THE SOUTHDOWN BREED

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 43, 14 November 1939, Page 38 (Supplement)

THE SOUTHDOWN BREED

Important Factor In Fat Lamb Export Trade

SOUTHDOWN mutton is reckoned the best in the English market, with the exception of that of the Welsh sheep. The flesh is fine-grained and the admixture of lean and fat uniform. The fat lamb trade, such an important factor in New Zealand industry, owes its prominence in no small degree to the quality of the Southdown mutton. However great be the difference of opinion as to the best sheep to cioss with the Merino or Merino half bred to get a half bred or thr eequarter-bred ewe for breeding fat lambs, it seems to be a uniform conclusion that the final product obtained by using a Southdown ram on the crossbred ewes is the best freezin g sheep obtainable.

THE points of the perfect Southdown are:—Head should be small and devoid of horns, with the face slightly dished —the latter point being an indication of good breeding. The face should be neither too long nor too short, and covered with grey or light fawn hair; the top of the skull wide and covered with wool to the level of the eyes; ears short, covered

with soft wool ami in ram strong at roots. Too close breeding will take the wool off the ears, and keeping sheep on good land with rich feed is the reason for the darkness in the hair on the face which is so common in the flocks of New Zealand. The eye should be full and placid and (lie prominence above the eye not too well marked, as such a condition is dangerous at lambing time. Further Points The under jaw should be line and fleshless and carry wool to the lower part of cheeks and the lips moderately strong. Neck in ram should be short, thick and rise into a crest with the head held horizontally and not stylishly as in Border Leicester sheep. In ewes a thick neck often denotes lack of breeding propensities and sometimes barrenness. Shoulders most be wide and the backbone on a level with the tops so that when the hand is placed on this part it appears quite fat. A narrow shoulder is indicative of want of flesh forming qualities. The width of the shoulder ought to be maintained by well sprung ribs —the posterior ribs being specially deep and carried well back. The back should be long and straight from the shoulders to the setting on of the tail; the hind quarters long and wide, with the flesh well let down to the hocks. The underline should be straight and parallel with the back, forming in front a good wide brisket which should be carried well forward. A wide brisket denotes that the front legs are set fairly wide apart, while the placing of the shoulder makes perfectly straight fore legs. Both fore and hind legs ought to be short with line bone carrying fawn hair from knee or hock to the top of the hoof. The Fleece Sheep should be covered with dense even fleece of board-like firmness, showing cracks down to the skin each time the animal turns. Moderately short woo] is preferable, longer wool generally denoting coarseness and lightness of fleece. The skin should be pink and show no blue patches, and the whole sheep appear long and low set, forming a model of symmetry and compactness.

Though the Southdown is possessed of a good robust constitution, yet it is quite unsuited to wet, swampy land. The sheep of this breed were bred as mentioned previously, on dry chalky hills, bill had to withstand a fair amount of cold. They will travel further for their food than long wools, and it is an advantage to have them

ing of good drainage and leaving the surface soil in a fairly dry condition. Though they do so well on laud about the college, they appear to thrive even ■better on lighter land where the picking is shorter and where they are forced to travel longer distances in search of a meal. Notwithstanding these facts .Southdowns will stand close stocking better than any oilier breed,

covering a considerable area of ground when grazing. They do not in this case lie about too much, which, beside ■being detrimental to the health of the animals, also causes a coarse breech. ■Southdowns thrive specially well in Canterbury—the shingly subsoil allowaud for small farms where a large number of sheep are grazed together they are admirably suited. On these farms they can in most cases be better attended to. and here it may be stated that Southdowns require possibly more attention than any other breed.

Because of their wide level back, it is almost an impossibility for them to right themselves when cast, more specially if the sheep are in good condition. This fact is probably the chief reason why the breed is not kept on stations where sheep are not seen for weeks or even months at a stretch. The lambs mature early, and when frozen make the weight 321 b. to 401 b.. which are most suited for the London market. They die well, that is. they make a small percentage of offal, and

the bones being small there is very little waste.

■ The Southdown wool is the finest of the English breeds. It is a very short, mushy wool, • seldom exceeding two inches in length, and in most cases is used for carding. The wool of dry sheep grows to a better length, and can be used for top making. The average spinning count is 50’s, so that when well bred and of good length, it can be used the same as most halfbred. The wool is of a dry, harsh nature, causing it to noil heavily which is the fault of most Down wools. In colour it is of a chalky whiteness, excepting round the skirtings of neck and breech, which has a grey fibre running through it. Southdown wool, when well bred and well grown can be used for combing purposes, making worsteds, but taken all round it is more suitable for carding, making woollens. The average weight of a fleece is from 51b. to Gib.