SHEEP IN RUSSIA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16325, 22 August 1913, Page 11

SHEEP IN RUSSIA.

Towards the end of Inst year a Sheepbreeding Congress for the promotion of this industry in Russia was hold at Moscow in connection with an exhibition of sheep. During the sittings of tho congross much stress was laid on the fact that Russia did not require to import any moro sheep, or, in any case, only to a limited extent. There aro at tho present timo eighty-seven million shocp in tho country; these, may bo divided into two categories, producing fine and coarse wool respectively. Of the first tyno there aro six million, including ** different breeds of nierinoes. Tho other eighty-one million consist of thort-tailed. fat-rumped, broad-tailed and long-tailed sheep, of which the last are bred for meat, milk and fat, and also for their wool. From tho information supplied to the congress, it appeared that sheep-breeding had only declined in the districts where pure-bred merinoes wero kept. Tho proportion of sheep to tho population varies in different district. 5 ); in some there are thirty sheep per inhabitant; in others 200; "this very high figure occurs in places remote from centres of communication, and it was part of tho work of the congress to open up such districts.

The Russian merino sheep is a typical exclusively wool-producing animal. English breeds and their crosses havo not proved very successful in Russia, so that breeders in that country havo to resort, more or less, to tho systematic improvement of the numerous native breeds of sheep. One of tho principal native breeds at the show was the largo Kurdjuck sheep, a native of South Russia, and belongs to the fat-rumped type; it is reared for meat and fat only, as its woo] is poor, but it is resistant and thrifty. It reaches its full size at the age of six months. Tlie measurements of a. typical adult ram were as follows: —Height at withers, 35in ; breadth of chest, 9in; depth of chest. 15.3 in; total length, without cushion of fat, 3ft o.6in, with fat cushion 3ft 4.5 in; the latter can weigh up to 331 b.