WOOL BLINDNESS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 236, 18 September 1936, Page 11

WOOL BLINDNESS

Increasing Face Cover

POINT FOR N.Z. BREEDERS “For flock sheep, which of necessity have to seek their living in the open, the first necessity is ability to see,” says a South American writer (T. C, Norris) on practical sheep farming. “In the Argentine there is an extraordinary craze for growing wool on the face of the sheep, and in the case of .Merinos it has reached the stage of being a real disadvantage or handicap, as the, animals cannot see without being shorn round the eyes several times a year Some of the British breeds are also drifting toward that fashion. 1 noticed many Romneys with increasing covering on the face, wool meeting on the cheek below the eye, and it appears to me tl i, if not checked it will sooner or la ead to similar defect to that now ev.,.unt in the Argentine Merino When classing flock sheep, therefore, a ewe that looked as if it would probably become wool blind should be considered defective.” The little wool on the face is of practically no value It goes among the leg clippings and sweepings. As a wool-b ind sheep cannot thrive, it stands to reason that the main growth of wool on the hodv where it is valuable, is being retarded to satisfy the eraze of the small, woollv covering or little or no value round the eyes. Some New Zealand flockowners would do well to ponder over these observations of Mr Norris.