THE CULLING OF STUD FLOCKS

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 319, 5 October 1908, Page 5

THE CULLING OF STUD FLOCKS

A PLEBISCITE TAKEN. The New Zealand Sheep Breeders' Association (North Island) ; is taking a plebiscite of its members on the proposed culling regulations so much discussed at the reccnt annual .meeting at Palmerston North. Tho voting,paper sent out to members is accompanied by ' the following letter from the chairman of tho council, Mr. George Wheeler:—•" _ "At our: last general meeting tho questions of culling our registered flocks by writing off'ls per cent, of two-tooths, also 6 per cent, 'of older sheep, and tho inspection of all ; registered sheep sold to found new flocks,;were fully discussed; and it was resolved that theso questions'be referred to each member of tho association and a -vote taken thereoni . These -questions are as follow, and aro numbered. 1, 2, and 3 "1. That' owners of registered flocks .shall not add more than eighty-five (85) per cent, (fractions to be'raised to'whole numbers) of any one year's crop of ewe lambs to their stud breeding flocks, and they shall not, in disposing of the fifteen (15) por cent, of the culls, give such a certificate of breeding as would entitle them to be'entered in the Flock Book. Should this rule bo infringed the flocks shall be liable to be disqualified and expunged from the: Flock Book.-, In .exceptional cases, as for imported sheep, permission may be given by the council to exempt a flock from operation of this rule. "2_ That ownors of registered flocks shall not' include 1 in their breeding returns more than ninety-five (95) por cent, of tho:ewes they put to the ram the-previous season.. Any 'relaxaion of this ' rule required for special selections or importations, can only be obtained by submitting same to, the council.

''3. That all registered owes in the Now Zealand Flock Book when sold bo inspected, reported upon,, and approved before transfers are recorded in the. Flock Book, and that the cost of each inspection, be borne by the vendor. ■ .••• '"You are asked on the following page your opinion upon each of these, and you ■ can support all, or any one, or none. The voting, papers must be returned to the secretary not later than Saturday, October-17. "During the discussion at our annual meeting it became apparent that so much misapprehension existed regarded .these proposals, that to tako a vote without some explanation would be a waste of time. "No. I.—l therefore take this opportunity to point out that No'. 1, while insisting upon the culling of 15 per cent, of, all twotooths, leaves this culling entirely in the hands of the breeder. The,- misapprehension probably arose from the fact that in the South Island they have not adopted the 15 per cent, .culling of ewes by the owner as our proposed rule suggests, but have appointed inspectors to go through flocks and cull them instead of the owner. Very seldom are, so many • as 85 , per cent, of. twxvtooths introduced to . a high-class flock. The cases cited of hardship under-this proposed rule, are of young breeders who have purchased good lots of ewes, and are anxious to increase their flocks. The reply is, that these ewes are no better after purchase than before, and that when in the-hands of their breeder probably more than 15 per cent, of females were culled. The benefit :of this rule to the society. would be that the 15 per cent, of tile culls.;could not' be sold and transferred to found other registered flocks. _ "No. 2.—Reference to past volumes of Flock Book shows that more aged ewes have been sometimes recorded as having been bred. from', than was likely, and certainly, was not advisable. I submit that, neglect-; ing to cull annually, is not calculated to'* 111~spire confidence in our Flock Book; and that B 'Writing-off of 5 per cent, errs, if anything, _ on; tho sido of leniency. Valuable importations' are safeguarded; by. referring samo to ,the council. .... ' • sale of ewes culled from registerecl; flocks may result in s! sheep being bred from, which. either" from" age of infirmity aro inferior, and. this tends to deteriorate the breed. The association 'should have the'power to inspect all discarded re- ■ gistered .ewes, and have'tho right to refuse a transfer of the same, so' that' inferior females should cease to breed stud sheep."