepute. Over a number of generations Corriedale and Romney flocks took its place.

On the lower river valleys of the Wairau and the Awatere and the surrounding heavier hill country, the Corriedale, in particular, became the main breed. The Merino continued to thrive on the poorer areas of the Awatere. Waihopai and Wairau valleys, where it is still found today. High rainfall areas within these valleys have seen the evolution of a breed-type that

can profitably survive under adverse conditions. The current interest in the Buoroola Merino and its crossbreds, could well serve as the catalyst for other Merino breeders to exploit much of the possible latent fertility waiting to be tapped in their own breed-types. Associated with this is the changing consumer preference for a leaner lamb carcase, which could herald the return of a first generation Merino crossbred ewe as the popular fat lamb dam

The Merino breed stands on the threshold of a revival. The 1979 Marlborough tour could well be the turning point for the breed. Inquiries for tour information should be addressed to the tour secretary, Mr R. N. Campbell, P.O. Box 714, Blenheim.

The accompanying item has been written by lan Blair, of the Ministry of ■Agriculture at Blenheim.