Hampshire flocks doing well

Press, 4 June 1982, Page 18

Hampshire flocks doing well

The importance of breeding sheep of outstanding commercial value was Impressed upon members of the Hampshire Sheep Breeders’ Society by the president, Mr W. R. Thayer, Merino Downs, Southland, during the annual meeting held in Christchurch recently. The attributes required in the making of the ideal Hampshire sheep were discussed by the members after which it was decided to adopt the recommendations of the breed committee that the description of the ideal Hampshire, as agreed upon, be included in the Flock Book. Members of the Canterbury Hampshire Breeders' Club had arranged for the visitors to inspect the flocks of a number of Hampshire breeders in North Canterbury.

The first one to be visited was that of Mr Roger Ensor, of Garrymere, Rangiora. Although feed supplies had been very scarce throughout summer and autumn, the sheep inspected were in creditable condition, and mostly of the types that are in present day demand.

Mr Ensor also showed the visitors his flock of deer, that were grazing peacefully in well-fenced (electric) paddocks. according to Mr R. J. Knowles, of Palmerston, Otago, who went on the tour. One of the special features of the tour was a visit to the flock of Mr Warren Mason, at White Rock Downs. Here a ewe inspection was made and also a flock ram demonstration. Mr Mason had provided a number of his ewes with numbers on their backs. Visiting breeders were provided with forms upon which they were asked to judge the sheep in order of his or her preference.

Members of the Breed Committee were asked by the president to place the sheep in the order of his preference. The various comments of the Breed Committee were, appreciated by members, especially the younger ones. The flock ram demonstration was conducted by the president, Mr Thayer, who expressed his ideas of the features that should accompany all flock rams bred and offered in the market for commercial purposes.

A small’ Hampshire flock running on the Teviotdale Estate property was next visited. This flock is owned by Mrs P. M. Roberts, and showed all the signs of being well and carefully established. It was this flock owner’s parent, Mrs Greenwood, who provided lunch for the whole touring party — approximately 60 of them — in the Greenwood Homestead set in beautiful surroundings and among pages of sheep-breed-ing history.

The next flock to be inspected was that of Mrs A? M. Sidey of Cheviot. Here the

sheep were penned nicely in covered-in yards. In spite of what was termed “hard" conditions due to drought, this flock was very well conditioned, the ram hoggets looking particularly well grown. The final inspection was made on the first day to the flock of Mr T. G, Maxwell of , Motunau. This was the largest flock visited and breeders on thb tour were high , in their praises of the types and standard of Hampshire being bred by Mr Maxwell, according to Mr Knowles. Mr Maxwell had a number

of Hampshire shearling ewes destined for Australia and these were passed by two breed inspectors in the touring party.

The next day the Wool Research Organisation was visited and the work of the /Organisation was explained to members. A lamb-cutting demonstration was also arranged with the management' of Ashley Meat Exports, Ltd, Kaiapoi. Mr Warren Mason had provided the works with a number of Halfbred Cross

Hampshire lambs which had been graded into PX, PM, and YM grades.

After being weighed, each carcase was processed to provide the meat weight, bone weight, and the fat weight. The meat content of the PX grades was over a kilogram heavier , than both the PM and YM grades, and this was a factor that particularly interested all the ' Hampshire breeders attending the demonstration. When asked if the types of lambs, supplied for. the demonstration were of the • more desirable types, the manager replied that his company would be more

than happy if all its export lambs were of the qualitysupplied for the demonstration.